To begin measuring airborne particles (aerosol) with the Sidepak press the leftmost purple PAGE
button and wait several minutes until the text SURVEY MODE displayed on the LCD screen and
the current level of particle is shown (in units of milligrams per meter cubed). Use one of the
two above methods for saving the Sidepak data (either using internal memory or connected to a
computer and using the “SidePak Buddy” software).
Obtain Clean Outdoor Background Readings
After you have set the Sidepak to log, you should take it outside for at least 10 minutes so that you
can obtain some clean background readings for reference. Make sure that no smokers or other
sources of pollution (e.g., cars, fires, etc.) are present. Make a note of the time and date that you
took the Sidepak outdoors (see more below on logging specific events).
Place Sidepak on a Table or Shelf
Place the Sidepak in a room where smoke odors have been detected at earlier times. You should
place the Sidepak on a table or shelf where it is safe from tampering by children or pets. Make
sure the inlet of the Sidepak is not obstructed in any way. If you are using an attached computer
with the Sidepak and the “SidePak Buddy” software, make sure there is room for both the laptop
and the SidePak.
The Sidepak should be set to save data in your home for at least a week, so that it can record
several distinct smoking events. During the period of air monitoring, you should do the
following: (1) make notes of events that occur in your home as explained below, and (2)
reposition the Sidepak at different times to measure background levels and to investigate points of
entry for tobacco smoke as explained below.
Log Household Events, Smoking Events, and Smoke Odors
To obtain useful data, it is important that you keep track of what is going on as often as possible
on a piece of paper and/or using the built-in event logging of the
SidePak Buddy
software (if you
are using this software rather than the internal memory of the Sidepak).
For the entire time that you are measuring data SidePak with the Sidepak, write down or otherwise
log the date and the time that specific events occur. Please include notes about the following
events:
z
Whenever you smell smoke in your home
z
Whenever you see a smoker in an adjacent unit
z
Whenever you see a smoker in a common area near your home
z
Whenever there is a smoker present in your home
z
Whenever you cook in your home
z
Whenever you vacuum or dust in your home
z
Whenever when you move the Sidepak to different locations in your home
or in common areas of your neighborhood
