2024.11.2
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AirVisual Cloud

The airvisual sensor platform queries the AirVisual cloud API for air quality data. Data can be collected via latitude/longitude or city/state/country.

Using the AirVisual Cloud API

AirVisual API keys can be obtained here. Note that the platform was designed using the “Community” package; the “Startup” and “Enterprise” package keys should continue to function, but actual results may vary (or not work at all).

The Community API key is valid for 12 months after which it will expire. You must then go back to the AirVisual website, delete your old key, create a new one following the same steps and update your configuration with the new key.

Note

The “Community” API key is limited to 10,000 calls per month. In order to accommodate using the same API key for multiple geographies, the airvisual integration will automatically “re-level” the time between API calls so as to not overrun the call limit.

For example:

  • One instance of the integration: API calls every 5 minutes

  • Two instances of the integration: API calls every 10 minutes

  • etc.

Configuration

To add the AirVisual Cloud service to your Home Assistant instance, use this My button:

Manual configuration steps

If the above My button doesn’t work, you can also perform the following steps manually:

  • Browse to your Home Assistant instance.

  • Go to Settings > Devices & Services.

  • In the bottom right corner, select the Add Integration button.

  • From the list, select AirVisual Cloud.

  • Follow the instructions on screen to complete the setup.

Determining the City/State/Country

In addition to using latitude and longitude, the AirVisual integration may be configured to use a city/state/country combination. To easily determine the proper values for a particular location, use the AirVisual region directory. Once you browse to the particular city you want, take note of the breadcrumb title, which is of the form country > state/region > city.

For example, Sao Paulo, Brazil shows a breadcrumb title of Brazil > Sao Paulo > Sao Paulo. Thus, the values to use in the UI would be:

  • City: Sao Paulo
  • State: Sao Paulo
  • Country: Brazil

Sensor types

When configured, the platform will create three sensors for each air quality standard:

Air quality index

  • Description: This sensor displays a numeric air quality index (AQI), a metric for the overall “health” of the air.
  • Example Sensor Name: sensor.chinese_air_quality_index
  • Example Sensor Value: 32
  • Explanation:
AQI Status Description
0 - 50 Good Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk
51 - 100 Moderate Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution
101 - 150 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected
151 - 200 Unhealthy Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects
201 - 300 Very unhealthy Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected
301+ Hazardous Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects

Air pollution level

  • Description: This sensor displays the associated Status (from the above table) for the current AQI.
  • Sample Sensor Name: sensor.us_air_pollution_level
  • Example Sensor Value: Moderate

Main pollutant

  • Description: This sensor displays the pollutant whose value is currently highest.
  • Sample Sensor Name: sensor.us_main_pollutant
  • Example Sensor Value: PM2.5
  • Explanation:
Pollutant Symbol More Info
Particulate (<= 2.5 μm) PM2.5 EPA: Particulate Matter (PM) Pollution
Particulate (<= 10 μm) PM10 EPA: Particulate Matter (PM) Pollution
Ozone O EPA: Ozone Pollution
Sulpher Dioxide SO2 EPA: Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Pollution
Carbon Monoxide CO EPA: Carbon Monoxide (CO) Pollution in Outdoor Air