Frequently Asked Questions — aqi0 Fresh Air Systems
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Or browse all sections: How it works · Installation · Filters & AMC · Cost · Comparisons · Specific homes · Warranty & support
How it works
What is a fresh air system?
A fresh air system is a mechanical ventilation device that pulls outdoor air through a HEPA filter and pushes it into a home, creating slight positive pressure that displaces stale indoor air through natural gaps. Unlike an air purifier, which recirculates room air, a fresh air system replaces indoor air with filtered outdoor air. It reduces PM2.5, CO₂, VOCs, and humidity issues simultaneously.
How does positive-pressure ventilation work?
A fresh air system brings in 500 m³/h of filtered outdoor air. Because no other air is being added or removed, indoor pressure rises slightly above outdoor pressure — typically 10-25 Pascals. This small positive pressure prevents polluted outdoor air from leaking in through door frames, windows, and exhaust vents. Stale indoor air exits through those same gaps instead of unfiltered outdoor air entering through them.
What does aqi0 use — EC fan or AC fan?
aqi0 uses an EC (Electronically Commutated) fan — specifically a backward-curved centrifugal EC fan rated for 40,000 hours of continuous operation. EC fans draw about 30 W compared to 80-120 W for equivalent AC fans, produce less noise, and have longer design life. Speed is variable via a potentiometer, letting you dial airflow up during high-AQI periods.
What grade of HEPA does aqi0 use?
H13 HEPA. H13 captures at least 99.95% of particles at the Most Penetrating Particle Size (MPPS, approximately 0.3 micron). This exceeds WHO requirements for respiratory air filtration and is the grade used in hospital general wards and clean-room class 7 environments. Our current filters are Philips H13 HEPA.
How is this different from an ERV or HRV?
ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator) and HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator) are balanced ventilation systems that push fresh air in and exhaust stale air out through a heat exchanger that recovers temperature. They work well in cold climates where heating cost dominates. For India, positive pressure is simpler, cheaper, and better suited to leaky building envelopes. India’s winter is short enough that heat recovery doesn’t pay back.
How loud is the aqi0 fresh air system?
Reasonably silent — we resolved noise early in product development. The EC backward-curved centrifugal fan was chosen partly for its quiet running, and the unit is acoustically dampened. At normal operating speed (4–5 V), it sits in the background of a room without being noticeable in conversation, sleep, or work — comparable to a ceiling fan on speed 2. You only hear it if you make a deliberate effort to listen. Ramping the speed up to 6 V during a peak-AQI day raises the sound slightly but keeps it well within ambient room noise.
Installation
How long does installation take?
A single day, typically 4-6 hours. This includes cutting the wall or glass opening, running the ducting, mounting the unit, wiring the electrical, pairing the WiFi monitor, and measuring indoor AQI before and after to verify performance.
What does installation include?
Everything needed to get a working system: the wall or glass opening cut, 25 feet of 10-inch aluminium ducting, grille, wall bracket, silicone sealant, black foam gasket, clamps, flexible hose, main wire, remote wire, and the labour. Toughened-glass cutting is the only exception — it requires a factory setting and is handled by the customer’s glass vendor (we can refer one in Manesar).
Can the system be installed in a rented apartment?
Yes, if the landlord or RWA approves an external-wall modification. We provide the installation drawing and specs for approval. Many customers install in rentals where they plan to stay 2+ years — the payback period is well within that horizon.
Where in my home does the unit go?
Typically a utility area, service balcony, bedroom wall, living-room wall, or glass wall with external access. We do not install on the kitchen wall — pushing fresh air in at the kitchen would pressurise cooking smells through the rest of the home (the kitchen needs to stay on the exhaust side, with chimney/exhaust fan handling cooking air). Site visit confirms the best location for your home; the exterior grille is placed in a non-visible location wherever possible.
How can I minimize noise from the unit during installation?
The unit is quiet enough that most homes need no extra sound treatment. For the most noise-sensitive setups, the standard approach is to locate the unit outside the primary living space — a utility area or service balcony — with the duct running into the room you want to ventilate. From the balcony you might catch a low hum if you stand next to the machine, but nothing audible from inside the home or to neighbours outside. Our site visit confirms the quietest placement that still delivers clean air to the rooms you care about most.
Do you need to come inside my home for the site visit?
Yes. The site visit includes measuring your current indoor PM2.5 and CO₂ with our calibrated monitor, identifying the best install location, and confirming electrical access. It takes 30-45 minutes and is free with no obligation.
My home has glass walls — can you still install?
Yes. Glass installs are common in Gurugram high-rises. The glass must be toughened (factory- cut for bracket pattern). We work with a Manesar-based glass vendor who handles the cut. Your vendor or ours is fine — the cut must be done before our install day.
Does the install work on upper floors?
Yes. Our installs span ground floor to 25+ floors. Higher floors often have cleaner intake air (above street-level dust). Method is the same; site visit confirms wall/window access.
Filters & AMC
Does the system have multiple layers of filtration?
Yes. Every aqi0 unit has two filtration stages. The first is a washable pre-filter mounted on the outside of the unit — it traps coarse dust, lint, and insects before they ever reach the HEPA. The second is the H13 HEPA filter, which captures fine particles down to 0.3 micron. Because the pre-filter handles the dust load, the HEPA stays cleaner for longer and does not need replacement more frequently in dusty conditions. The pre-filter is washed every 7–10 days as a 2-minute DIY task; the HEPA is replaced by our field team during the AMC cycle.
How often do filters need changing?
Minimum 6 times per year — on average every 60 days. During NCR’s peak AQI season (October to February), every 45 days. The washable pre-filter is a DIY 2-minute task every 7–10 days (dust or vacuum it, put it back). H13 HEPA replacement is done by our field team at each AMC visit.
What’s in the AMC?
Minimum 6 filter changes per year, machine internal cleaning at each visit, call-out priority for any issue, and WhatsApp reminders before each due date. AMC is ₹12,500 + GST (₹14,750/year all-in) — same price whether signed at install, at first filter change, or later.
What happens if I miss an AMC filter change?
Effective airflow gradually drops. Indoor PM2.5 rises (you’ll see it on the monitor). The fan works slightly harder. Nothing fails catastrophically — the system is designed to fail gracefully — but you lose performance until the filter is swapped. The AMC is designed so this doesn’t happen; miss a reminder and we follow up automatically.
Can I buy filters separately?
Yes. We keep H13 HEPA filters in stock. Individual filter cost ₹1,200 + GST. AMC customers get them included in their ₹14,750/year AMC.
Does the first filter change cost anything?
No. for every customer, regardless of AMC status. It happens around day 60 after install.
What size are the aqi0 HEPA filters?
362 × 276 × 50 mm. This is the same dimensional standard as Philips large-room indoor air purifier replacement filters. We chose this size deliberately so customers are not locked into a proprietary filter that only we can supply.
Are aqi0 filters proprietary? Will I be locked into buying them only from you?
No. The filter dimensions (362 × 276 × 50 mm) match a widely available Philips replacement- filter size, so a Philips H13 of the same size will physically fit in your aqi0 unit as a fallback. Most fresh-air-system competitors use odd, proprietary filter sizes that are not available anywhere else — bind you to the size, then bind you to the price for the life of the system. We chose the opposite path on purpose.
Can I use a Philips HEPA filter in my aqi0 system instead?
Yes, physically — a Philips H13 of the same size will fit and will give you clean air. But Philips filters are designed for indoor recirculation (already-conditioned room air, low humidity, low dust load). aqi0’s filter sits in the same external dimensions but the media inside is engineered for outdoor intake — moisture-tolerant, higher dust-load tolerance, and rated to hold efficiency for the full AMC interval under real Delhi-NCR conditions. Philips sized, but better for outdoor. Use a Philips filter as a fallback if you ever need to; ours performs better for the job our system is actually doing.
Why did aqi0 choose a standard filter size instead of a proprietary one?
Three reasons. First, a fresh air system is a 10+ year asset in your home — the economics of the next ten years should not depend on a single vendor’s pricing. Second, if anything ever happens to us, you can keep your system running with off-the-shelf Philips H13 replacements available at Croma, Reliance Digital, and Amazon India. Third, it forces our AMC to be on a competitive footing forever — we have to deliver value better than the off-the-shelf alternative, because the off-the-shelf alternative is real and accessible. There is no proprietary-filter rent we can extract from a customer.
Cost
How much does a fresh air system cost in India?
₹70,000 + GST (₹82,600 all-in) for one aqi0 unit installed. This covers the unit, ducting, install labour, wall cut, grille, wiring, and bracket. One unit covers homes up to 2,000 sq ft.
What’s the electricity cost to run this 24/7?
Under ₹170 per month at ₹8 per unit. The fan draws approximately 30 W nominal. Running 24/7 for 30 days consumes about 21.6 kWh = ₹173.
What’s the 5-year total cost of ownership?
Approximately ₹1,56,350 for a single-unit install: ₹82,600 system + ₹14,750 × 5 years AMC (₹73,750) + ~₹10,500 electricity (₹6,000 saved if AQI monitor bundled at install — same-invoice rule). Compare to ~₹3,32,000 for four premium air purifiers over the same period, which solve only PM2.5 and not CO₂.
Do you offer EMI?
Yes. No-cost EMI is available on select credit cards through Razorpay, typically 3/6/9 months. Handled at checkout or over WhatsApp.
Is GST refundable?
If you’re GST-registered (institutional / business / professional), yes — you can claim input tax credit on the 18% GST. GSTIN is on every invoice.
Are there hidden costs?
No. The ₹70,000 + GST (₹82,600 all-in) covers the install. Toughened-glass cutting (if applicable) is the only potential add-on, handled by your glass vendor outside our quote. AMC and electricity are the only recurring costs.
Comparisons
Fresh air system vs air purifier — which is better?
Depends on the problem. An air purifier cleans air already in one room by recirculating it; it reduces PM2.5 in that room but cannot reduce CO₂. A fresh air system brings in new filtered outdoor air, ventilating your entire home, reducing both PM2.5 and CO₂. For Indian metros with year-round poor AQI, a fresh air system is the only full solution. A purifier is a band-aid on a wound that needs stitches.
How does aqi0 compare to Dyson?
Dyson Canopy is a premium positive-pressure fresh air product starting at ₹1,50,000 before installation. aqi0 delivers comparable or better specifications (EC fan, H13 HEPA, 500 m³/h effective) at ₹70,000 + GST (₹82,600 all-in) installed — about 40% less for equivalent or better specifications, with installation included, tuned for Indian conditions.
Are all “HEPA” products the same?
No. “HEPA” as a word is often used loosely. True HEPA classifications (EN 1822) specify H13 (≥99.95% at MPPS) and H14 (≥99.995%). Consumer products sometimes claim “HEPA-type” or “True HEPA” but ship E11/E12 filters (which capture much less). Always ask for the certification grade. aqi0 uses H13 HEPA, certified.
Specific home situations
What size home does one unit cover?
Up to 2,000 sq ft — typically a 2-4 BHK. For 2,500+ sq ft homes (larger 4 BHK, duplexes, villas), we recommend two units. Site visit confirms.
Does it work in a 1 BHK?
Yes, and typically a 1 BHK is lower-effort to cover because the volume is smaller. Sometimes a 1 BHK install uses a lower fan speed setting since a full 500 m³/h would over-ventilate.
Can two units be installed on different floors?
Absolutely. Duplexes and multi-level homes often benefit from one unit per floor, ducted to the main living spaces on that floor. Install is done in a single day with a larger crew.
Does it work with AC running?
Yes. AC and fresh air system are complementary. AC controls temperature and some humidity; fresh air system controls air quality (PM2.5, CO₂). They don’t interfere. Incoming fresh air is at outdoor temperature — in summer it’s warm, but the volume is small enough that your AC absorbs it without measurable cost increase.
What about during monsoon?
The system runs as normal. Incoming air carries monsoon humidity, which your AC typically handles. Monsoon doesn’t reduce PM2.5 significantly (only PM10 is washed by rain — PM2.5 remains elevated), so the system still does its job.
What if there’s a power cut?
The fan stops. Indoor air quality gradually equalises with outdoor through infiltration over several hours. When power returns, the system resumes automatically. No reset needed. Filters are unaffected.
Can I use it in a shop, studio, or workshop?
Yes. Smaller commercial spaces benefit from fresh air systems. Specific requirements (cooking fumes, paint VOCs, higher occupancy) may need additional units or different filter configurations. Contact us for commercial-space consultation.
Warranty & support
What’s the warranty?
1 year on the fan, from install date. No questions asked — any fan issue in year one, we replace on-site. The body and filter housing are rated for decades.
What’s the fan’s design life beyond warranty?
The EC fan is rated for 40,000 hours. That’s approximately 4.5 years of 24/7 continuous operation before the design life is reached. Actual lifespan typically exceeds this. Fan replacement beyond warranty is at cost.
How do I contact support?
Call or WhatsApp +91 9667672740. Email [email protected]. AMC customers have priority routing.
Do you service outside NCR?
Currently installing in Gurugram, South Delhi, Noida, and Faridabad. Taking enquiries from Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Pune for later 2026. Enquiries from other cities go on the waiting list; we’ll reach out when we expand.
What if I move homes?
The system can be uninstalled and reinstalled at a new location. Uninstall cost ~₹3,000. Re-install cost depends on the new site (typically ₹8,000-15,000). Filter and fan warranty transfer with the unit.
Something not listed?
If your question isn’t here, call +91 9667672740 or WhatsApp us. We update this FAQ whenever a customer asks something we haven’t answered publicly yet.