Air

What CO2 level is good at home?

Short answer

There is no legal limit for homes. As a reference, Belgian workplaces must usually stay below 900 ppm, and from 1200 ppm air in publicly accessible spaces is considered insufficient.

CO2 meter explained: Dial with Belgian references: workplaces usually < 900 ppm, publicly accessible spaces insufficient from 1200 ppm; not a housing standard. — **CO2 meter explained** — Dial with Belgian references: workplaces usually < 900 ppm, publicly accessible spaces insufficient from 1200 ppm; not a housing standard. (The text inside the figure is in Dutch.)

Reading a CO2 value →

Explanation

At these levels CO2 itself is not toxic. It is a measurable sign of how much exhaled air is in the room. A high value means too little fresh air is coming in. A CO2 meter helps you see whether you ventilate enough.

Rules of thumb

Workplaces BE: usually < 900 ppm, or at least 40 m³/h of fresh air per person. [SW-S18]
Alternative for workplaces: < 1200 ppm with at least 25 m³/h per person, if the employer takes extra measures based on a risk assessment. [SW-S18]
Publicly accessible spaces BE (2022 law): from 1200 ppm insufficient; ventilate or purify more. [SW-S19]

Figures from the source
Value	Unit	Region	Source	Note
900	ppm	not given as data in the source	SW-S18, SW-S19	werkplekken BE: gewoonlijk lager dan 900 ppm
1200	ppm	not given as data in the source	SW-S18, SW-S19	werkplekken alternatief < 1200 ppm; publieke ruimtes vanaf 1200 ppm onvoldoende
40	m³/u per persoon	not given as data in the source	SW-S18	stemt overeen met 900 ppm
25	m³/u per persoon	not given as data in the source	SW-S18	alternatief bij 1200 ppm

The source does not give the region as separate data for these figures; see the regional notes. The notes are in Dutch.

Pitfalls

A CO2 meter does not measure particulates, radon or carbon monoxide. [SW-S27]
Workplace rules do not legally apply to your home; here they are only a benchmark. [SW-S18]

By region

Belgium: Royal Decree of 2 May 2019 (workplaces), in force since 31 May 2019; 2022 law for publicly accessible spaces. [SW-S18, SW-S19]

Search terms

These search terms are in Dutch; only terms that also find a topic in English are links.

CO2 ppm CO2-meter binnenlucht slaapkamer

Read also

General information, not personal advice. Check the source and reference date.

Sources

SW-S18 Nieuwe regels voor de kwaliteit van de binnenlucht in werklokalen — FOD Werkgelegenheid, Arbeid en Sociaal Overleg (Reference date 2026-09-27)
SW-S19 Normen en regelgeving over de luchtkwaliteit binnenshuis — Test-Aankoop (Reference date 2026-09-27)
SW-S27 Voorlichting koolmonoxide: risico's verbrandingstoestellen — RIVM (GGD-richtlijn MMK koolmonoxide) (Reference date 2026-09-27)
SW-S30 Tips voor beter en energiezuiniger ventileren — Milieu Centraal (Reference date 2026-09-27)

Reference date: 2026-09-27 · Translated with AI from the Dutch original.