Start with your device.

Rule out a real spike15 min

Cooking, aerosols, candles and vacuuming can push the reading up. Close the windows, wait 15 minutes and look again.

Unplug the purifier1 min

Switch it off and pull the plug before you open anything.

Clean the sensor with compressed air3 min

Open the small sensor flap — on the left side of the Forste, on the back left of the Stor — and blow compressed air into the sensor opening.

Plug it back in1 min

When you switch it on, the purifier warms up its sensors for 10 seconds and then starts in Auto. Check the reading in clean air.

Check the mode1 min

In auto, speed follows the air quality reading. A jump after cooking or opening a window is expected behavior, not a fault.

Check the filters3 min

Unplug it and take the filters out. Make sure the plastic wrap is off every filter and each one sits in the right order and direction, as shown in the manual.

Look into the fan grille5 min

Unplug first. Pet hair, a wrapper or a coin against the blade gives a tick or a scrape once per turn.

Give it some space1 min

A purifier boxed into a corner is louder and cleans less. Leave about 8 in of clear space on every side.

Check the room against the rating2 min

Forste is rated for rooms up to 1,237 sq ft and Stor up to 2,775 sq ft, both at 1 air change per hour. An open-plan kitchen and living room counts as one room.

Check the filters3 min

If FILTER is lit, or the filters have been in for a year or more, replace the H13 and carbon filters. Also check the pre-filter: vacuum it on low with a soft attachment.

Give it a fair position2 min

About 8 in of clear space on every side, nothing on top, and ideally between you and the source — the litter box, the kitchen, the street window.

Close the loop for an hour1 h

Windows and doors shut, device on high, then read it again. An open window resets the room faster than any purifier can clean it.

Use a 2.4 GHz network3 min

The purifiers do not connect to 5 GHz. If your router shows both bands under one name, use your router settings to give 2.4 GHz its own network for setup.

Put it in pairing mode1 min

Hold the Wi-Fi button for about 3 seconds, until it beeps and the Wi-Fi icon blinks. A steady icon means it is not in pairing mode.

Add it in Smart Life3 min

Open Smart Life, tap Add device and follow the prompts. The router needs WPA2-PSK or WPA-PSK security.

Move everything closer2 min

For the first pairing, keep the phone, the purifier and the router within a few feet of each other.

Take the plastic wrap off1 min

Every filter ships wrapped. Take each one out of its plastic before you put it in; the purifier must never run with the wrap on or without filters.

Reset the filter clock1 min

Forste: in the Smart Life app, go to Settings > Reset filter. Stor: hold Reset for 6 seconds while FILTER is lit, or use Settings > Reset filter in the app.

Check it is the right set1 min

Forste and Stor each take their own genuine filter set, and the sets are not interchangeable. The model name is on the device.

Check the filter order2 min

Forste: carbon filter first, then H13, then the pre-filter. Stor: carbon filter first, then the H13 filter with its pre-filter mesh facing out.

Read the humidity, not the air1 h

Watch the humidity reading over an hour or two in a closed room. That is the real measure of output.

Check the water3 min

Two flashing lines on the display mean the water is low. Switch off and unplug, refill through the filling hatch up to the MAX mark, close the hatch and switch it back on.

Check the wick and the housing3 min

The wick should be damp and fitted correctly, with the upper housing seated squarely on the tank. A stiff, crusted wick needs replacing.

Raise the target1 min

When the room reaches the target, the fan drops to a very slow speed by design. Raise the target (40–75%) or choose CO for continuous running and see whether the fan picks up.

Change the water every day2 min

Switch off and unplug, pour out what is left and refill with fresh cold water. Do not top up old water.

Wash the tank every 1–2 days5 min

Use warm water up to 86 °F (30 °C) and a soft cloth. Once a week, wash it with a mild detergent and rinse it well.

Rinse the wick daily2 min

Rinse the wick under running water every day. For scale, soak it for 8–20 minutes in a 1:1 mix of vinegar and water, then rinse.

Dry it before storing—

If it will sit unused for more than 2 days, empty the tank and let the wick dry.

Check the fill line2 min

Never fill above the MAX mark: overfilling pushes water out through the openings. Empty it back to the line.

Close the filling hatch1 min

Close the filling hatch after every refill, and never pour water in through the top vents or the outlet.

Put it on a level surface1 min

Stand it upright on a solid, flat, waterproof surface — never on a rug, a bed or a sofa — and do not tilt or move it while it runs.

Seat the upper housing2 min

With the unit unplugged, lift the upper housing and set it back squarely on the tank.

Use a 2.4 GHz network3 min

Humea does not connect to 5 GHz. If your router shows both bands under one name, give 2.4 GHz its own network for setup.

Hold Auto1 min

Hold the Auto button until the Wi-Fi icon flashes quickly. A steady icon means it is not in pairing mode.

Add it in Smart Life3 min

Open Smart Life, tap Add device and choose Auto Scan.

Move everything closer2 min

For the first pairing, keep the phone, the Humea and the router within a few feet of each other.

Check how long it has been in1 min

The wick lasts about 3–6 months, depending on your water hardness and how much you run it.

Try descaling it20 min

Soak the wick for 8–20 minutes in a 1:1 mix of vinegar and water, then rinse. The color may fade slightly.

Fit a new wick5 min

Switch off and unplug, lift the upper housing off the tank, swap the filter and refit the housing.

Reset the filter counter1 min

Hold On/Off for 3 seconds until it beeps. If the counter runs out, the display shows FR and the Humea stops until you do this.