Microorganisms and Irritants in the Air
Bacteria, viruses, and mold move on air currents from one space to another. You can’t see them, but they’re around and can have a significant impact on health and wellness. They can be responsible for your family members or employees passing a cold, the flu, or several other diseases to each other. Irritants can trigger and exacerbate allergies and asthma. Some microorganisms could also be disastrous for people with compromised immune systems. UV-C room air purification protects against infection, aids in asthma and allergies, and eliminates odors by neutralizing harmful bacteria, mold, and viruses.
Your Home or Office Could be a Breeding Ground for Harmful Microbes
Homes and offices can be the perfect environment for microorganisms to reproduce quickly. According to the EPA, we spend an average of 90% of our time indoors, and the concentrations of some indoor pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higheropen_in_new than what’s found outdoors. With so much time spent indoors, it’s no wonder we pick up germs in our own homes.
Most pollutants affecting indoor air quality come from sources inside buildings, although some originate outdoors.
EPA, Indoor Air Qualityopen_in_new
How do Virus, Bacteria, and Fungi Spread Through the Air?
When someone in your home coughs or sneezes, millions of virus or bacteria particles spew through the air. Microbes hang in the air or land on objects throughout your home. They are then picked up in the air currents and carried throughout the house. Microorganisms and fungi from outside make their way inside and will spread. You then come in contact with these microorganisms by breathing them in and touching infected surfaces. Doorknobs, tables, chairs, and cabinet handles are just some of the surfaces where airborne contaminants rest.
Influenza viruses spread from person to person, primarily through respiratory droplets. Transmission generally occurs via large particle droplets that require close proximity… but airborne transmission via small particle aerosols can occur within confined air spaces. Indirect transmission occurs when a person touches their face after touching a virus-contaminated surface.
CDC Yellow Book, “Influenza”open_in_new
UV Room Air Purification Neutralizes Many Bacteria, Viruses, and Mold
Germicidal UV-C has been recognized for decades as a powerful, safe, rapid, and chemical-free disinfection method. Germicidal ultraviolet light emitted at 254 nanometers inactivates the DNA of viruses, bacteria, and fungi — destroying their ability to multiply and cause disease. By utilizing UV-C room air purification, microbes will essentially stop reproducing, and start to die off.
The common cold and flu are the most common contaminants your home or office will face. The average adult catches 2–3 colds a yearopen_in_new. But that’s not the only worry. There are dozens of other airborne microbes, like the ones listed below. These may be transmitted in public spaces at any time, by a person that is unknowingly carrying the germs. Indoor air also faces the threat of dust, mold, and odors that can trigger or aggravate symptoms of allergies and asthma.
Sign Up to Receive the Latest UV Content!
Get monthly emails when new pages and blog posts are published, including these upcoming residential and commercial application pages:
- Water Vending Machines
- Ice Machines
- Supermarkets
- Public Restrooms
- Cleaning Companies
Several Home & Office Spaces for UV Room Air Purification
Forgotten Areas of the Home
Since temperature and moisture can fluctuate in your basement, attic, or attached garage, these locations become a favorable environment for microorganisms to reproduce and spread into other areas of your home. When you treat the air in these spaces, you reduce the re-population of viruses, bacteria, and mold that could otherwise spread rapidly into your home’s living spaces.
UV Room Air Purification Backed by Research
Studies show influenza is inactivatedopen_in_new when air is exposed to UV-C rays. In addition, the CDC has recommended that upper room UV-C disinfection units be used in high-risk settings to supplement air dilution, due to their effectiveness in neutralizing the tuberculosis bacteriumopen_in_new.
Another studyopen_in_new found upper room UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) to have the lowest cost per equivalent room air change (Table A), when compared with four other room air cleaners. It was also nearly 10 times more cost-effective than mechanical ventilation (Table B). Upper room UV disinfection is so efficient because it treats a large portion of air at once, instead of drawing it through a box for treatment.
Table A
Table B
Combine UV-C Room Air & Upper Air Disinfection
For maximum health and wellness benefits, use a combination of UV room air sanitizers and UV upper room air disinfection fixtures. Download our Whitepaper PDFopen_in_new with more product information, scientific studies, and UV-C doses for neutralizing airborne microbes.
Sanitaire® Room Air Sanitizers
Our SANITAIRE® UV room air purification models neutralize viruses and bacteria in the air of virtually any occupied setting. They feature a permanent, washable, electrostatic intake filter or disposable filter capable of removing airborne particles as small as 5 microns. Model RSA760 comes standard with a HEPA filter as well.
SANITAIRE® pulls air from the occupied, enclosed space through its electrostatic filter. The air moves into a polished, reflective exposure chamber where it’s exposed to UV-C rays for a precise amount of time before cycling back into your room through a louvered panel. These models can mount on the wall, inside a T-bar ceiling, or move from room to room as needed.
Hygeaire® Upper Air Disinfection
Our Hygeaire® fixtures are designed for occupied public spaces, providing powerful purification for upper room air. Hygeaire® fixtures install on a wall or from the ceiling. When mounted at a minimum of 7′ off the ground, a louvered panel keeps UV-C rays across the upper part of the room (for the safety of occupants). These fixtures neutralize bacteria and viruses that are carried into the ultraviolet field by convection currents or air circulation. Hygeaire® reduces the risk of cross infection and exposure to infectious germs, creating a healthier breathing environment in your home or office.
Need help? Contact Our UV Application Specialists
We will help you determine the right products, and the proper installation method in order to provide the precise ultraviolet dosage for your needs.
Call: (631) 273-0500, Mon–Fri, 7am–6pm
Email: Sales@AtlanticUV.com
Additional Information
- CDC: About Common Coldopen_in_new
- EPA: “Indoor Air Quality”open_in_new
- ASM Journals: “Aerosol Susceptibility of Influenza Virus to UV-C Light”open_in_new
- Photochemistry and Photobiology: Air Disinfection for Airborne Infection Control with a Focus on COVID-19: Why Germicidal UV is Essentialopen_in_new
- Public Health Reports: The History of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation for Air Disinfectionopen_in_new
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Controlling Tuberculosis Transmission with Ultraviolet Irradiationopen_in_new
CM-000307