The recent coronavirus outbreak and rapidly spread disease COVID-19 can raise concerns about your air handling units such as HVAC systems and ductworks.
HVAC air purifiers can improve conditioned-air quality but can they protect you from coronavirus? Is there anything you can or should be doing? We share the information in this post.
HVAC Air Purifying
Air purifiers can eliminate some airborne contaminants and that’s why they’re not only used inside a room to purify the air in it but they’re also integrated to HVAC units and ductwork to ensure the air they condition, heat, and distribute is clean. Not all HVAC purifiers can eliminate the same contaminants, so here’s a breakdown of what air pollutants each one can remove:
Air purifying methods used in HVAC systems are HEPA filters, carbon filters, UV light, and electronic air purifiers:
- HEPA filters can remove dust, allergens, mold spores, visible smoke, and some bacteria.
- Carbon filters deal with less dense impurities such as odors, vapors and certain gases.
- Ultraviolet lights can be installed in your HVAC system ductwork and it can inactivate microorganisms, viruses, and bacterias.
- Electronic air purifiers deal with allergens, dust, pet dander, or mold.
Can HVAC Air Purifiers Prevent Coronavirus?
Coronavirus and other virus classes are very small in size. Not all HVAC air purifiers can eliminate these types of particles so their capacity of removing the virus from indoor air is limited. Overall, UV air purifiers in your ductwork are the best option if you want to take air handling preventions for your HVAC system, however, the World Health Organization advises not to use this for your hands or skin as radiation can cause skin irritation.
HVAC Safety Measures for Coronavirus.
You can pick up the coronavirus from different surfaces, not just from air. Maintaining good hygiene in your property and following safety measures from reliable sources such as the World Health Organization are the best ways to reduce the risks of getting and spreading the infection.
HVAC systems handle and distribute the air in your property. Some HVAC systems even recirculate air and reintroduce it to your property’s interior. If the air in your home is in contact with the coronavirus or any other airborne contaminants, the best safety measure is to give your HVAC system proper maintenance.
HVAC air purifiers will remove air contaminants from your indoor air from a certain size, yet viruses are too small for the filters to catch (Only UV light could possibly disintegrate particles of that size). Even if HEPA filters or electronic purifiers could trap virus particles, HVAC air purifiers aren’t designed to eliminate these particles completely.
With adequate HVAC inspection and maintenance, you can assess if your HVAC air purifiers are functioning correctly and guarantee your system is circulating quality air. Proper maintenance to your HVAC system is part of keeping good hygiene to prevent COVID-19 and other health issues.
Air purifying is especially important to people prone to allergies or with respiratory problems, but we should all try to stay on top of our health. With HVAC inspection and maintenance, you can contribute to a healthy environment for you and those inside your property.To inform yourself about the coronavirus outbreak from a reliable source, you can visit the World Health Organization page. If you want to schedule an HVAC inspection or maintenance with dependable professionals.
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