COVID-19 Reveals Importance of HVAC Induct Air Purifiers

While air purifiers and certain types of cleaning methods have long been known to be effective, the COVID-19 pandemic brought forth an urgency to increase circulating air and maximize better cleaning methods. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people in all industries to reconsider how we keep the air we breathe indoors clean. One such method is air cleaning in heating, ventilation, and air condition (HVAC) systems. This article will walk you through how COVID-19 has revealed the importance of air cleaning in HVAC systems and HVAC induct air purifiers. 

Importance of Indoor Air Quality, COVID-19, and Air Cleaning

The rapid global spread of COVID-19 quickly forced businesses to shut down to limit the transmission of this relatively unknown and deadly disease. In addition to better understanding this disease, government officials provided preventative and protective methods that effectively removed COVID-19 from the air and space. 

Research on the SARS-CoV-2 virus and how it traveled (airborne transmission) revealed that it could be captured and removed from the air to prevent other individuals from getting sick. This prompted health officials to recommend effective air cleaning methods. In addition to best practices recommended by the CDC, recommendations for cleanliness include: 

• Improving ventilation, either by opening a window or door or improving ventilation systems.
• Upgrading your HVAC air filter to HEPA filtration and HVAC system to provide the highest efficiency possible.
• Introducing portable air-cleaning devices.
• Considering HVAC induct system upgrades with air cleaning technology (with bipolar ionization and UV-C being highly recommended).
• Using sanitization devices, like an intelligent sanitization device and the UVD robot.
  

In particular, the EPA supported the use of air purifiers, especially since they are highly affordable and can quickly improve indoor air quality even on a budget. “Portable air cleaners may be beneficial when additional ventilation with outdoor air is not possible without compromising indoor comfort (temperature or humidity), or when outdoor air pollution is high.” As you can see, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed deeper concerns over air quality. 

Strategic Benefits of Air Cleaning in HVAC

Upgrading your HVAC induct is one of the recommendations provided by the CDC and EPA for cleaner air. While relatively unknown, air cleaning is possible in HVAC systems through UV-C and ActivePure technology. So what are the benefits of air cleaning in HVAC?

While HVAC upgrades are costly, especially compared to the cost benefits of portable air purifier devices, they are often worth the effort. Upgrades to HVAC ductwork can provide long-term cost savings for businesses that need new ductwork due to efficiency concerns. It also allows FMs to assess their HVAC unit for efficiency and compatibility. HVAC induct air cleaner uses UV light and ActivePure technologies. While both methods effectively clean the air as it passes through, FMs will experience more significant benefits with ActivePure.

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Top 5 Benefits of Upgrading to ActivePure Technology in HVAC Induct

ActivePure technology capitalizes on a technology known as bipolar ionization, which generates positively and negatively charged particles to capture airborne and surface particulates. Luckily, scientists have found a way to create bipolar ionization and receive its benefits, like the ability to eliminate 99.98% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus without the harmful ozone that is typically a byproduct of bipolar ionization. By placing this powerful technology in your HVAC induct, you’ll reap the following benefits: 

Benefit #1: Higher Efficiency

Air cleaning through induct is far more efficient than the most common HVAC cleaning method, which involves HEPA air filtration at the HVAC unit. Because the cleaning technology is in the ducts, the air is continually cleaned as it moves through the original vented air source and throughout the building. 

Benefit #2: Powerful Protection Against Pathogens

Installed in HVAC systems, ActivePure® Induct will help businesses reduce over 99.99% of pathogens, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus, Avian influenza, the E. coli microorganism, MRSA, Norovirus, Staph bacteria, Candida, Swine Flu, Hepatitis, and Legionella.

Benefit #3: Reduces Airborne Bacteria And VOCs

ActivePure technologies don’t just target viruses. They also target bacteria, odors, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and mold spores, so your building will be cleaner even after the intense threat of the COVID-19 pandemic has died down.

Benefit #4: Sanitizes Surfaces Simultaneously

ActivePure induct technology oxidizes both airborne contaminants and disinfects surface contaminants, so this technology will be able to clean spaces more effectively than air scrubbers or cleaners that only clean airborne particles. 

Benefit #5: Helps Sustain Continued Airflow

This technology introduces outside air into a space, removes the pathogens it carries, increases air changes per hour, and provides cleaner air indoors. ActivePure doesn’t reduce airflow. With more fresh air flow, your employees and building occupants breathe cleaner air, resulting in fewer illnesses, sick days, minor changes of sick building syndrome, and improved productivity. 

In addition to gaining sustained air cleaning to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 droplets and other airborne pathogens, FMs can provide long-term use cases for induct air cleaning.

How Does ActivePure Technology Work?

​ActivePure Technology is a patented air cleaning technology that uses light waves and a catalytic process to produce hydrogen peroxide ions that destroy indoor air pollutants and surface contaminants. 

Similar to photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) technology, it uses a high-intensity ultraviolet light (UV-C light), which uses the same disinfectant (oxidation and ionizing) properties of naturally occurring sunlight without the harmful ozone that some UV products produce. ActivePure technology has been lab-tested and shown to kill 99.98% of the virus that causes COVID-19, the SARS-CoV-2.

This powerful disinfection technology is no accident. It was initially created by the scientists at NASA for providing clean air in space environments. Now it is implemented in all kinds of cleaning devices, including the Hydroxyl Blaster portable air purifier and HVAC induct.

Strategic Approaches FMs Can Utilize Air Cleaning for Improved IAQ

While air purifiers and indoor air quality (IAQ) has long been promoted for commercial use, facility managers (FMs) should expect concerns over air quality to linger even after the COVID-19 pandemic. The approach to air quality improvements in commercial buildings should not be new for FMs. It would be highly advantageous for FMs to consider strategic approaches to ensuring clean air in their facilities.

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It’s also essential to have a comprehensive understanding of how the building works before making significant changes. For IAQ improvements, consider the following: 

• Assess air purifiers in your building, its potentials, and limitations from a comprehensive point of view. For example, HVAC upgrades would likely affect work schedules and might involve construction. 
• Consider an air quality audit, which includes air quality testing to find problem areas (or areas with poor ventilation and high air pollution). These could be indicators that you need HVAC zoning, or you have dead spots. 
• Try to spot areas with high indoor air pollution due to inside sources. Then work to isolate and minimize these sources. UV air purifier devices, source control, and ventilation should be used alongside upgrading your HVAC filtration and systems. 
• If you are getting an HVAC induct, you might need additional air cleaning to supplement. Identify areas where air purifiers would make sense. Too many air purifiers can be costly and difficult to maintain. Therefore, if you need more to supplement your HVAC induct, consider a UV-C sanitizing robot.
• Assess long-term sustainability effects. This usually contributes to long-term cost savings and can help justify major upgrades like HVAC induct.
• Ensure all changes not only comply with CDC but also building codes and ASHRAE standards.
  

Building improvements for IAQ and COVID can have cost benefits as well. As the pandemic progressed, businesses could obtain government funding as incentives to improve HVAC systems and implement air-cleaning devices. Connect with your managers to ensure that your business takes advantage of this funding.

Whether you’re seeking long-term air quality improvements or you are looking to reopen and stay open during the COVID pandemic, air cleaning in HVAC induct can provide significant health and cost benefits. Reach out to Sanalife today to see how this powerful technology can drastically improve your business!