Whether you’re dealing with the COVID-19, cold and flu season, seasonal allergies or just everyday life, improving your indoor air quality is always a good idea.

With talk of coronavirus blanketing the airwaves and so many companies claiming to have special filters and air purifiers that can kill the virus, it’s no wonder we’ve received so many calls and emails from customers looking to protect their families and employees from this scary new illness, so we wanted to pass along some information to help you separate the signal from the noise.

Let’s start with the basics, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It may be possible to get COVID-19 by touching a surface that has the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

Noting that airborne particles play a significant role in the spread of the disease, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released proactive guidance that addresses COVID-19 concerns with respect to the operation and maintenance of HVAC systems.

Viruses, like COVID-19, are much smaller than bacteria (roughly 100 times smaller) and other pollutants like pollen and pet dander which are the primary source of poor indoor air quality. This means that a standard HEPA filter will not remove viruses from the air. Some air purifiers can capture viruses, but they won’t destroy them so the virus will remain alive inside the filter for as long as the virus survives.

Unlike HEPA filters and traditional air purifiers, UV air purifiers installed in the HVAC system can achieve up to 99.999996% reduction on microorganisms. In fact, a very large percentage of microorganisms, including coronavirus, already have a defined UV microwatt dose for inactivation

UV air purifiers use a germicidal UV light to bathe an area of the ventilation system with high–frequency ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet radiation causes cellular disruption to any organic material moving through the ductwork, destroying its DNA and either killing the cell or rendering it inert and harmless. This process leaves behind no chemical residue and offers no danger to humans.

All-Pro Electrical & Air Conditioning, offers a variety of indoor air quality products including the APCO® whole-house air purifier which uses activated carbon and germ-killing UV-C light to remove odors, chemicals, and biological contaminants for the lifetime of your air system.