Hi, I am Laura Pearman, the AC Answer Lady, holder of a Florida State AC Contractor License Class B, and the Managing Partner at the Frosty’s AC Company. I am also an experienced Registered Respiratory Therapist. Because of my background, I am qualified to discuss the answer to the question, “Can Your AC System Kill the Coronavirus?”
The Coronavirus has become a vital issue in the news that confronts our heath. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is transmitted by either touching a contaminated surface or object and then touching your eyes, mouth, or nose, fluid contact such as kissing or breathing the airborne virus. In your home or business, you need to disinfect all frequently touched contact surfaces with a chorine based cleaner and refrain from touching your face. Also, washing your hands regularly is critical to keep this disease from spreading.
The Airborne Coronavirus is Viable for Up to a Half-Hour
The Coronavirus becomes airborne by an infected person expelling droplets through coughing, breathing, and sneezing. The large droplets don’t remain airborne for a long time and will infect people within a few feet. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) puts this range at about six feet. Please note, someone in your home or business that stays longer than a half-hour will replenish the airborne Coronavirus by continuing to breathe, cough, and sneeze. When you’re outside the wind and sunshine will greatly diminish contagion, as well as, practicing “Social Distancing” by staying at least 6 feet from another person.
Based on NBC News 3/12/20, US scientists believe airborne Coronavirus can remain viable for up to 3 hours. Please note, as research is performed and released, the amount of time the Coronavirus remains viable in the air continues to change. The latest report I heard this morning, 3/18/20 is a half-hour. But, today’s (3/18/20) news release stated the Coronavirus could infect individuals by breathing in the airborne virus during this half-hour window.
When an infected individual sneeze, coughs or breaths, they expelled large and smaller droplets that contain the virus that will stay airborne for up to a half-hour. Large droplets will not remain airborne that long before quickly dropping to surfaces below. Because surfaces can be easily infected, it’s essential to clean and disinfect all surfaces that can be touched to prevent this disease from spreading rapidly.
Hence, the virus can be spread by your AC system without an effective Indoor Air Quality, IAQ, feature and infect someone in another room. I will tell you how to solve this possible problem.
Using Mother Nature to Remove the Coronavirus from Your Home
The easiest way to eradicate possible airborne viruses without costing you a penny is by doing the following:
- Open all drapes, blinds, curtains, and shades to get the sunshine in (UV light kills this virus)
- Remain at least 6 feet apart from another person
- Open windows to get a flow and exchange of fresh outside air
Using Mother Nature’s sunlight that contains Ultraviolet Light to kill the Coronavirus is free, and opening windows can get a flow of outside that will remove stale inside air with fresh outside air. This type of basic air conditioning of exchanging the air from Mother Nature is also free, easy and effective. I highly recommend this solution when the outside weather is fair.
Using Your AC System to Kill the Coronavirus in Your Home
The above solution is easy to do but not practical if it’s too cold or too hot outside. My next solution replaces item 3 by turning on your air conditioner or heat pump using it to replace the outside air. But, an AC System without an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) System will primarily recirculate the airborne virus. Therefore, your AC System will need an IAQ System with UV Light that will destroy the virus. Please note, when using your air conditioning system with an IAQ feature, you need to maximize airflow to the return vents by changing the filters and ensuring all the AC vents are open in each room. Maximum airflow means the infected air in your home arrives at the IAQ feature faster to be handled.
I am going to reiterate my AC System with an IAQ Solution step by step:
- Open all drapes, blinds, curtains, and shades to get the sunshine in
- Close all doors and windows
- Ensure all AC Vents are open in each room
- Replace all AC Filters for maximin airflow
- Remain at least 6 feet apart from another person
- Turn on your AC System or Heat Pump and set the Thermostat to keep it running
For a person(s) sick in your home, isolate them to a room or rooms, ensure the room’s AC vents are open and keep the door closed to those rooms. For those rooms used for the sick without an AC return vent, open a window from 3 to 6 inches to provide positive airflow to the outside from the room. Thus, the sick person’s room will always be receiving treated air from the IAQ with the UV light feature. The airflow from the IAQ System is clean and has killed the possible infected virus. Thus, keeping the other rooms of the home circulating air only from the IAQ System equipped with a UV Light feature.
An IAQ System that relies solely on filters is ineffective for this virus. A HEPA (high-efficiency particulate arrestance) filter system, commonly used in critical care environments within healthcare facilities, is 99.97% effective at trapping particles down to 0.3 microns. However, the Coronavirus is small, measuring between 0.06 and 0.14 microns in size. Therefore, IAQ System using just a filter can’t do the job.
Ultraviolet Light (UV) disinfection systems will complement conventional AC filtration systems and address those microorganisms that pass through filters. A UV system can also work independently without the IAQ Filter System and kill the virus’s ability to reproduce. UV Light feature installed in your Air Hander can destroy those microbes when they are exposed to the UV energy in a matter of seconds. The kill-ratios are up to 99.9% on a first-pass and further kills each time the air circulates through the evaporator coil of the Air Handler.
The Permanent Way to Kill the Coronavirus in Your Home
The answer to my headline question is Yes. Your AC System can kill the Coronavirus, providing it’s equipped with a UV Light feature. A UV Light Germicidal System will ensure the air in your home or business is free from Coronavirus if the AC System with an IAQ Solution described above is taken. The benefits of UV light are:
- Continuous germicidal disinfection
- Improved indoor air quality
- Sterilizes mold, bacteria & viruses
If your air conditioner doesn’t have a UV Light feature, don’t worry. Frosty’s AC can easily install the UV Light Germicidal System in less than an hour and at a very reasonable price. It’s the simplest and easiest method to provide permanent protection in your home by continually sterilizing the air of mold, bacteria, and viruses, while your AC System is running.
Please call us (813) 621-5900 for a free quote over the phone to install our UV Light feature at a low price.
To learn more details, click on Frosty’s Indoor Air Quality System.
A UV Light Air Conditioning Unit requires less HVAC equipment coil cleaning, making your wallet fatter and keeping our planet greener.
Get Free Quote for Our IAQ System
Contact us using our AC Services Request Form or by calling (813) 621-5900 to schedule a service call.
