by Brianna Crandall — November 18, 2020 — Fresh-Aire UV, a US-based manufacturer of HVAC ultraviolet (UV) disinfection systems, announced that third-party lab tests have successfully proven its residential and commercial UV-C disinfection equipment for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are >99.99-percent effective in inactivating SARS CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 disease.
Fresh-Aire UV COVID-19 Test Chamber. Image courtesy Fresh-Aire UV
The “SARS CoV-2 Neutralization by Germicidal UV-C Light Systems” study conducted by independent laboratory Innovative Bioanalysis in Costa Mesa, California, validated a 4-log, >99.99-percent coronavirus inactivation in less than two seconds of exposure to Fresh-Aire UV’s germicidal UV-C 254-nanometer light systems. The exposure time is comparable to a moving airstream model within a facility’s HVAC or ventilation system, explains the company.
The third-party lab used Fresh-Aire UV’s ADS airstream and BlueTube XL coil and airstream disinfection systems designed for healthcare, education, office and other commercial facility applications. The residential and commercial APCO-X coil and air disinfection system also exhibited the same positive results.
The study is touted as one of the first successful SARS CoV-2 inactivation tests in the HVAC industry (most effectiveness testing to this point has been performed on viruses with similar properties to SARS CoV-2).
Aaron Engel, vice-president, Business Development, Fresh-Aire UV, stated:
Consulting engineers, contractors and facility managers can now confidently specify, install and use our UV equipment, knowing they are being proactive in improving the building’s indoor air quality. Dosage is critical for effectiveness; however, our Blue-Calc, a UV-C light design and analysis using state-of-the-art sizing software, can accurately help facility directors, engineers and contractors specify UV equipment for any disinfection application.
Since the early 2020 onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fresh-Aire UV has helped provide recommendations for both residential and commercial UV systems. In the FDA-sponsored test published in the American Journal of Infection Control, Fresh-Aire UV systems were used to show the efficacy of UV-C light in disinfecting and extending the life of N95 respirators.
With a proven study validating Fresh-Aire UV’s equipment effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2, isolate USA-WA1/2020, Innovative Bioanalysis, a CAP, CLIA and AABB-certified laboratory, is now executing the next phase of Fresh-Aire UV testing. “We are excited to continue our testing to gauge effectiveness against different HVAC, airstream and surface applications,” said Engel.
For more information about Fresh-Aire UV’s HVAC UV-C disinfection systems, visit the company’s Commercial HVAC products webpage.
Fresh-Aire UV manufactures and develops germicidal UV light and carbon ceramic systems designed for commercial, residential, industrial, agriculture, healthcare, and other specialized markets. Fresh-Aire UV systems are designed to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) by addressing biological contaminants such as viruses, bacteria and mold as well as odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Systems are designed for airstream and surface disinfection as well as specialized products for ice machines and other unique applications. Fresh-Aire UV notes it has been the recipient of numerous industry awards, including the 2011 and 2020 AHR Innovation Award in IAQ.
