The coronavirus has changed the way we live in many ways. Social distancing has become an everyday term, many more people are working from home, and people are spending more time indoors than ever before. Not only this, but society is far more concerned about keeping themselves and their families safe.
As part of this, there has been a spike in the sale of air purifiers, as noted in this article. It is important to note that whilst the research conducted there shows that air purifiers do little to protect against viruses, this focuses on the ‘old-style’ air filtration systems rather than the new Active PHI system. This article will talk about both to help to give a rounded view of how air purification systems could work in the fight against coronavirus.
It is generally understood that air purifiers are not much help against viruses. Air purifiers use fans to suck in air, which then passes through a filter in order to expel purified air back into the room. Air purifiers are excellent at removing odours and large particles from the air, including things like dust, pollen and pet dander, to reduce allergy symptoms in sufferers. They can also help to minimise the odour and damage done by second-hand smoke. However, there is a limit to what an air purifier can remove from the air.
There are two main types of air filter available on the market:
But air filtration systems aren’t the only way to clean a room and target things like viruses. Other methods of air purification include:
Put simply – we don’t know yet. Coronavirus is a very new virus, meaning that studies have not been able to make conclusions on whether or not certain types of air purifier will work against it.
It is understood that a standard HEPA filter will do little to prevent the spread of coronavirus, as coronavirus particles tend to be around 0.01 microns in size, and most domestic HEPA filters are only able to capture particles of 0.03 microns and larger. Although some of the more expensive filters do capture particles of 0.01 microns and up, these particles live on in the filter for hours or even days, meaning that you are at risk of infection when cleaning your air purifier or changing the filter.
Air purifiers which also utilise UV light are far more effective, as they can kill the particulates as they come through the filter, but whether or not they are effective depends on a range of factors from how big your room is to how many air changes occur throughout the day.
The Airius PureAir Air Purification and Odour Control System is the ideal air purifier for any household looking to improve air quality within the home. The system significantly reduces viruses, bacteria, gases, Volatile Organic Compounds (such as those present in paint and cigarette smoke), mould and odours by up to 99%+.
The system works by combining an airflow circulation fan with Photohydroionisation Cell technology from one of the worlds leading specialists in air, water and food purification – RGF Environmental, to circulate neutralising ionised hydroperoxides 24 hours a day – providing continuous air purification for both the air and surfaces.
Whilst it is still too early to know how it works specifically against coronavirus, COVID-19 is a member of the enveloped RNA Sarbecoviruses subfamily and the technology employed by the Airius PureAir series is proven to work against similar viruses, and so, although the organisation makes no medical claims, it is probably safe to assume that it will also work well against the novel coronavirus.
If you would like to find out more about the variety of air purification technologies that can be used in your home, please contact us to discuss this.
You can get in touch with us by calling on 01202 554 200 or via email at info@airius.co.uk
