Fresh-Aire UV, a leading global manufacturer of HVAC ultraviolet (UV) disinfection systems, recently announced that third-party lab tests successfully proved its residential and commercial UVC disinfection equipment for HVAC systems are >99.99-percent effective in inactivating SARS CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19 disease.

The “SARS CoV-2 Neutralization by Germicidal UVC Light Systems” study conducted by independent laboratory Innovative Bioanalysis, Costa Mesa, Calif., validated a 4-log, >99.99-percent coronavirus inactivation in less than two seconds of exposure to Fresh-Aire UV’s germicidal UVC 254-nanometer light systems. The exposure time is comparable to a moving airstream model within a facility’s HVAC or ventilation system. The 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 one of the first successful SARS CoV-2 inactivation tests in the HVAC industry and is available at www.freshaireuv.com.

“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,” said Aaron Engel, Vice-President–Business Development, Fresh-Aire UV. “Dosage is critical for effectiveness; however, our Blue-Calc, a UVC 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,” said Engel.

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 UVC light in disinfecting and extending the life of N95 respirators.

Now with a proven study validating Fresh-Aire UV’s equipment effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2, 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.