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UV Sterilization Units In The Home and School Help Minimize Asthma For Kids
Any parent with a child or children with respiratory problems knows the constant battle with colds, influenza, asthma and chronic coughing and sickness. UV sterilization of the air in homes and schools is now a real possibility and the results of research tests are showing very positive results.
It is important to realize that asthma is triggered by different types of allergens and irritants in the air. Individuals with asthma, particularly children, are simply more sensitive to these irritants that people without the respiratory condition. UV sterilization of the air in a home doesn't actually treat the asthma, rather it treats the air, preventing the irritants from triggering an asthma attack.
UV sterilization works by passing air over or around specially designed UV lights. These lights can be installed right into a home ventilation system through the HVAC and air conditioning systems provided there is a pre-filter installed to prevent dust from collecting on the lamps. The UV light actually penetrates the outer protective coating of the microorganism, killing it with exposure to light. For mold spores and other contaminants the actual DNA is completely destroyed, ensuring they cannot simply start a new colony upon contact with a suitable surface.
In a study that compared homes with ultraviolet sterilization and homes that did not have a system and also had a child with asthma the results were impressive. Homes that had the UV sterilization resulted in a 51% decrease in the amount of asthma medication used when the UV sterilization system was used.
Schools can also take advantage of the various types of ultraviolet sterilization on the market. The air conditioning UV sterilization is great for the air within the entire school and the mobile UV sterilization units can be deployed in locker rooms and shower areas for very intensive treatment. These UV sterilization systems can be used when the school is empty, plus they also have safety infrared motion detectors to shut off automatically if anyone enters the room when they are in the sterilization cycle.
Mold and mold spores is a particular problem in the damp, humid air found in showers and locker rooms. Combining the air conditioning types of ultraviolet sterilization with the intensive UV light of the mobile units is a very effective combination. The mobile UV sterilization process takes approximately 3 hours to completely deactivate mold spores and just 5 minutes to remove viruses and bacteria that may be present.
Although improving Indoor Air Quality or IAQ and decreasing problems for students due to irritants in the air are the key features of school use of UV sterilization, there are other benefits as well. The installation of ultraviolet sterilization systems in HVAC systems can also result in a decrease in maintenance and repair costs as well as an improvement in overall system inefficiencies. Combining these cost savings with the health benefits of a UV sterilization system just makes good economic and safety sense, making them a real benefit to schools of any size.