Most of us are spending more time at home, but are there ways you could better protect your home from COVID-19? Handwashing and physical distancing are some of the most powerful tools you can use to protect you and your family, but UV air purifiers and air filters might be able to help too.
Get the Most Reliable, Up-to-Date Information on COVID-19
New information about COVID-19 is coming out every day. For information local to Mississauga and Brampton, look to the resources below.
Should You Let Technicians & Repair People Into Your Home?
Things like your furnace and water heater are essential to your home. As such, HVAC companies are considered an essential service. Our technicians are still here 24/7 for all of your home care needs, including repairs, maintenance, and installation.
Every one of the home care experts at Peel Heating and Air Conditioning is taking extra precautions to keep you safe. In addition to our usual clean uniforms and booties, we are making sure to wash our hands frequently and use hand sanitizer. Finally, to help safeguard both you and our team members, we won’t be shaking hands when we enter your home.
Any employees who are feeling sick are asked not to come into work. We ask you to follow similar precautions and let us know if anyone in your home is feeling sick before we visit.
Do Air Purifiers or Air Filters Kill COVID-19?
Air Purifiers
UV air purifiers are known to kill viruses. UV light damages the DNA of microorganisms, making them unable to spread infection. Airborne viruses pass by the UV light as they move through your HVAC system and are rendered harmless.
Because COVID-19 is so new, there is no definitive research on whether UV light kills COVID-19. Looking at other research, however, indicates UV air purifiers could help. UV air purifiers are known to kill viruses like MERS-CoV and SARS, which are other forms of coronavirus.
Air Filters
As with air purifiers, there is no specific information about COVID-19 available. However, some air filters can filter out particles about the same size as COVID-19.
For the best chance of protection, you need to choose a specialty air filter with a MERV rating of 8 or higher. HEPA filters are a good choice. They have a MERV rating of 17-20 and can filter out 99.97% of airborne particles.
What About Hospital Filtration Systems?
Hospitals use specialized equipment and systems to handle their unique sanitation needs. Many hospitals use a combination of UV light, filters, airflow management, and strict humidity control to limit the spread of infection. It’s also worth mentioning that hospitals have specialized teams to maintain this equipment, in addition to other strict sanitation protocols like thorough handwashing.
You can implement some of this equipment at home, like UV air purifiers, but there are many unknowns about COVID-19. Research still needs to be done about how air purifiers and air filtration can help. While they can’t hurt, they should be used alongside other precautions like handwashing and physical distancing.
Ways You Can Keep Your Home Safe Right Now
Wash Your Hands
Coronavirus needs to come into contact with your eyes, nose, or mouth to infect you. You can get COVID-19 from airborne droplets, but in many cases, we unknowingly transfer the virus from our hands to our face.
We touch our faces all the time without thinking, making regular handwashing our best defence. The World Health Organization recommends washing your hands with soap and water for 20-30 seconds. Make sure to wash all areas of your hands, including the palms, back, sides, and between fingers. Dry your hands thoroughly when you’re done.
Practice Physical Distancing
If you do have to leave the house, make sure you’re practicing physical distancing. Stay 2 metres (about 2 arm’s lengths) away from people when you’re outside or in public spaces. It’s also important to take additional precautions when in public.
Avoid touching your face while you’re out and wash your hands as soon as you get home. If you used your phone while you were out, it’s not a bad idea to clean that too.
Stay Home
It’s safer for you and your neighbours to stay at home. Especially if you have symptoms of COVID-19, make sure you self-isolate in your house. If you think you might have COVID-19, call Telehealth Ontario at (289) 272-8432 and only call 911 for emergencies, like trouble breathing.
During these uncertain times, Peel Heating and Air Conditioning is here to help. Now that we’re all spending more time at home, we want to help make your home as comfortable as possible. if you need help with any of your home comfort needs.
