Compare and Contrast of Commercial Air Purification Systems

Commercial spaces are more dedicated than ever before to finding a high-quality commercial air purification system. Not only are businesses committed to playing a key role in keeping their employees healthy, but they also want to extend that privilege to the clientele they serve.

What Commercial Air Purification Systems Are Designed To Do

Air purification systems are designed to make the air in a designated space cleaner by minimizing or killing harmful viruses, bacteria, and microorganisms. While these may be used in some homes, renewed interest in commercial air purification systems has increased by entities that typically serve large numbers of people.

Who Can Benefit from Commercial Air Purification Systems?

Americans spend roughly ninety percent of their time indoors, and half or more of that may be attributed to being in the workplace, with other common locations such as gyms, churches, and schools not far behind. The problem is that air inside these buildings can become stagnant with no outside airflow. Add to that harmful bacteria or viruses brought inside the commercial building environment by humans, and the air is less than clean.

Entities such as the below with large gathering spaces can particularly struggle to purify and disinfect the air inside:

• Corporations
• Churches
• Food Services
• Gyms
• Hospitals
• Salons
• Schools
• Small Businesses

The problem for spaces like the above is two-fold:

• There is some research that finds a reduction in air quality may negatively impact employee performance as well as negatively affect non-employed individuals in these same spaces, such as clients or students.
• The space can become contaminated by viruses and bacteria that may be easily spread from person to person when there are large quantities of people coming and going during a set period of time. This can also impact the number of sick days used by employees.

Types of Commercial Air Purification

Whether a school, church, or a corporate office building, each of these facilities typically have one thing in common, they regularly host large numbers of people which can increase the amount of bacteria, microorganisms, and viruses in the air. To better protect employees and clientele, many modern spaces are looking to commercial air purification systems, which may include one of the following methods:

1. Synexis® System: This particular system uses oxygen and ambient humidity already present in the air to reform them into the gas of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The hydrogen peroxide gas can help minimize microorganisms as well as recontamination and cross-contamination.
2. Fogging: What is more commonly referred to as chemical fogging disinfection is a process in which an aerosol disinfectant is used in a commercial space to kill organisms and bacteria that can cause illness. For the aerosol disinfectant to work properly, the space must be thoroughly fogged. The size of the space being fogged will determine how long the process takes to reach maximum efficiency.
3. UV Lights: UV (ultraviolet) light is a type of radiation which many of us associate with tanning beds and natural sunlight, but it may also be used to kill harmful viruses and bacteria. Of the different types of ultraviolet lights, man-made UVC light is perhaps the most instrumental for purification and disinfection purposes.

How Much Downtime is Required for Common Commercial Air Purification and Disinfectant Methods?

If you have a commercial space that you are planning to implement air purification and disinfectant methods in, it is critical to thoroughly understand the downtime and special considerations each of these options may require.

1. Synexis® System: There is almost no interruption to daily activities with the Synexis® System, and because the hydrogen peroxide is in gas form, it is able to be as far reaching as the air itself in a commercial space.
2. Fogging: An inside area that is being fogged generally requires a fair amount of downtime for building inhabitants as they will need to be out of the building during the process. The downtime includes the amount of time needed to effectively fog the space in its entirety, plus possibly hours longer to allow the fog to dissipate so building inhabitants can safely return.
3. UV Lights: While the use of UV or UVC lights as a disinfectant is still being studied, it may be best to utilize in an empty building. In addition to the light needing direct contact to a dust free surface to effectively work, there are concerns about its strength. Using too much UVC light could potentially damage an individual’s skin, whereas too little usage could result in ineffectiveness.

Why FacilityCARE Facility Services a division of RoofCARE Is Partnering with Synexis®

FacilityCARE Facility Services is the exclusive New Mexico based Synexis® dealer. We believe in this patented technology that is designed to reduce pathogens in the air and on surfaces around the clock in commercial spaces.

A few of the reasons we offer the Synexis® System can include its:

• Ability to effectively work without interrupting onsite daily activities
• Absence of chemicals and odors
• Reduction in presence of bacteria, viruses, microorganisms, and mold (including Norovirus, the common cold, Influenza Type A, and MRSA)
• Reduction of common odors and insects
• Safety
• User-friendliness

If your business, corporation, church, school, or other commercial entity is considering commercial air purification options, please reach out to FacilityCARE Facility Services a division of  RoofCARE today for more information.