How schools can use UV to disinfect their facilities?

As educational institutions get ready to reopen and welcome students back, administrators need to find the best way to sanitize schools and the equipment used in them. Ultraviolet light is a great disinfectant. This technology can be used to disinfect small items like lab equipment and books that will be shared between students as well as flooring. There are many different types of UV disinfectant you can use depending on your needs. 

Before getting into the different types of disinfectants available, you must first understand how this technology works. UV light does not kill microbes. Instead, it damages the DNA and RNA responsible for the microbe’s reproduction. After exposure to such light, the microbe cannot reproduce, and hence cannot harm anyone. Once the microbe’s natural lifecycle comes to an end, the microbe dies and all further infection is stemmed. Here are some of the ways this technology can help disinfect your school and keep it clean.

In the upper air vents

The upper-air UV-C units can be installed anywhere in a school - the classroom, cafeteria, locker, gymnasium, etc. These are all spaces where infectious microbes exist. The equipment works by creating an irradiation zone in the upper half of the room. It is a well-known fact that as air heats, it rises. Hence, as the air currents raise air-borne microbes into the higher section of the room, the UV radiation kills them. The UV-C units also kill microbes that enter the radiation zone through the entry and exit of students and teachers, drafts or pressure differentials. 

Through HVAC coil irradiation

HVAC systems are essential but they are also a breeding ground for mold and harmful bacteria. As mold and bacteria grows around the walls, filters and cooling coils, additional pressure is put on the coils to reduce airflow and manage internal temperatures. UV-C systems installed in HVAC systems keeps these microbes from multiplying and prevents the recirculation and transmission of harmful microbes within the school. This improves the air quality and in addition, boosts energy efficiency and reduces maintenance costs. 

Through boxed UV disinfectants

Schools use a lot of equipment that gets shared by students. For example, lab equipment, toys, books, etc. A UV disinfectant box is great for sanitizing such things. Simple place the products that need to be sanitized inside the box, close it and run it. The device would take less than four minutes to do a thorough job. It has multiple UV light sources and hence offers 360-degree sanitation. 

UV disinfectants are non-toxic, and hence, considered by many experts to actually be safer than chemical disinfectants. That said, it is not advisable to expose human skin to UV radiation. Hence, UV light sources to disinfect the upper air sections should not be used when anyone is inside the room. Similarly, the UV box disinfectants must be closed properly before they are switched on. As long as you follow these simple guidelines, you will find that UV disinfectants are a safe, efficient way to keep schools clean.