Indoor Air Quality
Are Air Purifiers Effective Against New COVID Variants?
January 28, 2022
With the rise of new COVID variants, such as the Omicron variant, many homeowners are wondering how they can better protect themselves. As you develop a full protection strategy, you might be thinking about investing in air purification devices. However, you could be concerned that previously effective air purifiers won’t work against the new variants. While we are still in the dark about the nature of some new variants, it seems likely some air purification devices are still effective against COVID.
To help you decide if an air purifier is right for you, read on to learn more about the types of air purifiers effective against COVID-19 and whether you can still trust them against variants.
What Types of Air Purifiers Help Fight COVID-19?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), air cleaners and HVAC filters may help protect against COVID-19 when combined with other best prevention practices. Of course, not all air purifiers are created equal, and the EPA only suggests using air purifiers designed to filter smaller airborne particles ranging between 0.1 to 1 microns in size.
Filters effective at removing tiny particles from the air help fight against COVID-19 by catching the virus in their filters and stopping it from recirculating into your home’s air. In fact, a recent study showed that portable high-efficiency particulate (HEPA) air filters reduced the risk of COVID transmission in a hospital. Due to the real-world evidence showing HEPA air filters’ ability to reduce COVID-19, there’s even more reason to believe they’re an important part of any homeowner’s COVID prevention plans.
Alongside the effectiveness of HEPA filters, air cleaning devices featuring bi-polar ionization may also reduce COVID. For example, an iWave study showed that one of their units returned a 99.4% rate of reduction of COVID-19 air particles after 30 minutes. As a result, iWaves and other bipolar ionization units might also effectively fight the mutations of the virus. Keep in mind, however, the research into these units is limited to lab studies, and you should only use devices that don’t produce harmful levels of ozone, such as iWave units.
Ultraviolet-c (UVC) germicidal lamps are another potential alternative to combatting COVID-19, and they have more research supporting their effectiveness at fighting coronaviruses. For example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states UVC radiation can inactivate the SARS-Coronavirus. While COVID-19 is different than the SARS-Coronavirus, the FDA goes on to say that UVC radiation may also be effective at fighting COVID-19, making UVC lights and lamps a popular choice for those wanting enhanced protection.
Do Air Purifiers Still Help Fight Against the New COVID Variants?
While some air purification systems have proven to be effective or potentially effective against COVID-19, there’s less research about how effective they are versus new COVID variants. Due to the lack of available research, it’s impossible to say for certain how well air purification systems fight against the new variants.
With that being said, there’s still some reason to believe air purifiers can assist with removing COVID variants from a home’s air. The biggest piece of supporting evidence is the absence of data showing that variants’ viral particles are any smaller than the standard COVID-19 viral particle size of around .1 microns. Since the variants’ particles seem to be the same size as COVID-19 particles, it’s reasonable to assume that air purifiers previously effective against COVID-19 will still be effective against the variants.
What Air Purifier Should I Get to Protect Me From COVID Variants?
Based on the historical performance of air purifiers versus COVID-19 and the likelihood of their continued usefulness against variants, you might be interested in investing in an air purifier. As you consider air purifiers, you’ll likely want to start with one featuring a HEPA filter, as these filters have already proven successful at removing COVID-19 from the air.
Besides investing in purifiers featuring HEPA filters, you might also want to invest in germicidal UVC lamps or iWave Bi-Polar Ionization Air Purifiers. While more research needs to be done for both options, they still have the potential to fight against COVID-19. Since ultraviolet light and some ozone-producing bi-polar ionization air purifiers can be harmful, it’s important to only turn to an indoor air-quality professional who can give you recommendations on the safest options and install them properly.
Choose Bonney for Air Purification Installation Services in Sacramento and Concord
With people all around the world trying to protect themselves from COVID-19 and its variants, Bonney is proud to serve our clients in Sacramento and Concord, California, by offering air purifier installation services. When you turn to us, our team will give you recommendations on the best air purification devices for fighting COVID-19. After our team inspects your home and discusses your options, they can install any filter or device you want, ensuring they’re as safe as possible. We invite you to review our air purification installation services today. If you have any questions or want to schedule a service, please contact us.
Josh Tyack is the manager of the HVAC repair team at Bonney Plumbing, Sewer, Electrical, Heating & Air. He brings 23 years of experience and knowledge in the heating & air conditioning industry to our company. His dedication to his trade and long-standing expertise has allowed him to help thousands of residential and commercial customers tackle their heating and cooling needs. Our team has you covered with everything from the air filter in your home to the HVAC unit on your roof. Josh holds himself and his entire team to a high standard, making him one of the most knowledgeable individuals in the Sacramento area in the HVAC industry.