UVC light

With the current headlines coming in during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people’s minds are on germs, making it critical that we educate ourselves about how to keep ourselves safe from viruses and bacteria. 

There’s a lot of information on the web about how germs spread from humans to humans, through surfaces, and through the air. That’s why the team at Shine Retrofits is here to provide you with a list of the benefits of UVC light sanitation. If you’re not familiar with UVC light, it is a type of Ultraviolet light that is often used to disinfect hospital rooms and subway cars that are empty of people.

Because conventional UVC light (with a wavelength of 254 nm) can be a health hazard to humans if they are directly exposed to it, researchers have been investigating far-UVC light (222 nm wavelength), which cannot penetrate the tear layer of the eye or the outer layer of human skin, making it unable to damage living cells in the body.

A study recently done by Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center found that the far-UVC light was able to kill 99.9% of seasonal coronaviruses present in airborne droplets. The possibilities of this new technology are far-reaching, allowing buildings like hospitals and restaurants to kill coronaviruses without presenting any danger to humans. These far-UVC lights could also be used in public transportation like city buses and subway cars.

Although the use of far-UVC light might take a while to implement on a wide scale, there are still many benefits to all kinds of UVC light. The technology is not FDA approved to kill germs, but that doesn’t mean that in the future UVC light might not be standard use in building and space sanitation.

Here are five benefits of UVC light sanitation that demonstrate how the technology will help protect you and your family from germs, assisting you in the fight against contamination and disease.

 

1. Surface Sanitation

UVC lights have been shown to kill germs on surfaces. The germicidal properties of UV light have been well-documented. This type of light is not on the visible spectrum and can be harnessed to sanitize surfaces by destroying the genetic material, or DNA and RNA, in viruses, bacteria, and mold. 

Healthe products, which Shine Retrofits carries here, use a combination of UVA, UVB, and UVC light to kill germs. Because of the risk of normal UVC light, care must be taken so that humans aren’t directly exposed to the light. As we stated earlier, Far-UVC light has been shown to be effective in killing germs while also posing no risk to the human body.

 

2. Air Sanitation

Not only do UVC lights kill germs on surfaces, but they have also been shown to reduce the amount of airborne virus that floats around in an indoor area. An example of this is the “Cleanse” Luminaires that are now being sold by many lighting companies. 

Shine Retrofits carries a number of these UVC sanitizing light products by a company called Healthe.

The color temperatures available for the Cleanse 3000 included 2700k, 3000k, 4000k, and 5000k, allowing you to customize the ambiance of your space.

 

3. Sanitization Upon Entry

Some of the new Far-UVC sanitation products even sanitize people upon entry into a building or space. This product is still pending FDA approval, but with results coming out showing that Far-UVC poses no threat to the human body, it looks likely that these products will be on the market soon.

 

4. Water Sanitation

UVC light can even be used to sanitize water. It’s been used in outdoor equipment for years, allowing people to kill germs in water collected from streams and rivers in remote areas. All you have to do is collect water in a container and expose it to UV light for enough time to kill the germs.

UV has shown itself to be one of the most effective ways to disinfect water. UV rays can also be used to destroy harmful pathogens in the water you use in your home, killing 99.99% of microorganisms without the addition of chemicals or changing the taste or smell of your water.

These UV water purification systems can be used at the point of entry into a residence or community, killing any bacteria or viruses that might have found their way into the water source. In the age of the coronavirus, UV light will continue to be a safe and effective way to protect ourselves from pathogens like COVID-19 in our water.

 

5. Portable Sanitation

One unique thing about the UV light sanitation products currently hitting the market is that they come in all shapes and sizes. Healthe is releasing all sorts of new products for surface and air sanitation. These include personal cleanse boxes to store your personal effects, such as cell phones, keys, and accessories. 

Some of the products they offer include a Cleanse Tote and Cleanse Box, which Healthe describes in detail on their website. The company also offers a Cleanse Cabinet that allows onsite sanitation for clothes and other gear that could have been contaminated throughout the day. The Cleanse cabinet could easily be moved to a new location as well, providing sanitation wherever it’s needed.

Although most of these products are still waiting on FDA approval for human use, it is likely that Far-UVC will be approved for sanitation purposes soon. Normal UVC lights still must be used only when humans are not present, diminishing the time in the day they can be used to kill off harmful bacteria and viruses.

We know that in the future Far-UVC lights will be vital in the fight against disease. That’s why it will be incredibly beneficial to keep your eye on such products for use in your business or organization, allowing you to keep employees and clients safe against contamination from harmful viruses or bacteria.

If you have any questions about UVC or Far-UVC light, please reach out to our team of lighting experts at Shine Retrofits. We want to provide you with reliable information about how lighting can improve your business while also keeping your employees and clients safe.

Our customer service team can help guide you through the process of browsing through, learning about, or purchasing lights, fixtures, electrical components, and much more through our website. You can reach us by phone at 1-877-643-4534 anytime Monday through Friday from 6 am to 6 pm, Mountain Standard Time. We look forward to hearing from you!