Whether a building needs heating, cooling, filtration, or a combination of all three, HVAC systems are an integral part of our day-to-day lives. When problems arise, technicians often check components such as compressors, thermostats, and refrigerant to make sure everything is running smoothly. But some issues may stem from recurring internal conditions that better technology could help prevent. This is because standard service and maintenance usually focus on changing filters and verifying electrical connections but may overlook the need for built-in ways to keep HVAC interiors clean and operating properly.
Filters capture particles moving through a unit, but they do not address mold that can grow inside it. Because HVAC systems are often dark, moist, warm, and exposed to dust, mold can develop on coils, drain pans, ducts, lines, and dirty filters. Once present, it can spread spores through airflow, causing odors, reducing air quality, affecting health, and lowering system efficiency.
Airborne pathogens can also enter return vents and redistribute through the air supply. Smaller droplets may remain suspended and travel with airflow; this risk is influenced by ventilation design, filtration, maintenance, airflow patterns, and equipment configuration. In multi-unit buildings, leaks or shared shafts can create additional spread pathways.
Routine filter changes, better filtration, humidity control, coil inspections, and duct maintenance remain important, but they may not fully control microbial contamination inside HVAC systems. Even high-efficiency HEPA filters may not stop bio-growth on coils or fully terminate airborne pathogens, making the relatively new application of Far UVC disinfection technology a useful complementary continuous layer of protection.
The Benefits of Far UVC in HVAC Units
Sterilray™ GermBuster HVAC systems are designed to provide high-output Far-UV treatment inside air handlers, ducts, and coil areas. The systems can clear HVAC units of mold, bacteria, viruses, spores and other bio-growth contaminants while delivering nonstop rapid single-pass pathogen deactivation of 99.98% to 99.99% reduction under certain airflow conditions. Using 222 nm Far-UVC, they treat moving air and exposed surfaces in air handlers, ducts, and coil areas. The technology is durable and low maintenance, with lamp life exceeding 30,000 hours, adjustable power levels, hour meters, rugged construction, and reduced wear and tear. Additional advantages include no ozone production, no mercury or dangerous materials, no electrodes to wear out, and performance that is not significantly affected by temperature or humidity.
Hospital Applications
Traditional 254 nm UV-C is widely used for duct and coil sanitizing, but direct exposure can harm skin and eyes. By contrast, Far-UVC at 222 nm is designed to rapidly inactivate airborne pathogens with limited skin and eye penetration.
This is why implementing Far UVC has exciting possibilities at hospitals. Hospital installations are great examples of Sterilray™ GermBuster 222nm Far-UV systems used in HVAC environments. From 2011 to 2018, Concord Hospital in New Hampshire installed 20 GermBuster lamps across five HVAC air handlers. In one system capacity example, four 500-watt lamps treated approximately 40,000 cfm, using a combination of two 282 nm lamps and two 222 nm Sterilray™ lamps.
Another example from Lahey Hospital in Massachusetts involved GermBuster HVAC 500-watt systems installed for AHU-1 Endoscopy in May 2019. In that application, two 500-watt, 23-inch GermBuster lamps were installed in 48 x 24-inch boxes to treat incoming air and the upper portion of the facility. This article’s graphics showcase the incredible deactivation/disinfection power of the Far UV 222nm systems.
By and large, HVAC systems are a potential source of microbial buildup and a pathway for airborne contaminants if they are not properly maintained. To combat this, Far-UV Sterilray™ technology offers a fast, low-maintenance option for treating air and coils inside HVAC environments, especially in facilities where indoor air quality, infection control, and system cleanliness are utmost priorities.
Watch the video below to learn more about how Sterilray and hospitals are working together to create cleaner and safer HVAC systems:
