At your prestigious private school, providing the highest quality experience for your students is your priority; after all, that’s how you earned your prestige and the trust of students and parents. The work you put in to build your quality reputation extends beyond academics and extracurriculars to the quality of your facilities, down to the very air they breathe inside your buildings. Indoor air disinfection solutions can help.

Poor indoor air quality can negatively impact student health and concentration, reducing students’ ability to thrive. That is why investing in effective germicidal air disinfection is a crucial step in creating a truly exceptional learning environment.

Modern indoor air disinfection solutions can safeguard your students and faculty, and we can help. Our team at Farlite Solutions can provide you with a custom consultation and quote for cutting-edge air disinfection technology that can be easily customized for every campus setting. Contact us today to learn more.

Clean Air is Critical in Private Schools

Indoor air in buildings can trap pollutants and germs, becoming a breeding ground for infectious illnesses. This is especially concerning in schools—a place where many people gather in close proximity for extended periods.

On a typical school day, students move continuously between classrooms, hallways, gyms, and cafeterias. These shared spaces can easily become reservoirs for airborne illnesses like colds, the flu, tuberculosis, coronaviruses, measles, and other serious viruses. When one person gets sick, the risk of transmission to others increases significantly in poorly ventilated areas, or in areas where people gather. This can lead to more sick days for both students and teachers.

Beyond infectious diseases, poor air quality can worsen existing health conditions, particularly in younger students. Many children suffer from asthma or allergies, and airborne irritants like dust mites, pollen, and mold spores can trigger attacks. Even seemingly minor issues like persistent coughs or headaches due to poor air quality can directly impact their ability to concentrate throughout the day. Chemical disinfection methods can further exacerbate allergies and sensitivities.

Investing in safe and chemical-free indoor air disinfection methods that help support cleaner air in your school goes beyond just preventing illness. When students and staff can breathe easier and stay well, they are more attentive and better equipped to succeed.

Common Indoor Air Contaminants

The air inside your school can contain more invisible threats than you may think, and these generally fall into a few key categories.

Biological Contaminants

These are living organisms like viruses and bacteria, the culprits behind common illnesses which spread easily through the air via coughs, sneezes, talking, and singing. It also includes mold and mildew, which thrive in damp areas and release spores that can trigger allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Indoor air disinfection using UVC light is highly effective at targeting these types of contaminants, which helps prevent illness from sweeping rapidly through the student body and faculty.

Chemical Contaminants

This type of contaminant consists of gases and vapors released from various sources within your school building. For example, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are emitted from cleaning supplies and paints. Although indoor UV air disinfection doesn’t directly affect these gases, its ability to destroy viruses and bacteria may help reduce the amount of cleaning chemicals used in your facility, thus impacting the overall level of VOCs.

Particulate Matter

Particulate matter refers to tiny solid and liquid particles suspended in the air. This includes common dust and dirt, but also finer, more harmful particles like exhaust fumes, pollen fragments, or degraded building materials. These fine particles are most effectively captured by filters inside your building ventilation system.

UVC Indoor Air Disinfection Targets Biological Threats

UV disinfection is a technology used to disinfect indoor air by inactivating aerosolized microorganisms as they circulate throughout a space. It works by using UVC light, a specific type of UV energy[KJ1]  that has the power to damage the genetic material (DNA and RNA) of viruses, bacteria, and mold spores. This damage prevents these microorganisms from replicating and causing infections.

Ultraviolet light is highly effective against almost all types of pathogens. It can significantly decrease the concentration of threats to your students and staff such as:

•     Influenza Viruses (Flu A & B): Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, runny or stuffy nose, vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children).
•     Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): Cold-like symptoms (runny nose, cough, fever, sore throat, headache). Can cause bronchiolitis and pneumonia, especially in young children.
•     Coronaviruses:[KJ2] Typically mild to moderate upper respiratory illness in otherwise healthy or vaccinated individuals, but some types can cause serious and long-term health issues.
•     Rhinoviruses: Common cold symptoms (runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, congestion, headache, low-grade fever).
•     Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep throat): Sore throat, pain when swallowing, fever, red and swollen tonsils, headache, stomachache (especially in children). Can lead to complications like rheumatic fever if untreated.
•     Mycoplasma pneumoniae: “Walking pneumonia” – a milder form of pneumonia with symptoms like cough, fatigue, sore throat, and headache.
•     Streptococcus pneumoniae: Pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, and sometimes meningitis.
•     Aspergillus mold: Allergic reactions (sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, skin rash), asthma exacerbation.
•     Cladosporium mold: Common cause of allergic reactions and asthma symptoms.
•     Alternaria mold: Significant trigger for asthma attacks and allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

While UVC primarily targets these biological contaminants, it doesn’t directly remove dust, allergens, or chemical pollutants. UV systems can be used in conjunction with HEPA filters for more comprehensive air cleaning. Plus, they are chemical-free so you can maintain a safe, clean campus.

Safe Indoor Air Disinfection Systems for Schools

Farlite’s upper air UV devices are a safe and effective way to disinfect the air in your school while preventing direct exposure to students and staff. They provide 24/7 pathogen protection in every classroom and common area. These systems use UVC lamps installed high on ceilings, directing the germ-killing light upwards and outwards, far above any occupants in the space.

As air circulates throughout the room, contaminated air is drawn up into the irradiation zone, where it is disinfected before mixing back down into the breathing space. The UV lamps operate automatically and continuously in the background to reduce the spread of sickness in your school. They include real-time air quality oversight with cloud monitoring for complete peace of mind.

Modern and Effective Germicidal Air Disinfection Technology

Invest in student and faculty well-being with proven UVC air disinfection. Farlite Solutions provides cutting-edge indoor air disinfection systems for all sizes of private schools. Contact us today for a free Farlite UVPhasor system quote.