Tri-State Energy Efficient has earned an outstanding reputation in the lighting industry as a lighting provider, installer and service company to numerous clients in a wide range of businesses. We pride ourselves in making our clients’ workspaces brighter, healthier, more comfortable and more energy efficient. Covid-19 has called for work environments that also ensure the maximum safety and wellness of employees and customers. Tri-State Energy Efficient has answered that call and we are now in the business of protecting you, your employees and your customers with a high-quality line of UV-A, B and C type luminaires that will meet the need for safe, effective germ killing in your everyday spaces.
How it Works
You’ve likely heard about Ultraviolet (UV) light a lot more recently, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Hospitals and other critical businesses have used Germicidal UV for years to protect patients, customers, and employees as much as possible. Now, multiple businesses are looking ahead to re-opening and looking to Germicidal UV to remedy the concerns about Novel Coronavirus and multiple other viruses, bacteria and waterborne parasites.
Ultraviolet is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and includes wavelengths from 10 to 400 nanometers. A nanometer is a unit of measure that’s used in relation to wavelength. The UV spectrum is just outside the visible light spectrum. Ultraviolet light is not visible to the naked eye because its wavelengths are shorter than visible light. Although it’s very commonly called UV “light” these days, UV is not “light” in illuminating terms.
For UV fixtures, intensity is measured in the units of milliwatts per square centimeter (mW/cm2). The higher the intensity of the fixture, the faster it will eliminate germs. A lower intensity fixture can still be effective but will take longer to inactivate pathogens. A UV fixture’s ability to kill germs depends on proximity to the surface or surrounding area. A Germicidal UV lamp will inactivate pathogens on closer surfaces more effectively than on surfaces that are further away.
Benefits to Industries
Healthcare & Nursing Homes
Whether you operate a hospital, surgical center, clinic, urgent care or any other medical facility, reducing healthcare associated infections is a top priority. Improve patient and staff experiences and save your operation valuable time and money with the benefit of full spectrum UV fixtures installed in clinical and operations spaces to disinfect on demand as ofte— as often as needed.
Education
Our most important assets are in our classrooms every day. From students to teachers to administrative staff, keeping schools running smoothly and clean is more critical than ever. Tri-State Energy Efficient’s Germicidal UV fixture product line can help stop bacteria and viruses from spreading on high contact surfaces in key locations.
Food Service
Protect your customers and your hard-earned reputation from foodborne illnesses with Germicidal UV fixtures. Germicidal UV fixtures are proven to kill E. coli and salmonella without the need for harmful chemicals. Further, UV can enable the disinfection of surfaces, air and equipment in your prep area to eliminate environmental pathogens and keep your customers and staff healthy.
Hospitality
Greet your guests with the confidence that your accommodations are free of any harmful germs. Nothing helps your guests relax more than coming into a clean and healthy room. Elevate your customer experience and peace of mind with Germicidal UV fixtures as part of your daily housekeeping routine. Harvest the power of natural light and reduce the use of harsh industrial chemicals to keep the rooms fresh and safe.
Commercial Offices
Improve your wellness and production levels with germicidal fixtures, you can now disinfect all surfaces in your office, including air handlers, in a single cycle to reduce the number of viruses and harmful pathogens in the building. Improve your bottom line and make your workplace safer with Germicidal UV disinfection methods.
Childcare & Schools
Organically cleaning the air and surfaces with Germicidal UV fixtures in your childcare/educational facility will help to stop the spread of infectious diseases, and also enable parents to entrust their children to your care. Easily disinfect toys, common areas and bathrooms overnight with the power of light. Utilizing UV in your facility can differentiate your business as one that goes the extra mile to limit the spread of germs and protect the wellbeing of children and their caregivers.
Membership & Local Gyms
Set your athletic club apart and give your customers the comfort and confidence that they are training in a safe and clean environment by installing full spectrum Germicidal UV fixtures into your facility. Combat the persistent issues of foot fungus, unwanted infections, and poor hygiene habits by disinfecting the equipment, showers, and air in your gym each night.
FAQ
Q: Where can you put UV fixtures?
Ultraviolet fixtures have been safely used in homes, as well as in hospitals, laboratories, clean rooms, doctors’ offices, commercial buildings, food processing plants and other commercial and residential environments throughout the world, i.e., any place where there is a concern for clean air/environment. Mobile UV units are also being used, especially in the transportation industry.
Q: Do Germicidal UV fixtures kill viruses?
Yes -Germicidal UV-C lamps kill up to 99.9% of viruses, airborne bacteria and mold spores.
Q: Will Germicidal UV eliminate mold?
Yes. Germicidal UV-C lamps will destroy up to 99.9% of mold spores and help prevent future mold growth.
Q: How often do the Germicidal UV lamps need to be replaced?
Germicidal UV-C lamps have a lifespan of approximately 17,000 hours (two years) of continuous use, with only 20% decrease in output over the two years. For optimal effectiveness, replacement is recommended every 12-15 months.
Q: Do Germicidal UV-C lamps require cleaning?
Yes, depending on the environment, Germicidal UV-C lamps should be checked periodically (approximately every three months) and can be cleaned with a dry cotton cloth or paper towel. Wear rubber gloves and clean with alcohol only. This will also help maximize lamp life.
Q: How do Germicidal lamps kill bacteria and viruses?
Ultraviolet light in the Germicidal UV-C wavelength of 200-280 nanometers, renders the offending bacterial and viral organisms sterile. When organisms can no longer reproduce, they die.
Q: How hot do the Germicidal UV lamps get?
Germicidal UV-C lamps do not produce much heat -- about the same amount as fluorescent lamps.
Q: To be effective, how close to the surface do the Germicidal UV lamps need to be?
The effectiveness of Germicidal Ultraviolet is the product of time and intensity. High intensities for a short period and low intensities for a long period are fundamentally equal in lethal action on bacteria. The inverse square law applies to Germicidal Ultraviolet as it does to light, i.e., the killing power decreases as the distance from the lamp increases. The average bacterium will be destroyed in 10 seconds at a distance of 6 inches from a UV Germicidal Fixture.
Q: What, if any, damage can the Germicidal UV lamps do to me?
Prolonged, direct exposure to UV-C light can cause temporary skin redness and eye irritation, but has not been proven to cause skin cancer or cataracts. If you are exposed to direct Germicidal UV-C, it can burn the top surface of your skin. If your eyes are exposed, the result would be similar to a "welder's flash", and your eyes can feel dry or gritty. Germicidal UV-C lamps have not proven to cause any permanent damage. However, as UV-C is the most powerful of the Germicidal lamps, all of our installed fixtures feature a sensor that turns off when a person enters the room.
Q: What effects does Germicidal UV light have on surrounding materials?
Long-term exposure of Germicidal UV-C light to plastics will shorten the shelf life of the plastic by approximately 10%. For example: if the plastic would normally last ten years, and it's exposed to Germicidal UV-C light continuously, it would probably need to be replaced in 9 years. Plant life may be damaged by direct, or reflected, Germicidal Ultraviolet Rays. It is advised to remove plants in areas where there is continuous UV-C or cover them when UV-C is operating. In addition, surfaces containing transient dyes and colors may fade from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Q: Can Germicidal UV-C penetrate surfaces or substances?
No, Germicidal UV sterilizes only what it comes in contact with. If you have a room sterilizer and there are light fixtures or fans hanging from the ceiling, the UV-C light will stop when it hits these fixtures. This may require additional fixtures placed strategically in the room to ensure complete coverage.