Timely insights on whole room disinfection.
HealthcareJune 1, 2020
Cutting Costs, Not Efficacy: How to Identify an Effective & Economical System for Whole Room Disinfection
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged companies across industries to rethink their disinfection strategies. A global shortage of key equipment like ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) has pulled into the limelight the need to plan for “never” events by ensuring that care-critical supplies are at the ready if ever they are needed.
In tandem with this effort has come the rapid demand and subsequent shortage of whole room disinfection systems. In particular, companies in high traffic sectors like transportation, education, manufacturing, and corporate services have needed to quickly and effectively react to ensure the safety of their employees and customers. Yet, a constrained market has limited supply of vitally important disinfection systems.
As companies look to the future, many are seeking to invest in solutions today that can help them remain better prepared for tomorrow. The first step is to identify a solution that meets the highest standards for whole room disinfection. To do so, companies should refer to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to identify registered solutions against challenging pathogen types. Directories such as List N, which includes products that meet the EPA’s guidelines for use against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), provide a centralized record of solutions that uphold these stringent EPA standards.
Next, comes considerations of price. While some whole room disinfection solutions can cost tens of thousands of dollars to acquire a single system, our Halo Disinfection System® proves that efficacy does not need to come at the expense of affordability. Let’s explore:
1. The Cost of the Equipment
Critical equipment shortages during the COVID-19 crisis have shown the importance of having a whole room disinfection solution available should it be needed. However, high price points can act as an inhibitor for purchasing a single system, let alone multiple systems that are often required to disinfect large complexes and facilities.
While UV light systems—none of which are registered whole room disinfection solutions by the EPA—tend to have the lowest efficacy and log kill rates, they are also some of the most expensive systems to purchase. UV light equipment can cost 6x-7x more than the Halo Disinfection System®, which translates into a pricey cost per person and room.
Although a number of chemically based solutions are available at a lower price point than UV light systems, they can still cost 4x more than a HaloFogger®. With a more economical solution like the Halo Disinfection System®, companies can purchase multiple disinfection systems that meet EPA standards for the same price as a single alternate solution.
2. The Cost of Maintenance & Labor
In addition to evaluating the initial cost of a whole room disinfection system, it’s important to assess the cost of upkeep and operator labor. For instance, UV light systems tend to have some of the highest capital costs and maintenance. Aside from having to switch light bulbs annually, owners of UV light systems have to continuously check and monitor light bulb performance since their efficacy tends to wane with time. By 12 months, the source intensity of bulbs has dropped to only about 85% of new bulbs—leaving even higher numbers of pathogens and infections behind. Additionally, UV light bulbs demand regular cleaning since factors like overheating, dirt, and dust can also increase the decay of a bulb’s lifespan and thus reduce its efficacy.
Hydrogen peroxide aerosol solutions can provide more economical and effective systems; however, some of these also have fair amounts of maintenance and operator requirements. For instance, those that use disinfectants containing alcohol need to be flushed with ionized water daily in addition to requiring annual maintenance. From a labor perspective, electrostatic sprayer solutions require human operators. This not only increases user exposure to pathogens and exposure to chemicals if proper PPE is not worn, but also can lead to incomplete disinfection if surfaces are not sprayed and/or not wetted for the contact time needed to ensure efficacy. In contrast, the Halo Disinfection System® operates in a touchless mode, limiting operator exposure to viruses and chemicals. In addition, it is essentially maintenance free, all while spanning an impressive lifetime of over 5 years.
3. The Cost of the Disinfectant
Beyond equipment acquisition and maintenance costs comes the ongoing expense of purchasing the disinfectant. At approximately $10 per room, HaloMist™ is one of the most effective and affordable solutions on the market today. Further still, HaloMist™ has an unrivaled shelf life of 2 years. As shortages of supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic have encouraged companies to proactively acquire solutions today that can be accessed immediately should the need arise, HaloMist’s shelf life makes the Halo Disinfection System® the ideal solution for deployment in long-term disinfection strategies.
Halo Disinfection System: The Most Effective & Affordable Solution
Here at Halosil International, we understand the importance of providing a whole room disinfection system that is just as economical as it is effective. As one of the few dry-fogging solutions included on the EPA’s List N, HaloMist™ (EPA Reg. No. 84526-6) pairs with the HaloFogger® to deliver our proprietary hydrogen peroxide and silver-ion based mist to ensure every nook and cranny receives the highest level of disinfection. Contact Halosil today to learn more.