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Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed to maintain a designated temperature inside buildings, regardless of the time of year and the climate of geographic location. HVAC systems, available in a range of designs/options, provide heating and cooling options to keep a room or building at a comfortable temperature for the people who occupy it. Further, they function as means of ventilation and air filtration in such a space. HVAC systems have been investigated in the past in the case that they might play a role in the transmission or spread of viruses. They have been found to be safe, with no evidence that causally links them to the transmission or spread of any virus. That said, the role of HVAC systems as a possible mode of virus transmission has been pushed to the forefront of industry discussions yet again, as the acquisition rate of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the illness resultant from the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), continues at a killing pace across the United States.
The coronavirus is known to be spread between humans in close contact with one another. What’s more, this human-to-human transmission of the virus is consistent with the means of transmission of other virus strains specific to the coronavirus family. The question posed right now is simply whether anything has changed over the years that suggests HVAC systems have begun to play a part in virus transmission or spread. What do experts say?
The news is positive: HVAC systems have still not been found to contribute to the spread of viruses. In fact, experts and professionals have published official statements amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, the most updated information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) supports the idea that the use of HVAC systems is not correlated with the spread of COVID-19; the CDC states that it is unlikely that HVAC systems contribute to the spread of any virus. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agrees and endorses the use of the best practices recommended by the CDC. More specifically, the EPA states that the operation of an HVAC system in a home can be part of a valuable protection plan for residents, especially when used in concert with additional air cleaners (called air purifiers or air sanitizers if portable, and called air filters when part of an HVAC system).
Industry experts in the HVAC field also have been on high alert since the beginning of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has published its position in official statements regarding the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 relative to the use of HVAC systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. ASHRAE spelled out its position directly, stating that “[v]entilation and filtration provided by heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems can reduce the airborne concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and thus the risk of transmission through the air. Unconditioned spaces can cause thermal stress to people that may be directly life threatening and that may also lower resistance to infection. In general, disabling of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems is not a recommended measure to reduce the transmission of the virus.” ASHRAE continues its active role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, through support of ongoing research and implementation of current guidelines that help mitigate transmission risk.
The bottom line is this: HVAC systems are safer than ever. They maintain temperature, encourage airflow, and help facilitate healthy indoor air quality. HVAC systems are valuable tools in the fight against the coronavirus. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HVAC systems are contributing so we can all breathe easy.
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