How to Protect Your Home From COVID-19
By now, residents of the Greater Toronto Area understand that staying home is crucial to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. However, that may not be enough to keep you and your family safe.
Although there is some debate, some scientists believe that the virus can survive for several days on surfaces and up to 3 hours in the air. This lifespan makes it possible for the virus to enter your home with you after a quick trip to the grocery store, or even simply opening the door to accept deliveries.
Unsettling as this may be, it’s important not to panic. The best weapon against the pandemic is knowledge. By learning more about the virus and its weaknesses, you can take the necessary steps to protect your home and your family.
Local Resources to Follow
You should always make sure you are working with the most recent and up-to-date information available. These resources are a good source of current COVID-19 related information regarding restrictions, research, and assistance for residents of Scarborough and the GTA.
Is It Safe to Let Technicians & Repair People into My Home?
Unfortunately, breakdowns happen, even during a global pandemic. With that said, it is still reasonably safe to let technicians and repair people into your home, assuming they take the necessary precautions.
Before scheduling any services, we recommend asking a service provider what sort of measures they’ll take to ensure everyone’s safety during their visit.
How Mersey Heating & Air Conditioning is Keeping You Safe
At Mersey Heating and Air Conditioning, the safety and integrity of your home is always our top priority. However, given the additional threat of COVID-19 transmission, we have taken some additional steps to reduce the risk of contamination as much as possible.
For your safety, we have instituted the following policies:
- All outside clothing is covered with sterile protective gear.
- Technicians wash their hands with increased frequency.
- All technicians carry hand sanitizer.
- Technicians may not report to work if they exhibit any symptoms.
If anyone in your home is exhibiting symptoms, please let us know immediately so we can take further precautions as needed.
We take your health seriously and will do whatever is necessary to keep your family safe.
Can Air Purifiers or Air Filters Prevent COVID-19?
COVID-19 is also known as novel coronavirus. The word novel indicates that this is a new virus that humans have not seen before. That is why coronavirus is so serious; we do not yet know exactly how to completely prevent it from spreading or eradicate it.
Because the virus is so new, there is not yet enough scientific data to conclusively say that an air purifier will prevent the virus from infecting anyone. However, based on what we know, we can say with some degree of certainty that they may help your chances of avoiding COVID-19 at home.
Air Filters
Studies indicate that high-efficiency reticulate air (HEPA) filters actually can trap microorganisms as small as the COVID-19. The filter will not kill the virus, but it will eventually die while it’s trapped inside.
It is important to note that, if the virus is still alive in the air filter, changing the filter could re-circulate the virus into the air.
Air Purifiers
There is evidence to indicate that, when used correctly, a UV air purifier can reduce infection rates for other, similar viruses. The efficacy of an air purifier will, however, depend on other important elements such as humidity and airflow management.
How to Keep Your Home Clean & Safe
Air filters and air purifiers can play a valuable role in your overall strategy. However, it's important to remember that you're more likely to catch COVID-19 by touching infected surfaces than by inhaling the virus. Here are some steps you should take to protect your home from COVID-19.
Wash Your Hands
The World Health Organization recommends washing your hands with soap and water regularly for at least 20 seconds, or about the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.
There are several steps you should take while washing your hands to ensure you have covered the entire surface of your hands. This video demonstrates each step perfectly:
Wipe Down Surfaces With Disinfectant
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, you’ll need to disinfect the surfaces in your home regularly. Be sure to clean each surface thoroughly and disinfect every item on countertops or mantles as you go. Once an item has been disinfected, it needs to be placed on a sterilized surface (such as the part of the counter you have already cleaned) to avoid cross-contamination.
Health Canada has compiled a list of cleaning agents approved to kill COVID-19 here.
Sterilize Everything That Enters Your Home
Anytime you bring something home, it has the potential to contaminate items in your house. In order to neutralize that threat, you need to sterilize anything you bring in, from groceries to clothing.
Dr. Jeffery VanWingen created a video as an excellent example of how we can disinfect items that we’ve brought into our home without causing cross-contamination.
Stay Safe at Home
With so much uncertainty, it’s easy to feel hopeless and frightened in the shadow of the pandemic. But despite everything, you are not entirely powerless. With research, conscientious habits, and the help of professionals like Mersey Heating and Air Conditioning, you can keep your home safe and comfortable while you weather the storm.
