Questions, Answered
UVC technology has a real safety store, real efficacy story, and real operational story, but the answers aren’t always easy to find. The questions below are the ones that come up the most often in conversations with facility managers, procurement teams, and on-site staff.
For deeper technical reading, see The Science. For specs and pricing on individual products, see Products. Don’t see your question? Get in touch.
THE SCIENCE BASICS
About UVC Technology
UVC light damages the DNA and RNA inside viruses and bacteria so the pathogen can no longer replicate. A pathogen that cannot replicate cannot infect or spread. UVC has been used as a germicidal tool in healthcare and laboratory settings for more than 40 years. (For the full mechanism, see The Science.)
BioSecure’s products use 254nm UVC, the long-established germicidal peak with decades of validated research and field deployment. Other wavelengths in the UVC band include 222nm far-UVC (an emerging technology designed for occupied spaces) and 265 to 275nm (the range used by newer UVC LEDs). Each has tradeoffs in efficacy, safety, and durability.
Direct exposure to 254nm UVC is harmful to skin and eyes, so BioSecure’s units are engineered to deliver germicidal action without exposing occupants. Some units install above human and animal head height for upper-air sanitization. Others enclose the UVC entirely inside the housing, drawing air through and returning it treated. When installed and operated as designed, occupants are never exposed to the light itself.
Yes. A 2024 Columbia University study (Buonanno et al., Scientific Reports) found that far-UVC reduced infectious airborne virus by 99.8% in an occupied real-world room — a result that exceeded what conventional filtration and ventilation could achieve. A 2020 Boston University study (Storm et al., Scientific Reports) showed that 254nm UVC inactivated 99% of SARS-CoV-2 in 6 seconds at a 5 mJ/cm² dose, reaching a six-log reduction at 22 mJ/cm². Full citations are on the Science page.
BioSecure’s products are deployed across three main environment categories: animal confinement facilities (swine barns, poultry houses, turkey grow-out facilities), healthcare settings (hospitals, clinics, long-term care), and schools and public spaces. The germicidal mechanism is the same across all three; the engineering of each unit varies by what the environment demand
SAFETY IN USE
Safety
No. BioSecure’s units use enclosed 254nm UVC, which does not produce ozone or release oxides into the air. The units are CARB certified for use in California (where ozone-emission limits are the strictest in the US), and the manufacturing facility is EPA registered.
Yes. BioSecure’s units are engineered so the UVC light never directly exposes occupants. Some models enclose the lamp entirely inside the housing—air is drawn in, treated, and returned to the room without exposing anyone to the light. Others install above human and animal head height for upper-air sanitization, treating the air column near the ceiling while the occupied zone below remains safe. When installed and operated as designed, both approaches operate safely and continuously with people and animals present.
INSTALLING THE UNITS
Installation
Yes. The 2 × 2 and 2 × 4 panel units are designed to integrate into standard drop-ceiling fluorescent troffer layouts and can use existing light fixture locations and wiring for retrofit installations. The wall-mount and large-area units have their own mounting configurations—see the individual product pages for detail.
No. BioSecure’s units operate as standalone fixtures and don’t tie into HVAC ductwork. The multi-pass UVC technology is designed to work without filters, drawing air through the UVC zone and returning it treated. That’s a meaningful cost difference compared to filter-based systems, which typically require expensive cartridge replacement every three to six months.
KEEPING UNITS RUNNING
Maintenance
BioSecure’s UVC lamps are rated for approximately one year of continuous operation. Replacement is straightforward, and the lamps are inexpensive—$20 or less each—so annual operating cost is low compared to filter-based or chemical disinfection alternatives.
The units have built-in monitoring. A UVC lamp life monitor tracks actual usage time and indicates when it’s time to change the lamp. There’s also a UVC lamp operation monitor that confirms the lamp is functioning properly—if the lamp fails, the LED indicator and fan turn off so the problem is immediately visible.
BioSecure’s units are designed for low-maintenance operation. Annual service consists primarily of replacing the UV lamp. There are no filters to swap and no chemicals to refill, which keeps total cost of ownership low and labor minimal compared to filter-based or fogging alternatives.
PROCUREMENT AND COMPLIANCE
Certifications & Warranty
BioSecure’s units are UL 507 certified by ETL, CARB certified (meets California’s ozone-emission limits—the strictest in the US), and manufactured in an EPA-registered factory. They’ve also been independently lab tested to validate UVC performance.
A 2-year replacement warranty covers the unit (excluding the UV lamp). The UVC lamp itself is covered by a separate 1-year replacement warranty, which aligns with the lamp’s expected service life of approximately one year of continuous operation.
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