Customer Service & Support: +49 2452 962-450

Business inquiries: +49 2452 962-400

Mon – Fri: 8:00 – 17:00 (CET)

  1. Applications
  2. Humidification
  3. Healthy and virus-free breathing air in retirement and nursing homes

Healthy and virus-free breathing air in retirement and nursing homes

Using Trotec humidifiers to reliably combat viruses and bacteria

A scratchy throat, itchy eyes, irritated mucous membranes, fatigue, chapped skin – all these are typical signs that something is not right with the ambient air. This is because the blame for this often lies in an overly dry room climate. These and additional symptoms increasingly occur during the heating season in particular – as do flu-like infections and colds, which are literally spread as swift as the wind through dry room air in nursing homes .

While the risk of being infected with infectious viruses is relatively low in the parks and green spaces around the facility because the air volume becomes rapidly diluted outside, the viral and bacterial pathogens are concentrated all the more intensely in enclosed spaces with a restricted air supply. And many people breathe in the same air here.

Of course, the subject of hygiene has the utmost priority in nursing facilities – but the measures taken to combating infection are primarily focussed on cleaning hands, instruments and surfaces. This also makes sense in order to avoid possible smear infections. Wearing a face mask or face protection can also help to keep the spread of viruses or bacteria by droplet infection in check. However, this only applies to short distances and larger droplets.

The danger is in the air

Many pathogens, which mainly populate the respiratory tract or throat and multiply there, are released into the ambient air via tiny droplets of saliva whenever we speak, cough or sneeze. When these are then inhaled by healthy people or absorbed into the respiratory tract through mucous membranes, they can then cause the outbreak of a disease. Infectious droplets of saliva also adhere to objects and surfaces such as door handles, tables and fittings and can thus enter the body via the mouth, nose and eyes after being touched by a finger or hand. This is how viruses that can trigger entire epidemics, such as flu-like infections, influenza or lung diseases with coronaviruses, are often transmitted. Scientific studies prove that the Sars-CoV-2 virus can survive up to 3 hours in the air as airborne particles and retain its infectious effect. Some pathogens can even cross long distances when airborne – chickenpox and measles are just two examples. Bacterial diseases such as scarlet fever or meningococcus are likewise transmitted by droplet infection. That’s why treatment of the room air in retirement homes and nursing homes is strongly advised.


40 – 60 % relative humidity curbs the spread of germs

Humidifying the air is an effective preventive measure against bacterial and viral pathogens. Scientific studies have unequivocally proven that a relative humidity that is healthy to humans and significantly reduces the risk of infection lies within the 40 to 60 percent corridor. Moreover, the studies have shown that a humidity level above 40 percent kills the coughed-up influenza viruses, cold viruses or coronaviruses within minutes.


Humidification as an effective preventive measure

Regular room air humidification or a constant humidity is a means as simple as it is effective of permanently decreasing the risks of viral and bacterial infections in retirement homes and nursing homes.

Trotec offers the solution: Humidifiers kill off pathogens

Although there is no remedy against the spread of pathogenic viruses and bacteria via the air in a room, Trotec’s humidifiers such as the B 400 and B 500 render valuable services in this regard. The spread of aerogenic infections poses a major problem in retirement and nursing homes in particular, since in these places already weakened people or people with weakened immune systems often already congregate in relatively confined spaces – not to mention the health hazards for doctors, the nursing staff and visitors.

Trotec's B series hygrostat-controlled evaporation humidifiers ensure optimum humidity conditions in any room size. You are sure to find the right unit for your individual requirements amongst the B 24 E, B 25 E, B 250, B 300, B 400 and B 500 radio models.

You can of course, as an alternative, use the Trotec air washers from our AW-S series as well. Whether an evaporation humidifier or an air washer is the best solution for you ultimately depends on the size of the room and the humidification performance required.

The effectiveness of humidifiers against bacteria, viruses and co.

The chart illustrates very well that the number of pathogens such as viruses and bacteria is close to nil when exposed to a corridor of 40 to 60 percent relative humidity. How is this so? When the room air has a relative humidity content of less than 40 percent, coughing and sneezing secretions contaminated with viruses such as the “Sars-CoV-2” coronavirus, influenza viruses or bacteria for example, dry up. That may sound good at first, but just the opposite is the case. They shrink to about 0.5 µm in size, thereby forming a crust around the aerosols. This strategy maximises both the viability of the pathogenic germs within and the ability of the droplets to float. When someone coughs or sneezes in a room that is too dry, the viruses and bacteria will survive up to 41 hours in this room and retain their infectious effect.

If you would like personal customer service, you are welcome to contact our specialist department by sending an e-mail to online-uk@trotec.com or by calling +49 2452 962-400.

B 400 humidifier

Thanks to its high evaporation capacity, this disc humidifier is specifically suited to large rooms. Even when operated continuously, it performs impressively due to its low energy consumption. You can find detailed information on all units from our B series here.

Evaporation humidifiers B 24 E and B 25 E

The electric humidifiers with practical features from the compact entry-level unit up to models for large rooms.

Air washer AW 10 S

The multi-purpose 3-in-1 comfort unit for humidification and purification and for binding pollen or house dust.

Air washer AW 20 S

3-in-1 air washer for humidifying the air, purifying the air and, thanks to a HEPA filter, for removing even the smallest particles of dirt, allergens and mould spores in the air as well.

Buying a unit: Simply send us an e-mail stating your desired product to online-uk@trotec.com or by calling +49 2452 962-400.

Renting a unit: Please contact our TKL Rental Center - by e-mail to online-uk@trotec.com or by calling +49 2452 962-160.

  • Humidification in daycare centres and schools

    Hardly anything affects our health as much as the air we breathe every day. This is particularly true for our children who attend schools and daycare facilities every day. Dry room air makes the little ones more susceptible to diseases and substantially lessens the power of concentration, consequently it is important to ensure the best hygienic conditions and fresh air for them. These institutions...

    Additional information
  • Humidification in veneer warehouses

    Veneer is to be treated carefully. Especially in storage facilities with particularly dry air one needs to act prudently. In the process of drying veneer plywood begins to crack. In order to prevent costly desiccation damage the storage facility should be well equipped – with a reliable and efficient humidification system. The Trotec Group recommends the use of a humidifier for more extensive...

    Additional information
  • Humidification in the instrument warehouse

    Premium timber, felt, glue and lacquer: Musical instruments are usually made of sensitive materials, which adds to their special sound and resonance. Hence, when storing these valuable instruments, it is particularly important to remember the optimum protection and care. This applies especially to musical instruments made in part or entirely of wood. For this material is constantly “working” (e.g....

    Additional information
  • Humidification in greenhouses

    Warm temperatures and a high humidity level – those are the key factors required by tropical and subtropical plants, if you want them to grow and thrive. Mushroom farms also prefer warmth and moisture. Regular watering is not sufficient, for the majority of exotic plants absorbs moisture from the ambient air. Required for the generation of this special climate is not only a systematic heating...

    Additional information
  • Humidification in server rooms

    Reliable technology is the most important criterion for customers connected to a computer centre. At the core of a firm stands its own server room, so to say, hence the technical equipment there ought to run smoothly at all times. The IT equipment must be in immaculate condition. With this in mind, the climate in data processing centres and server rooms must be geared to the technology's needs....

    Additional information