Part 3 - More About Auto Detailing With Ozone
As part of our series "Ozone Within Auto Detailing", here is Part 3 within our efforts to educate and help professional detailers. Renny, Rick and Gerry cover many great ozone topics like where to place the ozone generator within the car and other important facts...check it out below!
Part 2 - More About Auto Detailing With Ozone
As part of our series "Ozone Within Auto Detailing", here is Part 2 within our efforts to educate and help professional detailers. Renny, Rick and Gerry cover many great ozone topics within part two...check it out below!
For more details on UV based Ozone, contact Rick Kallmes at DynaBreeze Sanitizing and Disinfecting Systems
Part I - What Is Ozone?
Odor issues within detailing has been a challenge since the early days of people driving and its seems that for every remedy there is a cure all product.
For years, ozone has been used within detailing, I started using ozone in our shops in 1998 and its been a great tool for our business and a wonderful profit center! BUT...I am heard and read so many negative things and it seems few could really give me the answers that sounded...factual.
So with that said, I would like to introduce session I within a multi-part video series! Enjoy!
“Going Green”…With Ultraviolet”
The odor removal and sanitizing properties of ozone is well known and well documented.
Thousands of ozone generators are used in car dealerships, auto detailing/reconditioning shops, car rental agencies, marinas, etc. And for good reason! Ozone destroys odor-causing microorganisms if applied with sufficient quantity, quality and duration of exposure.
The most commonly used ozone generators are divided into two basic groups, “Corona Discharge” (CD) and “Ultraviolet” (UV). Identifying the difference between the two is simple. If the appliance doesn’t “light up” with a highly visible blue-violet glow, it’s most likely the CD-type.
Most ozone generators currently in use today are of the corona discharge (CD) type. There are however, some undesirable elements associated with these commonly used appliances.
Firstly, CD-type generators produce corrosive by-products known as nitrogen’s. These nitrogen’s, when combined with humidity present in ambient air, produce harmful and corrosive nitric acids. These acids may be destructive to materials such as leather, rubber seals, certain components of electronics, etc.
Secondly, many corona discharge (CD) ozone generators don’t even produce enough ozone to register on federally recognized testing devices, and therefore, are not even required to be registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In light of the newest technology, it may be advisable to question the effectiveness and efficiency of CD-type generators. Even a welder’s "spark" produces a small amount of ozone, but it’s not enough to oxidize/destroy a single one-celled microorganism.
Ultraviolet light however, is the latest and safest way to generate recently termed “clean ozone”. An extraordinarily low wavelength of ultraviolet light generates a lethal biocide and germicidal grade of ozone, without producing the hazards associated with corrosive by-products generated by CD appliances.
The newest ultraviolet technology provides opportunities to safely sanitize and disinfect vehicle interiors and HVAC systems without the use of toxic chemicals. Used car dealers report that health-conscious buyers are happy to pay a reasonable sanitizing fee to ensure a more healthful passenger compartment that’s free of unnecessarily applied chemicals, undesirable residual bacteria, viruses, fungi, smoke residues, etc. from previous owners, their pets and guests.
New ultraviolet biocide/germicidal ozone technology is gaining the attention of the automotive industry. Although pricier than traditional corona discharge systems, ultraviolet-generated ozone appliances are a better value in the long run and may be more profitable for individuals and companies that work with vehicles.
With the World Health Organization (WHO) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) warning us of a possible “second phase” of swine flu on the horizon, the ability to disinfect vehicle interiors with biocide/germicidal ultraviolet-generated ozone may add a higher degree of service and customer satisfaction.
Stay tuned…more to come.
Rick Kallmes
DynaBreeze Sanitizing and Disinfecting Systems