Graham Auto Repair

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Using UV Lighting to Sanitize

At Graham Auto Repair we have started working on something new. As soon as we heard that it may be possible to destroy the Coronavirus / COVID-19 using Ultraviolet (UV) technology, we researched how to offer this service in our Shop, to assist in slowing down the spread of the virus. Let’s take a moment to talk about UV Lighting, what it is and how we are using it.

What is UV Lighting?

As you may already be aware, there are multiple types of UV lighting. All of these are produced by the sun. The types of Ultraviolet wavelengths that we normally hear about are UV-A and UV-B. These are the types that we regularly seek protection from, especially during the summer months, by wearing sunscreen. Exposure to UV-B rays will increase the risk of DNA and other cellular damage in living organisms; but about 95% of UV-B rays are absorbed by ozone in the Earth’s atmosphere.

The UV lighting technology that we have started using for disinfection is a third type called UV-C. This type of light is also produced by the sun and is actually the most harmful; but it is almost completely absorbed by our atmosphere.

This type of UV light can also be generated using man-made processes and it is used by many for purifying both air and water, and for inactivating microbes. It’s important to understand that this type of light, while useful as a disinfection technology, is harmful to human skin. Even brief exposure to UV-C light can cause burns and eye damage. For this reason our Service Advisors will always be wearing personal protective equipment while using it, like goggles specific for protecting from UV lighting.

How Are We Using UV Lighting?

We will be utilizing UV-C Lighting in more than one way within our Auto Shop, especially during the Vehicle In-Process. You can read more about Vehicle In-Process in our Blog Post here. We hope that by adding UV Lighting to our regular sanitizing and disinfecting routine will assist us greatly in slowing down the spread of this virus. Note: Anyone who uses the UV Lighting will wear both gloves and goggles to protect themselves during the process.

One way that we are using Ultraviolet Light Technology is to sanitize keys. After sanitizing your key with a disinfecting wipe, our Service Advisors will place your key inside the UV Light station, where it sits 5-6 inches from the light for approximately 10 seconds. This will destroy any possible microbes that are hiding there. We still suggest that you only provide us with the key necessary for us to service your vehicle, by removing all unnecessary keys and key chains. This will also assist in preventing the spread of viruses.

The second way that we are using Ultraviolet Light Technology is to sanitize your vehicle. After using a disinfecting wipe on specific high-use areas in/out of your vehicle, such as the door handle and the steering wheel, our Service Advisors will go back through using our UV Light. They will hold the UV Light 5-6 inches away from those same high-use areas, for approximately 10 seconds. It is our hope that, by adding the UV Light Process to our current processes, it will give our customers an added peace of mind when having their vehicle serviced at our Auto Repair Shop.

Ozone Generator

Another technology that we will be implementing at Graham Auto Repair as soon as possible is an Ozone Machine. We will be using this technology in addition to all of the other cleaning and sanitizing practices that we are already following. We will have more information about this process soon, as we implement it and decide on the best process to use it for our customer’s added peace of mind.

I hope that this information has been helpful. If you have any questions, or if you need any Auto Repair or Maintenance Services please give us a call at 253-847-2221. You can read about more of the steps we are taking to ensure everyone’s Health and Safety at Graham Auto Repair by reading our Blog Post “Health and Safety Update” by clicking on the link. If you find this information helpful, please consider sharing it. Thank you so much!

We look forward to serving you!

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