Just as you can’t usually see the particulates that are polluting your home’s indoor air, you aren’t generally able to witness when any of the various types of air-cleaning technology are at work cleaning your air.
Take UV lights, for example. That’s short for ultraviolet light, which has a shorter wave length than that of visible light. A unique type of air-cleaning technology makes use of these waves to kill germs and other particles, including mold, mildew and fungus. And they do so deep inside your HVAC system, in places most homeowners never see, since the particles they kill are microscopic in size.
Here’s how UV light air-cleaning technology, better known as ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, or UVGI, helps improve the air quality in your home:
How UV Lighting Cleans Air
This type of air-cleaning technology is installed inside your HVAC system. High-powered bulbs are employed: one is installed near the air intake and one is installed near the evaporator coils, where moist conditions prevail and where mold and mildew are likely to occur.
As the air flowing through the HVAC system passes before the bulbs, the UV lights immobilize the pathogens by destroying their DNA so they cannot reproduce. It’s a simple but effective means of controlling these organisms before they have a chance to multiply inside your HVAC system, and enter your home through the supply air.
Effectiveness of UV Lighting
UV lights are considered to be of particular benefit under humid conditions — and Ohio certainly offers those. To be effective, the bulbs must burn at full strength, so should be changed every year. They should also be cleaned during regular maintenance.
UV lighting may not kill 100 percent of all bacteria and mold spores, but before-and-after air quality tests have shown an improvement after installing these lights. This may be of particular benefit to sufferers of allergies, asthma and other chronic respiratory conditions.
If you’re wondering if UV lights could improve your indoor air quality, contact Ace Hardware Home Services. We’ve served Dayton and the surrounding area since 1979.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “TheLight/Pixabay”
