Air pollution exists in surprisingly high concentrations within a home – on average, home indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Many factors contribute to this issue – tight air sealing that helps the home retain energy but limits natural ventilation, pet dander from pets, products used and activities performed inside the home, and even building materials that make up the home impact indoor air quality.
With so much of our time spent indoors, we are exposed to this air pollution for a significant portion of the day. This long length of exposure makes people more susceptible to the effects airborne contaminants have on health and comfort. Don’t worry – you can take control of your indoor air quality and reduce indoor air pollution to protect yourself and your loved ones!
An ultraviolet air purifier is one type of indoor air quality solution designed for use with the home’s HVAC system. These air purifiers use ultraviolet light to kill common pathogens found in a home’s air, including viruses, bacteria, mold, and more. UV C light is safe and effective for use inside the duct system, where there is no risk of exposure to the home’s occupants. UV air purifiers prevent harmful airborne contaminants from causing a wide range of health symptoms due to exposure.
Williams Comfort Air installs and services UV lamp purifiers in Indianapolis area homes. Our team of indoor air quality professionals helps homeowners gain cleaner air in the home for better comfort and health.
Learn more about the use of UV air purifiers and how they deliver cleaner air across the entire home, no matter the sq ft – contact us today to request an appointment with our Comfort Consultants.
When many Indianapolis area homeowners think about air purification, they picture filter purifiers that trap contaminants to remove them from the air supply. Media air cleaners with a HEPA filter are a common choice for this style of air purifier, as they are up to 99.97% effective for removing particles down to 0.3 microns in size. Other media air cleaners use high-efficiency filters that are typically rated MERV 10 or more.
Air purifiers with a filter or HEPA filter capture contaminants on the filter surface as air passes through the HVAC system. Because they are trapped, these particles are removed from the air supply and disposed of when the filter is replaced.
An ultraviolet air purifier uses a different method – UV C light is emitted to kill particulate matter circulating in the air. The contaminants are neutralized by exposure to UV C energy, therefore can no longer cause allergies and other health concerns on contact, nor can they replicate or spread throughout the indoor environment.
UV C light is a shorter wavelength of light that cannot penetrate through the Earth’s ozone layer. Since UV C light can’t make it through the atmosphere, we’re protected from UV C emitted by the Sun. Research shows that UV-C light can kill airborne flu viruses without harming human tissue.
By placing a specialized UV-C-generating lamp inside the ductwork of your home, it is possible to disinfect the air as it passes through the system. Many of these UV air systems have the added benefit of disinfecting surfaces which commonly trap moisture, if installed in a way that exposes those surfaces to the light. These purifiers typically do not come with a pre-filter or filter that removes particles.
The use of UV air purifiers offers valuable benefits for your household. Some of the top reasons homeowners choose this indoor air quality technology include:
Ultraviolet light air purifiers are installed directly within a home’s HVAC system. Installed in the return ductwork, lights sanitize air of harmful particles as it circulates into the heating and cooling unit for conditioning.
There are multiple UV air purifier models available on the market. There are options designed to run only when the HVAC system’s blower motor is active or to operate continuously, so these models are safe to leave running overnight or anytime. These UV-C bulbs require minimal energy to operate and have a usable life from one to three years, depending on the specific product.
A UV lamp can also be installed in the interior of the air conditioner or air handler for use with the indoor coil (evaporator coil). As the function of the coil is to condense moisture from the air for cooling, this chamber is a wet and dirty environment – the perfect place for mold and bacteria to grow and thrive. Using UV lamp air purifiers keeps indoor coils cleaner so they operate efficiently, reducing energy costs and maintenance needs for your cooling system.
UV light lamps are safe for use to treat indoor air quality issues in the home. These air purifiers use short-wave UV C light to inactivate particles such as bacteria, viruses, and mold. The products are designed to prevent exposure to UV light as well as the creation of ozone while in use.
Mild exposure to this UV-C light should not cause a person harm. HVAC professionals install UV lamps so the light energy is directed upwards to avoid any exposure to humans below. This technology has been safely used to treat indoor air in hospitals and healthcare settings for decades.
UV air purifier units for use inside heating and cooling systems do not produce increased amounts of ozone. Many homeowners have this concern, as some types of air purifiers do carry this risk. An ionizing air purifier can emit ozone through the electric discharge process these machines use to create the negative ion in air purifier units. Ozone is harmful to the atmosphere and exposure can lead to serious health side effects.
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