Germicidal or UV lights for HVAC systems are used to kill
the DNA of germs, viruses, mold spores, bacteria and fungi as they pass through
the air handler system.
A strategically placed UV light is very effective at killing
close to one hundred percent of these harmful pollutants. Installing a UV HVAC
system in your condensing unit — the air handler — provides a cost-effective
method to clean all the air as it passes through the system.
How Do They Work?
UV lights for HVAC systems are designed to use a particular
wavelength of light — 254 nanometers — that is absorbed by the DNA of
microorganisms. After exposure to the UV light, the organisms are unable to
produce the proteins they need to survive. Although the UV light does not kill
the germs immediately, it nullifies their ability to cause harm and shortens
their life span considerably.
Why Install a UV Light in the HVAC System?
The volume of air inside your home is immense. Treating it
effectively as a whole is nearly impossible because UV lights can also be
harmful to humans. Inside your air handler, however, is a different story. Your
HVAC system draws the air into its evaporator unit and forces it out through
air registers — the vents — placed around your home. Installing the UV light
inside your evaporator unit makes perfect sense, as the air must pass over the
UV light as it is circulated.
What Are the Limits of UV Lights?
UV lights for your HVAC will not alleviate your symptoms
caused by allergens, since dust as well as dead fungi will still be present.
Also, if your HVAC system has damaged or leaky ducts, the vacuum created in the
ducts could draw in new contaminates from attics and crawl spaces, limiting the
UV light effectiveness. The UV light is only effective when microorganisms
contact its light spectrum. Any of the aforementioned contaminates shielded
from its light spectrum will survive.
How Is It Installed?
A professional air conditioning technician should handle the
installation of UV lighting inside the evaporating unit of your home. The light
must be wired to the HVAC evaporating unit so it activates only when the system
is in operation. Before installing the equipment, the technician should clean
the air handler system thoroughly and inspect the ductwork for leaks. This will
provide optimum conditions for the UV light system.
Energy-efficient homes are constructed today with an
emphasis on sealing every crack and crevice to prevent conditioned air from
escaping. Unfortunately, this has created the perfect environment for these
microorganisms to thrive. Installing a UV lights for HVAC systems helps to
control or even eliminate these harmful contaminates.
Residents of Woodstock and beyond seeking additional
information regarding UV lights for HVAC systems can contact Reliable Heating
& Air.