Do you want to improve the air quality throughout your home? Let SM Mechanical Services help by calling 860-296-5100.
If you’re suffering from polluted air and allergens in your home, you’re probably wondering, “Do UV lights in HVAC work?” While a few experts aren’t convinced, as the best HVAC company in West Hartford, CT, SM Mechanical Services stands by how effective UV lights are.
You deserve to be safe and comfortable in your own home. Keep reading to discover how UV lights can help.
How UV Lights Improve Your HVAC System
Ultraviolet (UV) light is a type of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between visible light and X-rays. It’s present in sunlight and thus the cause of sunburn. When used within air sanitizing systems, its radiation can purge the air of airborne contaminants while remaining safe for families and customers.
UV radiation exists in the following three forms:
- UV-A light: Also known as a blacklight, this is the wavelength used in tanning beds.
- UV-B light: As the mid-range wavelength, UV-B light stimulates vitamin D production and is often used by dermatologists to treat skin conditions.
- UV-C light: Containing germicidal properties that break down the DNA of viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens, UV-C light is the version used to purify HVAC systems.
The Benefits of Using UV Lights
What are the benefits of using UV lights to help purify your air?
Sanitization
The primary benefit of installing UV lights into your HVAC system is that they sanitize the air. Not only do they kill bacteria and viruses, but they can prevent mold growth and mildew in the places most vulnerable to them, such as your condenser coils.
Decades of evidence and scientific studies show that UV lights effectively purify the surfaces on which they shine and can also purify air when used correctly. Recent studies by the Canadian Journal of Infection Control and the American Journal of Infection Control both show that healthcare facilities that use UV lights experience fewer contact-based infections.
Safety
When used and installed properly, UV lights in your HVAC system are safe for humans and pets because they’re positioned out of reach. While exposure to the lights can damage skin and eyes, the healthy benefits they provide throughout the house make them well worth the minor risk.
Reduced Smells
Your air conditioning can smell from moisture accumulating in your ducts or device or from pollutants in the air. UV lights help combat smells from both sources. In addition to killing off the microorganisms and organic compounds that cause bad smells, UV lights minimize moisture accumulation, preventing fungal growth in your HVAC system.
Cost Savings
The sanitizing lights help prevent pollutants and byproducts from building up in your system. In HVAC systems that don’t utilize UV lights, these materials accumulate over time, reducing the efficiency with which the air conditioner and furnace work. Because they increase efficiency, UV sanitizing lights grant long-term savings on your energy costs.
They also can save you money on medical expenses. If you have asthma, allergies, or respiratory conditions, you know the more often you trigger the condition, the more you spend on doctor visits and medications. With your air purified throughout your home, you’ll experience significantly fewer flare-ups.
Installing UV Lights in Your Home
So what’s the answer to “Do UV lights in HVAC work?” The evidence is an overwhelming yes. But how does the installation process work?
Type of UV Sanitizing Lights
We incorporate two kinds of UV lights in the HVAC system:
- Coil sanitizing lights: This cheaper form of light looks like a long fluorescent lightbulb. It’s placed right above the evaporator coil, which deals with the most moisture and is the most likely place for mold and other contaminants to settle. Coil lights stay on constantly and provide adequate protection for most homes.
- Air sanitizing lights: If you have more serious health concerns, consider installing the more expensive air sanitizing lights. We install these lights in your ducts, and they alter the DNA of bacteria and viruses, rendering them harmless. We can even install them to turn on and off with your HVAC system so they don’t run constantly.
Installing Your UV Lights
Before installing the UV lights, the technician will inspect your current HVAC system to identify your needs and the best locations for the lamps. During installation, the specialist drills holes in the designated area and then mounts the lamp. After they connect the lights to the HVAC system’s power, your sanitizing lights will run whenever the air conditioner or furnace activates.
Maintaining Your HVAC’s UV Lights
Maintaining your UV lights maximizes their purifying effects and ensures they last longer. The following habits help you maintain your sanitizing lights:
- Annual replacement: While the UV lights can give off light longer, they lose their germ-killing power after about a year. To guarantee you don’t lose the purifying benefits of your sanitizing lights, replace the lamp annually. Your HVAC technician can safely, promptly, and effectively replace the lights.
- Regular cleaning: Every three months, turn off your HVAC system, remove the light, and use a soft cloth to wipe down the lamp. If it accumulates dust and other particles, it can’t purify your air as well.
- Practice safety: Using UV lights in an unsafe manner can cause you to remove them from your home. Never look directly into the light and wear eye protection when cleaning them or replacing the bulb.
If you worry about your ability to safely and effectively care for your sanitizing lights, SM Mechanical Services provides competitively-priced maintenance services.
Contact SM Mechanical Services for All Your HVAC Needs
Now you know the answer to “Do UV lights in HVAC work?” Are you ready to claim all the benefits of UV lights for your own home? SM Mechanical Services is standing by to install your lights.
When you’re looking to compare HVAC systems, SM Mechanical Services can help. Call us at 860-296-5100 to discover the answers to all your questions.