How To Know Which UV Light is Right for Your Home or Business
UV light is used for sanitation purposes in hospitals and facilities all over the world. However, when used in conjunction with HVAC systems, UV lights are proven to be extremely effective in removing harmful particles such as mold, bacteria, and germs from the air.
How does this work? Ultraviolet light has the ability to damage the DNA within these particles, essentially killing the harmful cells. Is this tool right for you?
UV Lights for the Home
Installing a UV light in your home is beneficial for the air quality and safety of your family. Things like high humidity, old or damaged ductwork, and the presence of pets can significantly affect the cleanliness of the air you and your family breathe. Humid or wet conditions create a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mold, and compromised ducts create a pathway for outside particles to enter your home. The benefits of installing a UV light include:
- Allergens: UV lights remove allergens (such as pet dander and pollen) from the air you breathe. This means easy breathing for you, your family, and visitors to your home.
- Odors: UV lights kill odor-producing particles, such as those from damp pet fur, smoke, and cooking.
- Sleep: Harmful particles floating around in the air can cause respiratory irritation, which over time can lessen your quality of sleep. This could lead to fatigue, irritability, and sleep apnea.
- Cost: Over time, UV light systems can improve efficiency and performance for your entire HVAC system, saving you money!
UV Lights for Your Business
In the same way that unwanted particles can invade your home, mold, allergens, and bacteria can lessen the air quality inside your place of business. Investing in a UV light (or several UV lights, to be placed at different points within the system) helps to ensure the safety of your employees and customers. Here’s how:
- COVID-19: As the country slowly reopened, many businesses installed UV lights within their office and retail spaces in order to further protect customers and employees from contagious diseases (including the flu and common cold). According to the Scientific Reports, UV-C emitting lights are capable of eliminating up to 90% of coronavirus particles from the air in just 8 minutes.
- Allergens: In the same way that in-home UV lights remove mold, pollen, and other allergens from the air, a UV light in your business can provide employees and customers with a comfortable working environment.
- Cost: Costs associated with workspace upkeep can be unpredictable and burdensome. Upgrading your HVAC system with UV lights not only keeps your air clean, it can also lower your spending on energy bills.
Which UV Light is Best for You?
Here are several different options when it comes to deciding which UV light is the right one for your home or business:
- Coil UV Lights: Every home with a central air conditioning system has an indoor coil. The purpose of this coil is to condense the moisture that is present in the air and dehumidify your home. Unfortunately, this process also makes the coil damp, allowing for particles such as pet dander, dust, and mold to stick to its surface. Installing a UV light that constantly shines on that coil is the best bet for home air sanitation.
- Air UV Lights: These UV lights are installed directly into the ductwork within your home or business, meaning they are hidden within the system. As the air comes into the HVAC unit, the UV light purifies the air before sending it back out.
- Freestanding UV Lights: If camouflaging your UV light is not your biggest concern, or there is one area in particular that is in need of sanitized air, you may want to consider going with a freestanding UV light. These lights purify only the air that is in the room in which the light is located. Because of this, freestanding UV lights are often much cheaper than those installed directly into or onto your existing air conditioning system.
How Can I Get a UV Light?
TemperaturePro’s technicians are knowledgeable, experienced, and happy to help. For additional questions about UV lights and Indoor Air Quality, other TemperaturePro HVAC services, or to book an appointment, give your local TemperaturePro a call!