Spring is here and summer won’t be too far behind. In addition to high temperatures, that will bring a lot of humidity to our community. That in turn means a lot of germs, mold, and bacteria spores, which can create a number of problems for your home. There are ways to fight it, and one of the most effective may be a UV air purifier, which can be installed in your existing heating and air conditioning system. If you’re looking for some home improvement options and want your air to be healthier and cleaner, it makes an excellent choice.
UV STANDS FOR “ULTRAVIOLET”
The UV part of the device’s name stands for “ultraviolet,” a spectrum of light that we can’t see, but which exists naturally in sunlight. It’s what causes our skin to tan and burn when we spend too much time in the sunlight. UV light bulbs exist that emit much lower levels of light. They’re perfectly harmless to human beings and pets. In fact, they’re used at rock concerts and amusement parks to make white clothes glow in the dark. (That’s caused by the UV light interacting with certain chemicals found in laundry detergent).
While harmless to us, however, the same light is lethal to germs, viruses, and similar one-celled organisms. Just coming into contact with it is enough to either kill them outright, or fuse their DNA: rendering them incapable of replicating. When applied judiciously, it can make a huge difference in terms of your indoor air quality. The only question is how best to do it.
INSTALLED IN YOUR DUCTS
It’s a practical impossibility to simply cover your home with UV lights. You need some way of harnessing its germ-killing power in a manner that covers the most amount of air with the least amount of space. The apex of your ducts makes the ideal location for that: the point where cool air from your AC unit and warm air from your heater pass through the ducts on the way to the various corners of your home. The air in your home cycles gradually through the system whenever you run it, making the apex a great spot to place a UV air purifier.
When installed, the UV lights shine across the width of the duct, forming an impenetrable barrier that even the finest screens can’t hope to match. As your system runs, germs and bacteria are forced through it. There’s simply no way to escape. That in turn will clean your air and help it feel fresher, as well as severely cut down on incidents of illness in your family.
UV air purifiers make a good addition to any home, but in particular they help homes with infants or the elderly, or homes with people who might be vulnerable to germs (such as anyone who works in a hospital).
If you could use a UV air purifier in your Beaverton, OR home, or you already have one and it needs service or repair, call on Western Heating & Cooling today!