Improving Indoor Air Quality with Ultra Violet Light

Ultra Violet/UV Light Use in Improving Indoor Air Quality

For decades, hospitals, laboratories, food processing plants, and water treatment facilities have used ultraviolet light (UV light) to disinfect biological contaminates. UV light is very effective in removing bacteria, viruses, mold, and mildew spores from the air and on surfaces. With technological advances, UV light is now available for residential applications and can significantly improve the indoor air quality in your home.

How does it Work?

Ultraviolet light is a narrow band in the electromagnetic spectrum with a high energy wavelength. UV light penetrates cell walls and alters the DNA structures in cells, making it impossible for cells to reproduce.

Sunlight contains ultraviolet light, so sunlight actually disinfects our atmosphere and outside surfaces to make our world a safer place. We create indoor spaces to live and work. We seal these spaces to keep us warm and safe, but enclosed spaces trap harmful biological contaminates.

Your HVAC filtration system actively removes harmful particles from the air you breathe. Adding UV light to your HVAC system can disinfect indoor spaces; the air filter can then trap these particles and remove them before they can cause damage.

Where is UV Light Installed?

The blower motor pushes conditioned air into your home and pulls air into the ductwork. The air filter traps 99% of particles before they reach the heating and cooling components of the system. After the air is filtered, it enters the evaporator coil; the coil contains many surfaces and during the cooling season these surfaces are covered with moisture. A dark, moist surface is the ideal area for mold, bacteria, and viruses to grow.

This is the ideal location to install UV lights in the HVAC system. Three UV lights are installed strategically to shine on every surface and shine continuously. The UV light prevents the growth of biological contamination before it can re-enter your home with the conditioned air.

Installation of ultraviolet lights will only take a few hours. The lights are completely concealed—have you ever seen your evaporator coil? Since they are concealed, they cannot harm people or pets. Expect to change the bulbs every 2 or 3 years or include them on the HVAC preventative maintenance visit.

Have questions about bettering the indoor air quality in your home?

Let us know how we can help with your indoor air quality concerns, call AllCool AC & Heating at 281-238-9292 or contact us via email.