Why Install UV Lights in Your Air Conditioning System?
April 09, 2021
While you want your air conditioning to cool your home, you should also put some thought into the quality of air it circulates. Your units can't always provide healthy and fresh-smelling air on their own.
If you're about to install new air conditioning or want to improve the air quality of your current units, then think about adding UV lights to the system. What do these lights do and why should you use them?
What Are HVAC UV Lights?
Air conditioning systems can suffer from moisture and humidity, especially around their indoor evaporator coils. These areas can become home to microorganisms like mold and bacteria which can cause various problems.
Specialist HVAC UV lights are designed to keep these areas clean and sanitized. They usually sit inside the system close to its coil and, sometimes, its filter.
Their UV light effectively stops microorganic growth. This light is germicidal; it irradiates any organisms it shines on. So a light damages an organism's DNA to kill it or to make it unable to reproduce.
What Are the Benefits of HVAC UV Lights?
If you install one or more HVAC UV lights, then you, and your system, get some useful benefits.
Improve the Quality of Your Cooled Air
You might not see mold or bacteria growing in your air conditioning; however, you will eventually smell it. These substances can transfer through your units and into your home.
For example, mold has an unpleasant damp, stale, and musty smell. If it grows unchecked, then this smell seeps into your system. The air that cools your home will carry the smell with it. Any room you cool might start to smell moldy.
If you use UV lights, then the light kills or disables the mold at the source. Your air will smell fresher and cleaner.
Keep Your Cooled Air Healthy
If your cooled air contains mold spores, bacteria, and contaminants, then your health could suffer. If you recycle your air then it could pick up virus particles from someone who has a cold. These viruses could also take hold inside the system and spread around your home to other people.
As well as spreading viruses, these substances can affect anyone who has allergies. If your cooled air isn't clean and healthy, then it could make you and your family sick.
UV lights help keep your air healthy. The light kills off mold and bacteria, so they can't spread into your environment. It can even kill off common viruses, like colds and flu, making them less contagious. So, these lights could help keep you and your family healthy.
Reduce Maintenance Jobs
Substances like mold can take hold quickly if you can't see that they are there. Once you notice the smell, you might have to clean out your system to fix the problem.
This isn't always an easy process. It is hard to clean mold off a surface completely. If it grows around a coil or in tight spaces, then you might not be able to get rid of it all. It will simply grow again.
A UV light does this clean-up job for you. It kills all the mold in its coverage area. The mold won't come back. You don't have to worry about keeping the area clean.
Improve Air Conditioning Efficiency
Your air conditioning system works best when it is clear and clean inside. If it starts to grow mold, then it might not operate as efficiently as it should.
The mold can clog up areas inside your system that should be kept clear, like vents and coils. These obstructions might restrict your airflow. You might not get as much cooled air as you need.
A UV light helps keep your air conditioning free from organic growth. Your system will work more efficiently and effectively.
To learn more about HVAC UV lights and other ways to improve the quality of your cooled air, contact the experts at Service 1 Plumbing, Heating & A/C.