You may have heard of UV lights for your HVAC system, but where should a UV light be installed? They can be installed in the air handler or in the ductwork and will provide consistently clean air and improved efficiency for your system.
DEAR Services is the best electrician in Bothell, WA. Keep reading to learn about the power of UV lights, and call us when you need help installing a UV light in ducts or air handlers.
What Do UV Lights Do in HVAC Systems?
UV lights are used to kill germs and improve air quality. UV installation is a fairly easy process, though it’s expensive to get started. However, the benefits make it well worth the cost.
How Do UV Lights Work?
There are three types of ultraviolet radiation, or UV, lights: UVA, UVB, and UVC. We use sunscreen to protect us from types A and B, and the ozone layer protects us from type C. UVC lights can kill harmful pathogens and disinfect the air as it enters your home.
Since UVC lights are blocked before they reach the earth, we can only utilize them by creating the lights ourselves by using specialized lamps. The lamps create a powerful system since the pathogens are exposed to the light so closely.
Are They Effective?
It’s a fair question — killing germs with lights sounds pretty strange, after all. But we have been harnessing the germ-killing power since at least the early 1900s; Niels Ryberg Finsen received a Nobel Prize for curing skin infections with UVC light in 1903. Hospitals also use these lights to sterilize their instruments.
Home UVC light systems offer amazing results and provide you with clean air. Though helpful, they do sometimes have reduced effectiveness since the lights kill germs better the more they’re exposed to UVC. In HVAC systems, the germs aren’t exposed to the lights as long as they would be in a hospital setting in a specific UVC sanitation area. That being said, they still offer great sanitization power you wouldn’t have otherwise.
The Benefits of an HVAC Sterilization Setup
When you have UVC lights in your HVAC system, you can expect the following benefits:
- Reduce germs: The high-powered UVC lights immobilize pathogens, meaning fewer germs and mold spores enter your home.
- Safe when used correctly: UV lights are dangerous when you’re exposed to them for too long, but when a professional installs them, they’re completely safe to use. (Remember, we burn with excessive UVA and UVB exposure.)
- Better system efficiency: When you have fewer pathogens entering your system, you’ll have cleaner filters, and your system won’t have to work as hard to push air through.
- Fewer odors: Mold spores and other microbes are responsible for foul odors in your home, but you’ll have less of them with UVC lights.
- Reduced illnesses: Fewer pathogens in the air mean you may have fewer allergies or asthma symptoms.
Where Should a UV Light Be Installed in Your Bothell, Washington, Home?
You’re probably wondering where a UV light should be installed for the best results. There are two places you can install them.
The Air Handler
You can install UV lamps near the air handler. Since all the air will go through here, it’s a great place to put the lights. You’ll know that all the air will be exposed to the lights.
HVAC evaporator coil UV lights are ideal because mold and bacteria often settle near the coils. If you have UVC coils, you likely won’t have to deal with mold build-up often, if ever.
The Ductwork
UVC lights can also be installed in the ductwork. They’re typically installed near the air handler, but ask your HVAC technician about other options if you’d like to have them throughout the ductwork for better results.
Call DEAR Services in Bothell, Washington, for UV Light HVAC Placement
UV air purifier positioning matters a lot if you want the best results. Call Dear services in Bothell, Washington, if you’re wondering, “Where should a UV light be installed?” We’ll look at your system to determine the best location for maximum efficiency.
Get in touch with us today if you’re interested in UVC lights or other AC services. With our top-rated team of experts and flexible financing solutions, you’re guaranteed to get the professional services you need at an affordable price you’ll love. Don’t hesitate to call us or schedule a service on our website whenever you need help.