The Role of UV Lights in Reducing Allergens at Home

There is an old saying that sunlight is the best disinfectant. Intriguingly, folks in the HVAC industry who are concerned about indoor air quality have taken that saying to heart. Ultraviolet light in the C band, frequently known as UV-C light, has become a popular choice for treating air against allergens, mold, bacteria and viruses.

With tens of millions of Americans suffering from allergies, asthma and other respiratory conditions, you can see why UV light is an appealing solution. Here is a closer look at what the process is and why you should consider adding it to your home’s HVAC setup.

UV-C Light Bombardment

The main idea of any UV-C light system in an HVAC is to bombard microbes with rays that penetrate their cells. Ultimately, this breaks up DNA and RNA, the molecules that microbes use to transmit their genetic information to the next generation. Bombarding microbes with UV light effectively prevents them from handling this basic reproductive function. Consequently, the microbes fail to make more of themselves.

A common estimate is that 99.7% of bacteria in the air in a room should be neutralized 24 hours after UV light treatment. The success rate against irritants like mold spores and viruses is fairly similar in most research.

How UV Light Helps With Allergens

Of the allergens that are common in homes, mold is the main one that’s specifically targeted by UV light. Larger allergens tend to be particles like pet dander and pollen. The best way to treat these allergens is to filter them. Most modern air scrubbers have a pre-filter that captures bigger particles before targeting the smaller stuff with UV light.

It is worth noting, though, that mold is a big deal when it comes to respiratory issues. Mold can trigger many symptoms, including a runny nose, a sore throat and coughing. Anyone who has ever had allergies will tell you that anything that mitigates these symptoms is a big deal.

Especially if you’ve found yourself experiencing a lot of wintertime allergies, there is a good chance that indoor mold is the culprit. This is because mold can circulate in your home’s HVAC for months. You may even see it as a persistent layer of dust that accumulates no matter how much you clean. Similar issues can happen in the summer if you can’t open up your home’s windows regularly.

Where UV Lights Fit Into Your HVAC

In a whole-house HVAC system, the UV light treatment process usually takes place in a chamber placed in the air return system. A pre-filter captures the big particles and the UV light bombards any microbes or spores that might have made it through. Notably, this ensures that only the air is exposed to the UV light. The process takes place away from people and pets, ensuring that it’s completely safe.

After treatment, the air returns to the main HVAC. From there, the system can use the returned air for heating and cooling. Once the air hits the return system, the UV treatment process repeats.

One advantage of this approach is that it makes retrofitting UV light into an HVAC very simple. Our technicians can usually remove a small section of the ductwork to accommodate the UV light chamber. Also, some more advanced HVAC models include UV light treatment.

Considerations

Every UV light system uses a bulb tuned to a specific frequency. Modern versions of germicidal UV light bulbs for HVAC consume between 15 and 75 watts per bulb. One or two bulbs are usually sufficient, although some larger homes may require more. In terms of overall operating costs, the result is about equivalent to adding a handful of lamps with LED lights to your home.

Most UV lamp bulbs last between one and two years. For this reason, our HVAC technicians usually replace them during a system’s annual checkup.

Integrity Heating & Cooling knows how to deal with many heating and cooling issues, including indoor air quality. We have helped customers in the Greater Charlotte, NC, area for more than 35 years. Our technicians work on a variety of systems, but we focus predominantly on Lennox products.

If you believe it’s time to add UV light to your Charlotte home’s HVAC and indoor air quality systems, schedule an appointment with Integrity Heating & Cooling today.