How Does Germicidal UV Light Work?

September 08, 2020

Perhaps you realize that the sun’s ultraviolet light (UV) results in painful sunburn. But were you aware that another variety of ultraviolet light can be installed to keep your house’s air clean?

The sun emits two types of dangerous UV rays, UVA and UVB. These damaging rays can lead to sunburn, skin cancer, wrinkles and other types of premature aging.

There’s another concentration of UV light, called UVC. While full exposure to this ultraviolet light is harmful for your skin or eyes, it can safely be utilized to disinfect air, water and some surfaces.

Titan Heating & Air Conditioning uses this light in some of our systems to better air filtration in Central Point houses.

How Ultraviolet Light is Used

This specific wavelength is classified as “germicidal” since it wipes out the DNA of bacteria and viruses. When pathogens travel through this light, they eventually die since they can’t multiply.

This makes UVC light a potent replacement to chemical disinfection. Germicidal light is used in lots of disinfection applications, such as medical laboratories and hospitals. It’s also applied to clean drinking water and other liquids created in food processing.

It’s becoming more popular to disinfect air in houses in Central Point. That’s since it can also wipe out common indoor contaminants like mold, mildew and bacteria. This is an added perk for loved ones who deal with seasonal allergies or asthma.

Uses for Germicidal UV Light in Your Residence

We install a germicidal UV light inside your HVAC system’s ductwork. As the light is installed in the ductwork, it makes it compatible with many heating and cooling equipment. This also keeps its light safely contained while delivering great purification for your residence’s air.

Dirty air is freshened in a two-step process, first flowing through your air filter and then the UV light prior to moving around your residence. Even when your heat or air conditioning isn’t working, these lights still operate to keep your air, ductwork and home comfort equipment clean.

This whole-house product is greater than a portable air purifier, which can only clean the air in a single space. Portable air purifiers also can’t clean your ductwork or the inside of your HVAC unit. A clean HVAC system is typically a more efficient one that may even work longer. And, some portable air purifiers have a bad reputation for producing ozone.

When thinking about getting a germicidal lamp for your residence, it’s important to get one that doesn’t make ozone. While ozone is great at wiping out odors and chemicals, it might also irritate your lungs and lead to other respiratory symptoms.

If you’re trying to find approaches to purify your house’s air, the indoor air quality experts at Titan Heating & Air Conditioning can help. We offer a broad range of solutions to help your household breathe easier. Contact us at 541-286-6617 to set up a free, no-obligation home comfort analysis and estimate now!