Author: Jeff O'Hara
As Houston starts to adapt as a community to the results of the coronavirus, we thought it was a good time to look at the whole-house UV air purifier.
Ultraviolet light was discovered in the early 1800s, and ever since, the scientific advances made possible by harnessing the power of this invisible light have been epic. UV lights are used to sterilize medical equipment, purify water, and with a whole-house UV air purifier, the air in your home will be 99.9% contaminant free.
Ultraviolet light has been used in commercially available products for decades in the form of black-light lamps, sun-tanning beds, and medical laser treatment. It’s only been over the last few years that whole-house air filtration systems have been available that go beyond the single HEPA filter in your return air plenum.
What is UV Air Purification?
The official term for the eradication of germs and other microorganisms using UV light is Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation or UVGI. It works by using short-wavelength ultraviolet light to disrupt the DNA of nucleic acids, rendering them unable to perform vital functions like replication. UVGI works in a whole-house UV air purifier by producing enough ultraviolet light to make the environment inhospitable to bacteria, mold, and viruses.
Yeah, we know. That kind of sounds like the plot of a science fiction movie, but rest assured, there is nothing other-worldly about the need to purify the air in your home.
What is a Whole-House UV Air Purifier?
Without oversimplifying the answer, it’s a UV air purifier for your whole house. Single room air purifiers that only use HEPA filters to remove particulate irritants are only effective within a few feet around the unit. Whole-house UV air purifiers treat every cubic foot of air in your home, using existing HEPA filtering and adding UV light to eliminate contaminants.
Some manufacturers of whole-house air purifier systems have added additional weapons to their microbial fighting arsenal. For instance, the REME HALO® from RGF Environmental Group uses UV light technology along with introducing hydrogen-peroxides into the air to kill off any bacteria and viruses.
If you’re considering installing a whole-house air purifier, Nick’s Air Conditioning is here to discuss the options with you. Give us a call to schedule your cost evaluation or second opinion on a whole-house UV air purifier.