Ultraviolet or UV Filters

Ultraviolet light is a frequency of energy generated by the sun. Since UV is invisible it is not really light but the term ultraviolet light has become the standard term for UV energy. Most light sources generate a small amount of UV but in order to purify air UV must be generated by electric lamps similar to ordinary fluorescent lights.

Germicidal UV is a specific wavelength of UV known to kill infectious airborne germs. Germicidal UV has been used in hospitals, labs, and clinics for over 60 years. They produce UV light in the wavelength of 253 nanometers and produce UV C also known as short-wave UV which can destroy the DNA of contaminants like mold and bacteria and keep them from reproducing. UV lights are not a filtration system and as such it does not remove any particles from the air so it should always be used with an air filter.

Since ultraviolet air purifiers clean the air and reduce indoor air pollution ultra violet lights are good for people with allergies since they effectively eliminate many of the allergen causing contaminants in the air. Unlike most other filters ultraviolet air cleaners remove microbes and other living contaminants from the indoor air like virus, bacteria, and molds. Microorganisms like molds, bacteria, viruses, and fungi, contain nucleic acids which react with UV C and result in the destruction of the DNA of the organism effectively sterilizing it. UV light is perfectly safe and has been used for decades to purify both air and water. Overexposure causes mild symptoms like transient redness and eye irritation.

When people think of pollution most of them think of car emissions and petrochemical plants polluting our city or town. Few think that their home may be a source of pollution but the truth is that the air may be 5 to 100 times more polluted than the air outside their home. According to the House of Representatives and the Environmental Protection Agency or E.P.A. indoor air pollution is the biggest health problem in America.

To make problems worse the average person spends over 90% of their time indoors exposed to dust mites, mold, bacteria, viruses, grease, mildew, pet dander, weeds, grasses, pollens, spores, and other allergens and irritants. You may have seen some of these contaminants when a beam of sunlight illuminates them but the visible particles only represent about one percent of the contaminants in a home. Around 40 to 50 million people in the United States are affected by allergies. An estimated 20.3 million Americans suffer from asthma and even more people suffer from upper respiratory problems that are caused by pollutants such like mold, fungi, smoke, and dust.

Ultra Violet lights or germicidal lamps as they are sometimes called come in both hot plasma version which has a lifespan of 8,000 hours and a cold plasma version which has a lifespan of 36,000 hours and are typically installed in the air stream of the air conditioning system.

No air cleaning system can remove all contaminants from the air but the right choice when it comes to filtration can make a huge difference in the quality of the indoor air. One of the most effective methods is to combine a electrostatic filter, a UV light, and electronic air cleaner. Also air cleaners cannot remove pollutants such as dust, dander and pollen once they settle and are no longer airborne.