The benefits of UV bulbs in your HVAC system include keeping you healthy and saving you money. However, a surprising number of consumers aren’t aware of these benefits and continue using other less-effective filtering methods.
This leaves them and their families exposed to dangerous airborne illnesses, bad smells, and more. It also results in spending more money on your energy bill than is necessary.
In this article, we answer questions like, “how do UV bulbs work,” and “are UV air purifiers effective?” Continue reading to find out how UV filters can keep you and your family healthier.
What Are UV Bulbs?
UV bulbs help keep your air as clean and fresh as possible. They do this by using ultraviolet light to disinfect the air around them. This process is known as germicidal irradiation and makes harmful airborne contaminants harmless.
How Do UV Bulbs Work?
You’re likely wondering, ‘how exactly do these UV bulbs work?’ Well, UV bulbs in your HVAC system, like other forms of light, produce photons. The shortwave UV light used in this process causes these photons to move and vibrate quickly against each other and the particles in the air. The shortwave UV of light is more effective than less energetic, longer waves.
This movement alters the DNA in air contaminants like mold and airborne viruses, which effectively inactivates them. This process is similar to how you receive a sunburn if you sit in the sun too long. Since the air contaminants are single-celled, the damage caused by UV light is much faster and more effective than the sun damage to your skin.
Are UV Bulbs Effective?
The next logical question is: ‘how do you know if my UV bulbs are effective?’ Yes, some UV air purifiers work well while others aren’t what they claim to be. The difference between the two is the wavelength of the UV-C light used in the UV bulbs.
As we said, shortwave UV light is most effective to render the airborne pathogens harmless. Lower-quality UV bulbs don’t expose pathogens to strong enough UVC light because of the longer wavelengths produced. At Discount Filters, we provide the best UVC light bulbs with the wavelength needed for optimal effect.
What Are the Benefits of UV Bulbs?
The right UV bulbs in your HVAC system will remove air pollutants that cause harmful diseases from the air in your home. This means that the benefits of UV bulbs include the potential to keep you and your family healthy. Our top benefits of using UVC light include preventing illness, providing fresh air, helping you sleep, and an easy-to-use system.
Keeps the Air Smelling Fresh
The smell is created when small particles detach from an item and mix with the air. Even if you remove the item from a room, the smell can linger and move throughout the air, which makes it difficult to get rid of without filtration.
UV bulbs and certain carbon air filters catch these small particles and eliminate the smell. This leaves your home free from foul odors naturally. So you don’t have to spray chemical air fresheners that only mask the scent.
Helps Prevent Illness
As we said, UV bulbs neutralize airborne diseases and other contaminants. Airborne diseases are spread through small particles released into the air. So, anyone breathing the contaminated air has the potential to catch the illness.
Some of the most common airborne diseases include the common cold, the flu, and worse. UV bulbs attack these small particles and prevent them from causing illness if inhaled. It’s a great way to keep both you and your family healthy.
Helps You Sleep
If you suffer from allergies or asthma, you know that it can be difficult to sleep with allergens swirling through the air. You stay up all night sneezing and congested and can’t fully relax. Even if you don’t suffer from allergies, a large number of particles floating through the air can cause congestion, sneezing, trouble breathing, and difficulty sleeping.
One of the benefits of UV bulbs is the ability to help you sleep. They achieve this by inactivating the allergens floating in the air around you that might affect your breathing. This clean, fresh air will give you a peaceful night’s rest.
Quick and Easy to Use
UV bulbs are easy to maintain in your HVAC system. This is because they don’t require regular maintenance. In other systems, filters need regular replacing or they aren’t effective.
With UV light, the bulbs last for years and are effective as long as they have power. In fact, changing the bulb is the only maintenance these systems require, so it’s easier and faster than maintaining other systems.
Saves Money on Your Power Bill
Switching to UV filters is going to save you money on your energy bill. UV bulbs use a minimal amount of energy and can replace the need for other air purifiers around the home. Plus, they help keep your HVAC system running more efficiently.
By keeping your HVAC system clear of mold, bacteria, and other particles, it doesn’t need to work as hard. This keeps your power bill lower and gives your HVAC system a longer lifespan.
Keep Your Home Healthy With UV Bulbs
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of UV bulbs, you should be feeling confident in their abilities. If you want to keep your home healthy and free of odors, consider investing in one.
If you’re unsure if your HVAC system is compatible with UV bulbs, refer to the owner’s manual or contact an HVAC professional to find out. If you’re looking for quality replacement bulbs for your system, check out our selection.
