Are UV Lights for HVAC Worth It?

Want to improve indoor air quality and HVAC efficiency? Then call Fast Air Repair at 352-290-7968!

If your home has a central heating and air conditioning unit, you know that it’s essential to keep your system in good condition and ensure it delivers the best quality air to your home. Especially on muggy Florida days, poor indoor air quality can worsen breathing conditions and lead to respiratory discomfort. If you’ve ever wondered, “Are UV lights for HVAC worth it?” this article will help you understand the pros and cons of UV light installation.

HVAC system UV light installation removes germs and bacteria that naturally accumulate in your air ducts. An air conditioning company in Inverness, FL that offers UV light installation can help you create a home environment that’s comfortable, safe, and a joy to live in.

Benefits of HVAC UV lights include:

• Better indoor air quality
• Reduced foul odors
• Controls mold, fungi, and bacteria growth

Let’s learn more about HVAC UV lights and how they affect your indoor air quality.

What Are HVAC UV Lights?

UV stands for ultraviolet, a type of radiation most people associate with the sun. Of the three types of ultraviolet rays (UVA, UVB, and UVC), UVC has the highest energy output and offers enough radiation to kill microscopic germs and spores. While you can’t watch a UV light system’s effects, you’ll undoubtedly feel them during every deep breath you take in your home.

UV light systems, also called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) systems, take care of various contaminants

:

• Bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant variants
• Living fungi or airborne fungi spores
• Mold and mildew spores
• Microscopic virus germs and protozoa (one-cell organisms)

Installing a UV light in your HVAC system kills germs by damaging their DNA to the point that the germ dies or loses its ability to reproduce. Stopping germs in their journey to your home saves you from respiratory illnesses, airborne viruses or bacteria, and dangers from mold and mildew spores. 

How Are HVAC UV Lights Installed?

HVAC UV light systems fit into your HVAC in one of two ways, each with its own method of sanitizing your air. Both types of UV light installation forces the air in your HVAC system to pass through the rays. Choosing the most effective UV light system installation starts with your choice of UV light type:

Coil Sanitizing Lights

• Long, slim fluorescent bulbs installed above or next to your evaporator coil
• Installed in a space that likely attracts bacteria and germs due to dampness
• Helps your evaporator coil avoid corrosion from long-time contact with bacteria
• Kills off bacteria and fungi attempting to grow around your evaporator coil
• 
  

Air Sanitizing Lights

• Installed directly into your ductwork so all air must pass through the UV rays
• Wired into your HVAC system’s blowing motor and turns on and off with it
• Bulbs may look like coil sanitizing lights or take the shape of a horseshoe
• Sanitizes air coming through your air ducts, including air from your return vents

Are Coil Sanitizing Lights or Air Sanitizing Lights Better?

When asking, “Are UV lights for HVAC worth it?" it helps to know the differences between light systems. While both kill germs, bacteria, and fungi, the process in which they kill them differs due to their placement. Coil sanitizers work at the equipment level, while air sanitizers hit your air ducts as opposed to your HVAC equipment.

Determining which is better depends on various factors, such as:

Overall Cost

Each UV HVAC light system has different installation, operating, and maintenance costs. Coil sanitizers cost less to install, while air sanitizing UV systems have a higher expense.

Ease of Installation

DIY homeowners choose coil sanitizers since they can install them themselves. However, air sanitizers require more expertise to install, resulting in a higher bill.

Energy Consumption

If you're concerned about saving on your electricity bill, air sanitizing lights fit best with your budget. Although more expensive to install, these UV lights only switch on when your HVAC system does. Coil sanitizer lights stay on, using power all day long.

Effectiveness

Coil air sanitizers may kill germs and bacteria entering your HVAC equipment, but air sanitizing lights act on air that comes back through your return vents. Air sanitizing UV systems also kill airborne germs, so if you or your family becomes ill, sickness is less likely to spread.

Are There Downsides to UV Lights for Your HVAC?

You should make your decision with a clear understanding of the downsides. The first and most obvious drawback to UV lights is that you can’t use them with wall air conditioners or independent heating systems. 

Disadvantages of UV HVAC lights include:

• Must have a central HVAC system to benefit from UV lights
• UV light may destroy non-UV stabilized materials in your HVAC system or air ducts
• Dust can build up on UV light bulbs, resulting in regular cleaning, so they work best
• UV lights don’t filter your air, only sanitize it
• UV light bulbs require annual replacement

How to Improve Air Quality Without UV Lights

If you don’t have a central HVAC system, you can still enjoy cleaner air by cleaning or replacing your air filters at least every 90 days. If your current filters aren’t providing high-quality indoor air, try changing to high MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value). These filters offer better air filtration.

Are you a pet owner or crafter engaging in projects that produce fine particles, like woodworking, epoxy crafts, or sewing? You may need to change or clean your filter more often than others.

Are You Interested in Installing UV Lights in Your HVAC System or Air Ducts?

Are UV lights for HVAC worth it? If you want clean air, fewer germs and bacteria, better-smelling air, and a more comfortable home, then you’ll be glad to have UV lights in your HVAC system.

Contact Fast Air Repair at 352-290-7968 today for more information about UV lights or to learn about the mistakes you should avoid with your HVAC in summer.