Summers in Indiana are defined by high temperatures and soaring humidity. That makes our environment a breeding ground for bacteria and germs of all varieties, and they can easily infiltrate your home to cause all manner of mischief. In fact, germs and other biological contaminants can cause a lot of damage in the summer, since we keep our doors and windows locked tight to preserve the cool air generated by our air conditioners. Since HVAC systems circulate the air in your homes when they run, that means the contaminants can stay there for a long time, leading to that stagnant musty feeling in your house as well as passing colds and other illnesses between different family members.
In these situations, we strongly recommend installing a UV air purifier in your system to kill those unwelcome visitors swiftly and effectively. It works in conjunction with your air conditioner to help keep the air clean, and provides a number of other benefits as well.
What Does “UV” Mean?
UV is short for ultra-violet: light that exists beyond our ability to perceive. It appears in large amounts in sunlight, which is what causes our skin to tan and burn when we spend a lot of time outside. UV light bulbs generate much smaller amounts of UV light, which is perfectly safe for humans and multicellular organisms like pets. In fact, you can see UV light bulbs at work in amusement parks and at rock concerts: they’re what make you clothes glow in the dark. (That’s the UV light interacting with chemicals from your laundry detergent.)
While harmless to us at those levels, UV light will either kill single-celled organisms instantly, or render them unable to replicate: preventing them from spreading. That makes UV lights uniquely suited to purifying the air in your home. Obviously, you can’t simply cover your house in UV lights, but your HVAC system makes an ideal place to be the most effective with the least amount of space taken up.
The Choke Point of Your Ducts
When your air conditioner runs (and when your forced-air furnace runs in the winter), it cycles the air in the home through its system. There’s a “coke point” of sorts at the very start of the duct system, before the ducts branch out to the various corners of your home. The air in your home passes through that point whenever you turn on your AC or furnace.
UV air purifiers simply shine an ultraviolet light across the width and height of the duct in that spot. As the air passes through, the germs and other biological contaminants are exposed to the light. It thus “scrubs” the air clean whenever you run your HVAC system. Your air feels fresher and cleaner, instances of illness in your home diminish, and you won’t need to open any windows to “air out” the home: helping your air conditioner do its job more efficiently.
If your Fort Wayne, IN home could use a UV air purifier, call on the professionals at Collier’s Comfort today. We’ll set up a consultation and install the system with confidence and care.