Indoor air quality is a big concern during two specific seasons of the year: winter and summer. Those are the times when outdoor temperatures are at extremes and homes need to be sealed up to help keep them energy efficient. The less heat a home gains in summer and loses in winter, the less energy the HVAC system needs to consume.
Those two seasons also bring specific problems. In summer, we experience high humidity in the Shreveport area, and this is where whole-house dehumidifiers are excellent. In winter, the big problem is flu and cold season, and a shut-up house can make it far easier for illnesses to spread around.
How can you alleviate this problem? We recommend using a UV air purifier in Haughton, LA.
What’s a UV Air Purifier?
Any air purifier is designed to clean the air circulating through the HVAC system of a building. Instead of using a fiber mesh to trap pollutants, like air filters, air purifiers are electrically powered to draw particles from the air. In most cases, it’s best to match up a purifier with an air filter for the best air cleaning.
The most common types of air purifiers use ionization to change the charge of unwanted air pollutants and draw them down to a pair of magnetized plates. But this isn’t effective against the germs, viruses, and other microbes that cause illness during the winter. It takes a different type of air purifier to do this job, and this is the specific job of a UV air purifier.
A UV air purifier is a set of lamps that send out low-frequency ultraviolet radiation. These are the same rays that come from the sun and which cause skin to tan—and burn. Ultraviolet radiation is harmful to the cells of organic tissue because it disrupts cellular functions, either killing cells or making them incapable of reproduction, thus making them inert.
That Sounds Dangerous!
Although UV radiation can be harmful to people (it’s the reason you want your sunglasses to have UV shielding), in small levels it’s safe for people and pets. The ultraviolet radiation in UV air purifiers is at a low level that won’t create any health concerns for your household. In fact, you won’t even see the lights, since they’re installed within the HVAC system near where air passes through the furnace and air conditioner.
But the UV lights are powerful enough to kill microbes and other tiny organic pollutants moving through the ductwork. The same way that UV radiation is used in medicine to help treat illnesses without harming the patient, these lights can zap away flu and cold germs—leaving no chemical residue behind. You probably won’t even notice the UV air purifier at work, except for a healthier household.
We Can Help You With a UV Air Purifier
To work correctly, a UV air purifier must be installed into the HVAC system by skilled professionals. You can trust to our IAQ experts to set up your home with the right purifiers to benefit your household during the flu and cold season.
