One of the most effective ways to improve the quality of the air in your home is to install germicidal lights. These lights use ultraviolet (UV) light to destroy any harmful micro-organisms in your air that can cause respiratory problems.
How Germicidal Lights Function
The goal of these lights are to eliminate the mold, mildew, germs, bacteria and other harmful substances that hide throughout your home and are a problem when you breathe them in. They are however killed when UV lights are shined on them, whereas filters only trap them.
Germicidal light systems are typically installed in two places. To maximize air quality they are installed in your HVAC system where all the air that is circulated throughout your home must pass by.
The second area is on the indoor coil and condensate pan if you have an air conditioner or heat pump. What this does is get rid of any mold or bacteria in the wet area, and prevent future issues.
Maintaining Lights
Replacing the light bulbs is extremely easy, you just need to unscrew the old one and put in a new one. They have a maximum lifespan of two years, which is when they should be replaced if used on a heat pump. Be aware that after the first year their effectiveness declines, which means you should replace them yearly if they are installed for air quality purposes.
While maintenance is simple, installation isn’t as easy and must be done properly. It is a good idea to bring in an HVAC professional to help choose the best location for any germicidal lights in your HVAC system. If you pick the wrong locations you will not get the full benefits.
Contact Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal for expert help with germicidal lights in your Northwest Arkansas home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Springdale, Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about germicidal lights and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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