Which Is Better? UV or Air Purifiers?

There’s a lot of talk about air purifiers and UV lights to improve a home or business indoor air quality. Some say one is better than the other or both are necessary to get the job done. What’s right and what’s not? Well, there honestly isn’t a simple answer. Budget, size, and local environment make a combined difference in what you want or need. Let’s take a look at these two options.

UV Lights, What Makes Them Buzz?

So UV lamps don’t really buzz unless you’re talking about the attention they’ve gained over the last couple of years. UV stands for ultraviolet, a type of electromagnetic radiation that also includes X-rays, visible light, and radio waves. UVC is the specific type of light used in these lamps to be effective. It makes the genetic material within germs and microorganisms inert and unable to replicate. This means that illnesses are no longer able to spread or further infect others.

Installing UV lamps into your HVAC system isn’t a long complicated process. They’re typically placed either at the coils or along with the ductwork. As the air passes through your system, it’s enveloped by the light and saturates all those germs hanging around. An easy way to think of it, moss doesn’t grow on a tree side where the sunlight hits. UV systems are a compact form of sunlight that stops the “moss” from growing in your home.

Air Purifications Purpose

Air purifications systems take all the air in your home and make it all sparkly, squeaky clean right? Not quite. No two air purifiers are built the same. The main ones are HEPA filtration systems, ionizers that neutralize contaminants, and activated carbon filtration. Even though they are all designed differently, the main task is to remove particles like smoke, dust, lint, mold, pollen, bacteria, allergens, & even viruses. Most accomplish this through specific filters and modern technology additions.

The drawbacks to air purification are few. First, if the particles and contaminants can not go through the system, they are not able to be removed. An example of this is dust that has settled on furniture or the lint hanging out under your bed. The second is that some types create ozone as a byproduct. Ozone, also known as smog, can be harmful to your health in the same ways the compounds it removes are.

So Now What?

In the end, choosing a system for your home comes down to what you want, need, and the budget you have. While both systems are fairly economic to run, it’s also a good idea to look into the annual operating costs of each. When you want professional advice or to have a system installed, we’re here to help. Give Hansen Heating & Air a call today at 251-227-4441!