Everyone wants to make their home a healthy and safe space for the entire family, and one of the most important areas that you should regularly check is your indoor air quality. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, where the concentration of some pollutants may be 2 to 5 times greater than the average concentration outdoors.
A tried and tested way of addressing this is by investing in an air purifier that filters harmful substances such as dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and toxic gases so you can breathe cleaner air. Among all the different kinds of air purifiers available in the market today, one type that stands out the most is the UV air purifier.
In this article, we’ll discuss UV air purification and what makes it the best choice for your home.
What is UVC Light?
Ultraviolet or UV is a type of radiation that is most commonly associated with sunlight. When you wear sunblock, you’re protecting your skin against the UVA and UVB rays which are responsible for sunburn and premature aging.
UVC light, which has the shortest wavelength, gets absorbed by the Earth’s ozone layer and doesn’t make its way down to us. However, we have figured out a way to produce it. In fact, for years, UVC lamps have been used to kill viruses, bacteria, and germs.
Amid the world’s ongoing battle against COVID-19, UV air purification has increased in popularity. In a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control, a high viral load of SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus that causes COVID-19, was eliminated after it was exposed for 9 minutes in UVC. Because of this potential of UVC to prevent COVID-19 from spreading, many homeowners choose to buy this type of air purifier for their homes.
How Does UV Air Purification Work?
The UVC light on an air purifier can neutralize the pathogens and microorganisms that get trapped in its filters. In a nutshell, its main purpose is to sterilize the air inside your home.
It proves to be effective because the UV light can damage the DNA and RNA structure of these microorganisms, preventing them from reproducing and making you sick. When bacteria get exposed to UVC from the air purifier, its DNA where it relies on for survival gets damaged and triggers a self-destruct mechanism. Meanwhile, for viruses, UVC light inactivates them by destroying their outer protein coating.
Final Thoughts
Using a UV air purifier can help make the air in your home cleaner and easier to breathe. With its ability to kill viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens, UV air purification serves as another layer of protection for you and your family.
If you need help finding the best UV air purifier or would want to replace the regular washable filter of your HVAC system into a HEPA 13 filter that can also capture viruses, bacteria, and other small particles, get in touch with us today! Give us a call at (702) 766-9436 or contact us here