HVAC UV Lights
- Thread starter Jason2007
- Start date
They’ve been talking about this on the HVAC Overtime show. The issue is you either need incredibly powerful lights, or a huge bank of lights. The UV needs time to properly kill everything, and a single light or 2 while the unit is running isn’t nearly enough.
I do run one in my fish tank, a 24w unit. Interior to the light is a zig zag maze and it has a relatively low speed pump to give the water enough time in contact with the UV bulb.
I do run one in my fish tank, a 24w unit. Interior to the light is a zig zag maze and it has a relatively low speed pump to give the water enough time in contact with the UV bulb.
My wife and daughter have bad allergies and I bought one of these with a high end Phillips bulb and it really did nothing that we noticed. New bulb every 2 years. Would I buy it again, maybe just for the placebo effect.
Yes, I have one in my air handler and feel it was WELL worth it. The bulb is the LIGHTSTICK 14" UV bulb, which I replace about every 16 months. It kills all of the mold and mildew way past where the light actually shines, so I know that it's working and effective.
I also know that it's quite powerful because if I use 3M filters of the "fuzzy" kind, like MERV 7, it will destroy the filter media in about 2 months. I called 3M on this and they basically said Tough S, the bulb is too close to the filter. It is actually, being only about 10 inches above it. I don't have that issue with other filter brands though, and I don't have that with the 3M "hard media" expensive, 1200 filters.
It has given me great comfort knowing that it is on the job over this past year.
Being in FL, and near the Intracoastal, there is a lot of humidity and the associated mold growth, so it is definitely worth it in my opinion. I also use the MERV 13 filters in conjunction with the UV light.
I also know that it's quite powerful because if I use 3M filters of the "fuzzy" kind, like MERV 7, it will destroy the filter media in about 2 months. I called 3M on this and they basically said Tough S, the bulb is too close to the filter. It is actually, being only about 10 inches above it. I don't have that issue with other filter brands though, and I don't have that with the 3M "hard media" expensive, 1200 filters.
It has given me great comfort knowing that it is on the job over this past year.
Being in FL, and near the Intracoastal, there is a lot of humidity and the associated mold growth, so it is definitely worth it in my opinion. I also use the MERV 13 filters in conjunction with the UV light.
We have had the UV lamps installed in our air handler for 5 or 6 years now. They were sold to us as a way to keep the mildew off the expansion coils, and they do a very good job at that. Nobody ever claimed to us that they kill anything in the airstream. My wife also has allergies and we have an upgraded filter that helps with that.
I think its best to try and filter out as much as you can. As others have said, you need a lot of UV light to kill mold that is in the air and passing by the system at a pretty high rate.
I would talk to your HVAC service company about the highest MERV filter you can run. It may not be a MERV 13.
I would talk to your HVAC service company about the highest MERV filter you can run. It may not be a MERV 13.
That is exactly what they do. Kill mold or mildew on the coils. But some HVAC places may hype them beyond what they really can do.
I have a lot to say about UV lighting in a/c ducting. We had the AD-403H unit installed ≈ 3 yrs. ago. I remember the moment it came on for the first time, the house smelled better in 10 minutes. No more odors in the house. We both breathe better. So glad we got the unit. I've found the entire units for sale, well below $1,000. Looks too easy to install.
The downside: lamps (2) stay on 24/7. They last two years. They burned out 2 years after the install, nearly to the day. The cost to replace was $400.00, took the tech. 10 minutes to change. I've found both replacement bulbs for $125.00 total. There's even a youtube video for the exact unit for replacing bulbs. Haven't done it yet, but looks very easy. This unit is re-branded by several different companies, none are unique. Highly proprietary, no none will answer questions on the sites where the bulbs are sold. Very little info. too. Are they 1 year or two year bulbs? Shelf life? Exact replacements? Almost impossible to get answers.
