We often hear warnings about the air quality outdoors, especially when the smoke from distant wildfires drifts all across the country. But you may not have known that indoor air generally contains much higher levels of contaminants than outdoor air. And with Americans typically spending more than 90% of our time indoors, those contaminants have a lot of opportunity to affect us. If you’re hoping to improve the quality of the air you breathe, you’ll be interested in UV air purifiers. But what contaminants do they address, and how?
Air Filters
Some systems that improve indoor air quality are simply filtration systems. While standalone, portable air filters are an option, these work best in small, contained spaces such as a private office or studio apartment. To have a significant impact on the air quality in a whole home, a filtration system can be added to your HVAC system. This means all the air passing through the HVAC system goes through layers of fine filters, typically made of cellulose, paper, cotton, or fiberglass. Particles are caught in the filters and prevented from recirculating into the air you breathe. This is an extremely effective method for cutting down on larger particles of dust, pet hair, and more.
UV Air Purifiers
What if you’re concerned about pathogens in your air? You’ll want a UV air purifier. Again, while these are available in smaller versions for smaller spaces, you’ll only achieve a dramatic decrease in airborne pathogens throughout a whole home with a whole-house purifier. These do encompass filters as well, so there’s no need to have both.
Here’s the difference: once the air has passed through the filters, it passes through a field of ultraviolet light at a specific frequency. This light has a very harmful effect on the tiny microorganisms that make it through the filters. It breaks down the chemical bonds that hold the pathogens’ proteins together, like a fork scrambling an egg. They can no longer reproduce, spread, or cause illness.
Pathogens Affected by UV Light
The pathogens that are vulnerable to this method of purification are microorganisms, organic germs and tiny living things. This includes bacteria, which are responsible for a wide variety of illnesses as well as unpleasant smells. (That stinky-shoe odor? You’re smelling it because foot bacteria are floating around in the air and going up your nose!) Mold spores are also affected. Cutting down on the mold spores in your air will eliminate mildew smells, and it will also decrease the likelihood of mold growing in dark or damp corners of your home.
Benefits of Cleaner Air
People who have started to use UV air purifiers report fewer asthma attacks, decreased allergy and respiratory symptoms, lower incidence of headaches, more energy during the day, better sleep at night, and even better moods.
If you’re curious about your options for UV air purifier services in Bandera, TX, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact D’Spain Sales & Service to talk to a member of our team.
