On average, it costs around 7 cents a day to operate a germicidal UV lamp inside your HVAC system. If you are concerned about costs, you can select the versions that are connected to the fan of your air conditioning system. They will only turn on when the fan is running, so they will save even more energy. A typical household consumes around 1 kWh per day.
HVAC UV lights are an effective way to improve indoor air quality, but only after following indoor air quality priorities. According to Engineered Air technicians, these lights are very successful at controlling mold inside the air controller. Since your germicidal UV lamp is most likely installed in your air controller, you don't have to worry about it affecting vulnerable plastic components. With the right conditions and proper installation, UV lights can be very effective in eliminating viruses, mold, and bacteria. Installing UV lights in your air conditioning system is straightforward, although most people should leave it to a professional.
The hole location doesn't need to be precise, but make sure it's relatively centered in the return duct housing; you don't want to install the light too close to the return filter. UV lights disinfect air as it circulates through ducts, eliminating harmful bacteria, mold, and other pollutants in the air. A professional with experience installing UVGi systems must consider a multitude of conditions when installing a system. Once installed, UV lights require very little maintenance and only need attention when they need to be cleaned or replaced. Even if your air conditioning system has a high-quality air filter, adding a UV light will help eliminate microorganisms and bacteria that may be small enough to pass through the filter.
A more complicated system with lights mounted along the ducts will be better for keeping the system clean, but its installation is more difficult and expensive. This means that when the boiler or central air conditioning system blows air through the house, the UV light will turn on when no air is circulating and the light will turn off to save energy. HVAC UV lights are relatively affordable, especially compared to air filtration systems such as purifiers and air filters. HVAC UV light systems use a special type of high-frequency, low-wavelength UV light called UV-C to destroy the nucleic acids that form the DNA of harmful bacteria found in the air and to disinfect the air as it passes through the system. An inverter converts alternating current into direct current, allowing you to connect the UV lamp directly to the wall outlet.
This provides contractors with a simplified way to properly size UV installations for most coils, large or small. When considering how much electricity HVAC UV light systems use, it's important to remember that they are designed to be energy efficient. The average cost of running a germicidal UV lamp inside your HVAC system is around 7 cents per day. Additionally, if you select versions that are connected to your fan, they will only turn on when needed and save even more energy. Installing a UV light system in your home is an effective way of improving indoor air quality while also saving energy.
