Archive: July 2023

Shine Bright: Can UV Lights Clean My Air Ducts and Vents?

The use of UV light as a cleaning mechanism has risen in popularity since the early 20th century. In 1903, Niels Ryberg Finsen received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work demonstrating that UV light treatment can have beneficial health effects. Since then, the use of UV light for cleaning has become widespread in hospitals, restaurants, and stores. Given the effectiveness of UV light for commercial buildings, it is understandable that many homeowners would like to use this technology to clean various components of their household HVAC systems. A look at the characteristics of a UV light system can provide insight on whether this solution can improve indoor air quality. What Is UV Light? Ultraviolet (UV) light is a type of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light. UV light is naturally present in the sun, and scientists later learned to harness the power of UV light to disinfect nonporous surfaces, water, and air. There are three types of UV light: UVA (also known as long-wave UV light) UVB (also known as medium-wave UV light) UVC (also known as short-wave or germicidal UV light) Of the three types, UVA has the longest wavelength and is the most abundant...