UV Germicidal Lamp for A/C

[JoeR]

Does the UV Germicidal Lamp for your A/C work? Is it worth it?

The past two months have been rough at my house. Everyone got sick, and the 6mo old baby got pneumonia. So, my Mother recommends the UV lamp to help kill bacteria in the A/C system since she thinks that would have helped keep the spread of germs down. My Wife's Great Grandmother has one of the UV systems in her A/C system too. Is this some sort of fad with the older generation?

Personally, I think the kids brought home a virus, and that was it! Everyone touches everything, so nobody can be spared the sickness.

Overall, this product makes sense for people who live in warm humid areas, but would an electro static filter be better?

Thanks,

Joe

[BlueRidge]

Tain't the same thing. The filter is not a bad thing, but it's not going to kill germs. I don't have central air at the moment, but I plan to make a UV light part of my system when I do.

Babies with pneumonia is not something to mess with!


BTW, welcome! Stick around! There are some good folks here. It's not as busy as some sites, but it's a lot friendlier than most.

[Pat]

Joe, Like Blue said, taint the same thing. Both are good things but are for different purposes. UV-C is used in commercial and especially medical venues as well as residential. I'm not sure why it woiuld be a senior citizen thing except for maybe wisdom of and concern for health issues is increased.

The UV installation, when installed around the A-coil or other recommended location will kill pathogens. Frequent hand washing is proven to greatly reduce the transmission of disease and reduce the frequency of infection. However, you are still sharing air. Unless the air is sterilized it will serve as a medium for disease transfer. It is unlikely that you will get everyone in the family and your visitors to wear an effective mask.

There are UV units intended for installations without central air but if you have central air it is far better to put the UV into that system.

Electrostatic filters, active (with electronic units) or passive (simple furnace filter type with no electrical power requirement) are good ideas and take a lot of STUFF out of the air you'd rather not breathe but don't do what a UV unit does.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[BlueRidge]

<font color="blue"> I'm not sure why it woiuld be a senior citizen thing except for maybe wisdom of and concern for health issues is increased. </font color>

That's what I was thinking...



?? Wasn't Legionaires Disease first found in the AC system of a hotel?

[Pat]

Blue, I don't recall if it was in the HVAC system or potable water, specifically the DHW. The vector in question is named Legionella and averages about 0.5-1.0 micrometer wide and 1.0-3.0 micrometers long. It thrives in warm water like in the pool of water servicing a cooling tower in a large commercial type HVAC system. Although not impossible to grow some in a residential HVAC system it is much less likely. More likely would be some types of humidifiers or DHW tanks (water heaters) set to too low a temp.

There were some problems with energy conservation influences on water temp settings. Setting the temp below a certain temp (WHICH I DO NOT RECALL EXACTLY) allows the bug to thrive in your hot water system. And of course setting it too high wastes a lot of energy, drops out minerals on your tank surfaces, risks scalding accidents, and so forth. A lot of users prefer 120-125 F and that is pretty good. I use the recommendation given in the user manual of the dish washer.

I had some concerns raised by one of my system consultants when I was desigining my hot water system. I am heating a 50 gal storage tank by circulating its water through a heat exchanger that is heated by a geothermal heat pump. I can't get it as hot as would be required without flirting with over temp or too high head pressure on the compressor. B..U..T..the 50 gal tank feeds a propane fired 40 gal tank which can be set where I want it. (Has way more temperature capability than needed.) Getting the desired temp is no problem and all the hot water used has to go through the propane unit before it is used. If electricity fails the propane tank runs more and takes up the slack and there is still no problem.

Lesson to take home with you... Don't let water hang around at temps much below those recommended for a dishwasher. Also, be sure to flush Jacuzzi type tubs with a recommended cleaning agent. Bad guys will breed and multiply in the water that does not drain down when the tub is emptied (trapped in the pump, heater , etc.). Then when the unit is operated the bad guys can end up in the air due to the air jet action. Breathing the air then gives you a super dose of the pathogens straight to your lungs. I'm not comintg out against Jacuzzi type tubs, just passing along a warning that you shouldn't take the precautions lightly. Properly sanitized they are a glorious AND safe experience.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[JoeR]

I didn't mean anything negative when I said older generation. It was just an observation. Maybe the AARP advertised these UV units.... [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] The concept sounds logical, but will it help mitigate illness in the household? After having a household of very sick people, I was willing to try anything. Here are my thoughts behind this. The UV lamp will kill germs around the A/C core and incoming air. Although, most germs will transfer via contact and vapor droplets. I guess the question comes down to what percentage of illness we encounter can be trasferred via the A/C? Am I trying to correct 1% or 30% of the problem? All of the technology sounds good, but has anyone noticed a difference after the unit was installed? Did you get less colds than the year before? Overall, I may still get one since I believe in prevention of any sort, but I like to quantify things first. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Thanks,

Joe
73 N4ZIQ

[Pat]

JoeR, I certainly wasn't offended by anything you said, can't imagine what part could offend anyone. Since Medical facilities use them and they have similar for treating air in an O.R. I don't think it is "snake oil."

Rhino viri and other airborn pathogens are carried by the central air unit through out a residence, distributing the opportunity for disease, transporting the vector from the source(s) to potential new victim(s)/host(s). There are also mold spores and other "BAD" things that UV helps elliminate.

This is NOT a subsittute for frequent hand washing by both the ill and well members of the household. Fequent handwashing is one of the single most effective strategies for reduction of colds and flu as well as isolatioin from at risk poplations.

Winter is historically the time for more colds and flu because people are more enclosed and more likely to make contact with pathogens. Walk-in movies, Wally World, and other "crowd scenes" are excellent ways to contact/contract disease. Americans should learn a lesson from our far eastern friends and wear "flu masks", at least in season.

My take on this is that you would NOT be pouring resources into making a partial improvement on something that, worst case, is 1% OF THE PROBLEM.

There are bacteriastatic solutions/sprays that can be used on the return air filters. This is not as broadly effective as UV at the "A" coil but is better than nothing. It does nothing to inhibit the growth of anything that makes it into the air handler. IT will not stop fungi and its spores.

Hope some of this may help or trigger off some of your thoughts.

Best of luck , Joe.

73, OM

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] AKA N6AYR

[BlueRidge]

<font color="blue"> I didn't mean anything negative when I said older generation. It was just an observation. </font color>

Understood, Joe. No problem.


<font color="blue"> I guess the question comes down to what percentage of illness we encounter can be trasferred via the A/C? Am I trying to correct 1% or 30% of the problem? All of the technology sounds good, but has anyone noticed a difference after the unit was installed? Did you get less colds than the year before? </font color>

Good question. Sometimes a 1% benefit has a 90% cost!

I don't know about the UV lights from firsthand experience, but my momma is ABSOLUTELY sure that getting a dishwasher kept her 6 kids from getting as many bugs.