Home is where the heart is, as the saying goes. But your heart has plenty of company, not the least of which are airborne contaminants.

Maybe you can’t see them, but they’re all around you just the same. Worse, they can cause all sorts of allergy problems, colds, flus, asthma – or make existing symptoms and conditions worse.

If your family is plagued by repercussions from low-quality indoor air, C&D Cooling & Heating can help.  As indoor air quality specialists, we’ll examine your home and recommend just the right solution, one of which is a UV (ultraviolet) air purifier.

UV light, like radio waves and X-rays, is an invisible form of electromagnetic radiation.

It causes sunburns by destroying cells, and this cell-destroying ability is what makes it effective for destroying air impurities, specifically mold and mildew.

Ultraviolet light is a form of light that rests just outside the visible spectrum for humans. The wavelength of UV light is shorter than visible light, but longer than X-rays. It’s estimated that UV light makes up about 10% of the sun’s output.

Of course, UV light is also created artificially, by technologies that include arc welders, tanning beds, black lights, and some forms of air purifiers.

Which is to say, a UV Air Purifier can’t cure what ails you, but it can remove the contaminants that do. These include:

• Musty odors
• Embarrassing pet odors
• Smoke by-products
• Pollen spores
• Byproducts from new carpets and resurfaced hardwood floors
• Fumes from cleaning products

Unlike other air filtration systems that depend on HEPA filters or other devices to trap dust and other particles, UV air filtration keeps viruses and other microorganisms from reproducing and infecting a home, office, or other indoor space. Ultraviolet light damages the genetic material that controls the reproduction of these organisms, making it impossible for them to reproduce. This stops these illness-inducing microbes in their tracks and prevents the spread of various diseases and other problems.

UV purification is most effective when the microorganisms have prolonged contact with the UV lamp. The longer that a virus or other organism is bathed in UV light, the greater the damage to its DNA and its ability to replicate itself. Furthermore, while UV air treatment can be useful in reducing the spread of viruses and other microbes, air purifiers with UV lights should be used in concert with other disease-prevention measures. Purifying air with ultraviolet light is no replacement for the regular disinfection that occurs when one cleans a home or office, but when used in concert with traditional cleaning methods, UV light purification can enhance any plan or system that is in place to reduce the spread of diseases.

UV air purification is just one of the indoor air quality solutions we provide at C&D, but it’s so effective it deserves a blog of its own. To request more information or a free in-home proposal, contact C&D Cooling & Heating today.