Considering UV Lights to Improve IAQ? Here's What You Need to Know

Using ultraviolet light to sterilize air and water is nothing new. It's been a proven means to control living organisms such as mold, mildew, fungus, bacteria and viruses for several decades in hospitals and in industrial and research settings. UV lights can also be installed in your home's HVAC system as a means to control these pollutants whenever they threaten your indoor air quality.

How UVGI Works

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) technology is pretty simple. Focusing light from the ultraviolet section of the light spectrum, UVGI bulbs destroy the reproductive ability of living microorganisms by penetrating cell walls and disrupting their DNA. UVGI air cleaners basically consist of strong light bulbs, installed near the evaporator coils of the HVAC system, and in the ducts. The bulbs shine on the damp areas of the evaporator coils, where condensation may lead to a buildup of mold and mildew. They may also be focused on the surfaces of the ducts, where they sterilize the return air as it passes into the system, killing microorganisms before they can be redistributed into your home's supply air.

Facts About UVGI

1. Before you install UVGI technology, be sure you address any excessively moist conditions in your home. High humidity is usually caused by leaking plumbing, leaks in attics or flooding in basements. Fix these problems so that you can maintain balanced humidity in your home. If you suspect mold or mildew (a musty smell and the visual presence of mold are key), UVGI lights should be used in conjunction with efforts to reduce high humidity.

2. UVGI lights have been shown to be effective at reducing microorganisms that aggravate allergies, asthma and other respiratory issues.

3. UVGI systems are fairly easy to install and use, although installation can be a bit pricey.

4. Ultraviolet light bulbs should be changed annually, as they are only effective when the light is strong.

5. Never look directly at a UV light. Although they do not burn hot, the light can damage the retina.

For more information on UV lights, contact Air Assurance. We've been serving Broken Arrow and the surrounding area since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about UV lights and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “geralt/Pixabay”

Can UV Lights Really Eliminate Furnace Smells?

One of the biggest complaints homeowners have about dirty furnaces is the smell that often comes along with them. Many people have been turning to UV lights to help eliminate potentially harmful organic pollutants and the odor they can spread throughout your home.

Where Furnace Smells Originate

When we think of harmful pollutants like bacteria and mold, our primary concern is usually the danger they pose to our health, especially in those who suffer from respiratory issues, such as allergies and asthma. What you may not realize is that the accumulation of these elements are usually the source of musty odors in your furnace. As air is drawn through your ductwork and redistributed throughout your home, these smells can quickly fill your entire residence if left unchecked.

How UV Lights Eliminate Odors

Put simply, these high-intensity lights eliminate odors by reducing the amount of organic pollutants found in your home. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation, which these pollutants have no defense against, disrupts their DNA and interferes with reproduction. This reduction can be done by either treating the air in your home or your HVAC system's components. When the pollutants are gone, so are the odors that accompany them.

Professional Installation is Key

Installing UV lights is not something you should attempt yourself. Installation must be done by a professional HVAC technician, who will typically accomplish the task one of two ways. The first technique is to place the lights in an area where the air being pulled through your ductwork will be treated before being redistributed to other areas of your home. The second technique is to install the lights in such a way that your problem HVAC components are bathed in ultraviolet radiation as needed.

For more expert advice on UV lights, or if you have any other questions related to home comfort, please don't hesitate to contact the friendly professionals at Air Assurance. We've been serving the needs of Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in thearea about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “art_of_sun/Shutterstock”

UV Lights: Good Choice for Pollutant Control

UV Lights: Good Choice for Pollutant Control

Mold, bacteria and viruses in your air ducts present a major risk to health. However, the small size of these pathogens makes them hard to detect and impossible to remove with standard air filters. One of the most economical and effective ways to minimize your exposure to these micro-organisms is to eliminate their growth through the installation of UV lights in your air ducts.Ultraviolet lamps emit nonvisible light of the same wavelengths as that emitted by the sun. Microorganisms, including bacteria, molds and viruses, cannot grow in the presence of UV light. UV lamps look similar to fluorescent light bulbs, and they are easy for our HVAC technicians to install into your existing air system. They do not leave behind any harmful chemical residues.It is important to consider the location of the UV lamps when having them installed in your air ducts. Lamps can be installed in the main supply duct, return air duct or air handler unit. Positioning them near the A/C coil is highly effective in reducing mold levels; this area is a breeding ground for mold because it attracts moisture, pollen and dust. This is especially a problem in humid areas such as Tulsa. Placing UV lamps in the return and supply air ducts purifies the air as it travels through your system, removing pollutants that are brought in from the outdoors.The newest UV lights are an economical choice for pollutant control. Upon installation, ultraviolet lights eliminate the biofilm of bacteria and mold that develops on the inside of air ducts. This improves airflow and heat exchange, lowering your energy costs. New, automated UV disinfection systems supply exactly the amount of UV light needed to kill the mold, bacteria and viruses present at a specific time. This saves 60 to 80 percent on energy costs when compared to traditional UV lamps, which operate at a set intensity all day long.Contact us to learn more about the benefits of UV disinfection systems or to have UV lights installed in your A/C system. We take pride in offering premier HVAC services to the Tulsa Metropolitan area.Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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UV Lights May Be Just the Solution for Your Indoor Air Quality Issues

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The health of you and anyone else who lives in your household should be of utmost importance. To relieve the possibility of any respiratory problems and keep your air as fresh as possible, the installation of UV lights is a must. Let's take a look at how these systems can clean the air of your Broken Arrow area home.What They DoThe only purpose of UV lights is to eliminate the danger of microorganisms in your air. These include pollutants ranging from bacteria and viruses to mold spores and mildew. These particles can cause a number of respiratory issues once they reach your lungs. For those who suffer from allergies or asthma, even minimal exposure can have a lasting effect.Placement of the LightsOnce exposed to UV lights, microorganisms break down at the molecular level. Installation at the induct coil of your HVAC system, far away from human exposure, is typically recommended over placing them at the site of the evaporator coil. This is because the moisture at the induct coil causes mold and mildew to develop there, so these lights can specifically target this problem area, in addition to the surrounding ductwork. As your system draws air through these ducts, microorganisms in the air are drawn along and can be killed as they flow past the lights.Energy SavingsPast versions of UV light systems have had a drawback: energy use. Previous models were designed to utilize a high-intensity light at maximum power 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This use adds up quickly, and you can see the results on your power bill every month. Newer models, however, utilize variable power settings. As microorganisms approach the lights, the air is analyzed to determine the precise UV strength needed to eliminate the threat, thereby saving you money.For more expert advice with UV lights or any other home comfort issues, be sure to contact the experts at Air Assurance. We've been serving the HVAC needs of the Greater Tulsa Metropolitan area since 1985.Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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How UV Lights Work With Your HVAC System To Improve Indoor Air Quality

Problems with your indoor air quality? Perhaps what your Oklahoma home needs is a collection of UV lights to help you clean out all the nasty pollutants that have invaded your house. With their uncanny ability to destroy airborne particles, UV lights could improve your indoor air quality significantly.The power of ultraviolet raysWe all know the dangers from extended exposure to the ultraviolet radiation emanating from our sun. Why else would we lather ourselves with slimy sunblock and pay a fortune for a pair of sunglasses? Too much exposure leads to damaged skin and, in some cases, skin cancer.The reason for this is simple: ultraviolet rays have the ability to penetrate and cause mutation of our cells. In humans, this causes health problems. Airborne pollutants, however, have no way of protecting themselves, which means that exposure is a death sentence. UV lights literally break down and destroy these harmful particles.The power of cooperationAirborne pollutants, which include mold spores, bacteria, virus, aerosol contaminants, dust mites and quite a few other types of particles, can cause respiratory problems if they are inhaled. In the fight against these pollutants, the high intensity ultraviolet lights don't have to work alone. They have a partner in your HVAC system.How this works is simple, too: first, the UV lights are installed at either the induct or compressor coil of your HVAC unit. When the system is switched on, the particles are drawn into your ductwork. After a while, the pollutants make their way toward the coil, where the ultraviolet lights are lying in wait. Over time, this process will result in the destruction of many of the pollutants in your home.As if that wasn't enough, there's an added benefit of installing ultraviolet lights. By destroying the airborne pollutants before they finish going through your ductwork, they won't get a chance to clog up your HVAC system.For more expert advice about UV lights, or for questions relating to home comfort, please contact the friendly professionals at Air Assurance. We proudly serve the residents of Broken Arrow and its surrounding areas.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Three Simple Steps You Can Take To Improve The Indoor Air Quality In Your Home

When the air outside in Broken Arrow isn't pleasant enough to open up your home and let the outside air in, you need to be able to rely on healthy indoor air quality to keep your family comfortable. People don't often realize that indoor air can sometimes be more polluted than the air outdoors. Here are three simple steps you can take to improve the indoor air quality of your home:

1. Ventilate your home for at least 30 minutes each day to remove the stale, polluted air from your home, and to replace it with healthier air. You can open up your windows, or run bathroom or kitchen fans. If you are concerned with pollen levels or air pollution outside, both of these are lowest in the evenings.

2. Air purification units remove particles and other toxins from the air that can cause allergies, asthma or respiratory illness. A number of different models are on the market, some using electronically charged collection plates, and others utilizing filters (HEPA filters work the most effectively).

3. Address the source of problems affecting your indoor air to help fix the situation, or at least keep it at a minimum. Make sure things like asbestos are properly removed or sealed off. Alter your gas stove settings to prevent emissions. Some people even switch their flooring to hardwood to remove chemically treated carpets.

Contact Air Assurancefor more information on steps you can take to improve the indoor air quality in your home.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our current promotions and get started today!      

Consider UV Lights Alongside HVAC Equipment

Research has shown that indoor air can be up to 100 times more polluted than the air found outdoors. Considering that people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, inferior indoor air quality can present a major health threat. Adding ultraviolet (UV) lights to a heating and cooling system can be an excellent way to combat poor air quality and increase the comfort level in homes and other buildings.UV light air-purification systems clean indoor air by eliminating harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, germs, mold and other allergens. As these health-threatening microorganisms travel through the UV light, their molecular bonds are broken down and their harmful effects are destroyed.The Lancet (a world-renowned medical journal) conducted a study that explored the effectiveness of UV light systems. The study placed ultraviolet light purification systems in a number of different office buildings and evaluated the health of people who worked in the buildings over the course of a year.At the end of the year, it was determined that the sickness level of the workers was lowered by 20 percent. They also saw  a 60 percent drop in respiratory problems. Additionally, the UV lights assisted in reducing the amount of muscle-related problems by half. The study also concluded that nonsmokers and the workers who suffered from allergies benefited the most from the UV light purification systems.If your home's air quality is less than optimal, you should consider adding a UV light purification system to your home comfort equipment. As research has shown, UV lights can work exceptionally well with a heating and cooling system to improve indoor air quality.If you determine that a UV light system is right for you, ask for expert assistance in finding the unit that would work the best. The professional technicians at Air Assurance are trained to help you in choosing the proper heating and cooling equipment for your home, and in cleaning up indoor air. Contact us today for further information. We're always happy to help.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.

How To Determine The Kind Of Air-Cleaning Equipment You Need

The process of selecting air-cleaning equipment is not something that you should have to think about on a daily basis. But  that decision impacts your everyday life, so it's important to make the right call. If you spend some time evaluating your home's needs, you'll enjoy peace of mind -- and cleaner air -- year 'round. The first step in improving your home's air quality is to determine which pollutants are present in your home. Indoor air pollutants break down into two categories.

• Particulate matter includes dust, animal dander, pollen, tobacco smoke and the presence of small organisms like dust mites, bacteria, molds and viruses.

• Gaseous pollutants include fumes from gas stoves, paint, varnishes, tobacco smoke, cleaning products and pesticides.

Once you have a good idea of what pollutants affect your house, the next step is to pick out an air-filtration system that meets your needs.For particulate matter, you'll want a filter system that is either built into your ducts or functions as a portable, standalone unit. Gaseous pollutants can be removed using a gas-phase air filter or a PCO cleaner. The latter relies on UV light and chemical conversion.  Remember, portable units are only designed to do the area in which that unit is located, while whole-home cleaners are designed to take care of the entire structure.Since there are so many different pollutants that can affect your home's air quality, a professionally-administered air quality test can help pinpoint a solution. Much like a doctor works backward from a patient's symptoms to find a treatment, a fitting air cleaning solution can be found by correctly identifying the pollutants present in your home.If you have questions or concerns about your home's air quality, the staff at Air Assurance is happy to answer them, and to provide expert advice. We can set you up with the best air-cleaning equipment for your situation and your budget.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.

Suspect That An Old HVAC System Is Making Your Breathing Problems Worse? Have Your Indoor Air Quality Assessed

Much of the air pollution that we are exposed to today doesn't come from external sources.  It's inside of our homes.  In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has determined that poor indoor air quality is one of the top five environmental risks in the country.  If you are suffering from allergies or breathing problems, could your old HVAC system be to blame?  Here are some things to consider:

• Improper Ventilation. A building that isn't properly ventilated won't have enough fresh air coming in to move contaminants out of your home, and your health can be impacted. Make sure that you always use kitchen and bathroom fans. Have your basement, crawl space and attic checked to ensure that each is properly ventilated. When using household cleaners or chemicals, open windows or doors to remove pollutants as quickly as possible. Following these simple steps will make a big difference in your indoor air quality.

• Age of Your HVAC System. Over time, dust and debris can collect in air ducts. Heating and cooling coils may become dirty or collect moisture, which encourages mold growth. Having your older HVAC system inspected and maintained annually will ensure that it is operating efficiently and make you aware of any problems that might negatively impact your home's indoor air quality. If you need a more efficient system to help address specific problems, your HVAC technician will be able to point you in the right direction.

• Duct Maintenance. When the flow of air coming into or out of air ducts is obstructed, or when moisture begins to collect in the system due to a leak or a damaged duct, the air inside of your home will be affected. An HVAC professional can quickly assess the health of your ducts and identify if any repairs need to be made. Properly sealed and insulated ductwork, especially in non-air conditioned spaces, is a must.

If your HVAC technician discovers a problem, there are great products on the market to help.  Get expert advice on heating and cooling systems, as well as indoor air cleaners, from your friends at Air Assurance. We're happy to help.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.