Cleaner Air with Ultraviolet Air Cleaners

Occasionally a home’s ventilation system will not be enough to ensure that you are getting fresh and healthy air circulating throughout your living space. This happens over time as particles build up in parts of your home, which then are circulated through your ventilation ducts to the rest of your home, compromising its indoor air quality. One method of combatting this problem is to have a professional clean out your ducts on a fairly regular basis. This will get rid of the source of the problem, and should always be one of the main defenses against bacterial build up, but there is another way to combat the problem on a daily basis, so the air in your home remains clean in between the scheduled duct maintenance. This newer method comes in the form of ultraviolet air cleaners—a device that destroys the harmful particles in your air as it circulates throughout your home.

How They Work

Other more traditional air cleaning systems use filters to remove the bacteria and other harmful particles from your air as it circulates. The problem with this style is that any filter will need to be changed after a certain amount of time has passed, and if it is not changed, your indoor air quality will be lowered considerably, also potentially lowering the energy efficiency of your heating and cooling systems. The ultraviolet air cleaner does not use filters at all; rather, it harnesses the power of ultraviolet rays to destroy dangerous particles and bacteria that pass through it. In this way, ultraviolet air cleaners do not require the same amount of maintenance that ordinary filter based air cleaners do, providing home comfort via a consistently safe indoor air environment.

Ultraviolet Air Cleaner Pros and Cons

Most of the pros for ultraviolet air cleaners have already been covered. One thing to mention is that they do not require air flow to continue to be effective, unlike traditional filter based systems, which means your home’s air will still be cleaned even while your furnace or air conditioner is not running. One of the problems with ultraviolet air cleaners that may be equivalent to changing filters is the need to replace the ultraviolet bulbs, since over time they become less effective. Another aspect to consider about ultraviolet air cleaners is that they do not destroy all harmful particles that can exist in a home. Also, since they are a newer technology, the upfront costs are little high but the benefit and energy savings you get in the long term off-set that cost.

Using Ultraviolet Air Cleaners Affectively

Since there is some give and take when it comes to ultraviolet air cleaners, you may want to use them in conjunction with another air cleaning system. This will ensure that you will able to remove as many unwanted particles from the air as possible. Ultimately it depends on your living conditions and what you need to keep out of your air, especially if you have asthma or a particular allergy. If you have any questions regarding ultraviolet air cleaners and are wondering if it is a good investment for you, call one of our representatives who will be happy to discuss what is best for your personal situation.

How Could an Air Handler Help Increase Home Comfort?

An air handler is used to circulate air and is usually part of a heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system. An air handler consists of cooling elements, heating elements and a blower, as well as filter racks, sound attenuators and dampers. It's usually connected to the duct system responsible for distributing air throughout the home. An air handler might also include a humidification control system and an air filtration system. The most basic models will merely transfer heated or cooled air throughout the home, whilst more sophisticated systems will clean the air before circulating it through the home. The choice of an air handler may well depend on the size of your home, your current HVAC system, and of course your budget. It is good idea to ask a professional installer to calculate the correct size of an air handler for your home. Your air handler may be variable speed, or it can be a single speed air handler.

What is The Difference between Single Speed Air Handlers and Variable Speed Air Handlers?

A single speed air handler is really pretty basic, as the fan motor only has one speed. In contrast the variable speed air handler is able to run at a range of different speeds, and this means that the air moved through your home is precisely controlled. Variable speed air handlers also have the advantage of being more efficient, as most of the time you'll find they are running on low speed whereas single speed air handlers generally run on high all the time. You'll also find it's quite difficult to notice when the system is actually running, as the transition between low and high speeds is very gentle. Obviously if your air handler is running at a low speed, then you'll find it's much quieter. It's also more efficient if you have electronics zoning, as variable speed air handlers are much more able to handle different zones within your home. They're also more able to remove humidity from your home, so you'll find you stay more comfortable.

An Efficient Air Handler Will Keep Heating and Cooling Bills Lower

Rising energy prices are a worry for many, but you'll find that an efficient air handler, working in combination with a well-maintained HVAC unit will help lower fuel costs. You'll enjoy much better energy efficiency and greater home comfort, but of course it is vitally important to choose the right model for your home. 

How Long Will an Air Handler Last?

Generally speaking the lifespan of an air handler is around 10 to 15 years, but this does depend on whether manufacturer requires maintenance schedules have been adhered to, and if the system has been well-maintained. It also depends on whether or not it was properly installed in the first place, and the actual design of the unit. More modern air handlers will have a much better efficiency rating than older models, so if you intend to stay in your house for quite a while and have an older air handler it may be worth looking into replacing it sooner rather than later, so you can reap the benefits of increased efficiency and home comfort.

Is a Heat Pump a Worthwhile Investment?

More and more homes these days have heat pumps for heating and cooling, but are they worth the money, and how do they work? Heat pumps only require a small amount of energy to move heat around. They work by extracting heat from the air or ground to heat your home. They are a good choice compared to a standard heating and air-conditioning, as they require just one unit to do all the work. Heat pumps are also a greener way to warm your home as they transfer the heat from one place to another rather than use fuel to create warmth. This makes them more efficient than a normal furnace. However they're not right for everyone, as they are best used in temperate climates. If you live somewhere that doesn't experience extremes of temperatures, then heat pumps are the perfect choice for heating your home, and are likely to save you money.

How Exactly Do Heat Pumps Work?

Regardless of the type of heat pump you choose, they all work in basically the same way, by transferring heat. Heat pumps work by transferring heat from one area to another and most work by extracting heat from the air outside your home. These air source heat pumps are pretty basic, and simply work with a compressor, refrigerator coils and a reversing valve, and mean you'll have a unit installed outside your home. Heat pumps that work by sourcing the heat from the ground are a little different. They work by absorbing heat from the earth, or from water before transferring it into your home. Most work by transferring heat from the ground into pipes that had been buried, and which are filled with either water or some kind of refrigerant. The liquid circulates through the pipes to transfer the heat. Although most heat pumps work with an air duct system, there are some that can be connected to water heaters or space heaters.

Heat Pumps Can Deliver Energy Savings

If you do live in a temperate climate, then you'll find a heat pump is an energy efficient alternative to having an air conditioner and the furnace. It's been estimated that if you currently heat your home using electricity, then a heat pump could reduce the amount of electricity used by up to 40%. A truly efficient heat pump will provide up to four times the amount of energy it consumes. Modern heat pumps are also equipped with a number of innovative features.

Things to look out for When Choosing New Heat Pumps

The newest heat pumps can have a number of features that can make them even more efficient and user-friendly. These include such things as having a two speed compressor which enables the heat pump to operate to the correct capacity needed at that particular moment, saving energy and wear and tear on the compressor. This feature also works well with electronic zoning systems that are often found in larger homes to enable different rooms to be kept at different temperatures. Some of the high-efficiency models are equipped with a mechanism to recover waste heat from the heat pumps cooling mode so that they can be used to heat water. This is something that can be far more efficient than an ordinary electrically powered water heater.

Why is Home Ventilation so Essential in winter?

The temptation during winter is to try to seal our homes up as tightly as possible, and to block all drafts around the windows and doors, but this is really the healthiest way to live? In the past homes weren't able to be built in this way, and windows and doors tended to let in drafts meaning a home was always constantly ventilated whether we liked it or not. This may have led to lower levels of home comfort, and the need to dress warmly while indoors, but experts will probably argue that we were all healthier as a result. More people are becoming aware of the need for proper home ventilation, and are aware it can greatly increase indoor air quality during winter. So what exactly can be done to help ensure your indoor air quality is the very best it can be, even when it's too cold to open a window or door? The answer is quite a lot, as modern technology can ensure your home receives a constant supply of fresh, clean air that is free from microbes, viruses, and dust and mold spores. This means you can still remain toasty and warm during winter. Even more importantly it will help ensure your home remains safe, as a home that doesn't have any air circulating could become quite dangerous if you should have a carbon monoxide leak, or if your house is at risk of radon gas.

Methods of Increasing Home Ventilation

There are lots of different ways of increasing home ventilation, and these include air exchangers, air cleaners and ultraviolet air cleaners, and air handlers. Many newer buildings are constructed with these measures already in place as our knowledge about the need for home ventilation increases. A lot of older homes have some sort of ventilation systems in place, such as exhaust systems found in bathrooms and kitchens to extract excess moisture.

Enjoy Better Indoor Air Quality

If your home ventilation is inadequate then you are far more likely to have health problems. Asthma tends to be caused by dust mites, and dust mites and mold spores just love a damp atmosphere. A dry atmosphere will limit the amount of mold spores, helping you to keep them under control. You'll also experience increased home comforts, as a damp house can feel around 4° cooler than a home with less humidity. If your home is inadequately ventilated then bugs and germs are likely to hang around for up to three days. A good home ventilation system will replace the air around every 20 minutes, removing all the unhealthy contaminants that could otherwise create respiratory problems. You'll also find a home ventilation system will get rid of the fumes created by cleaning products and other pollutants.

Choose a Well Designed Home Ventilation System for the Best Results

You'll get by far the best results if you choose a qualified home installer who is able to advise you on the best design and system for your needs. You can choose to install a system that only ventilates a few rooms in your home, or you can choose a ventilation system that ensures the whole house benefits from continuously fresh air.