When it comes to improving air quality in your home, there are two main solutions: whole house air filters and UV air purifiers. Air filters remove particles from the air supply, while purification with UV light neutralizes harmful microorganisms to prevent their spread and transmission. It is important to understand the differences between these two solutions in order to choose the best one for your home. Air filters are effective at removing dust, pollen, pet dander, and other inorganic allergens from the air supply. On the other hand, UV lights do not remove any particles from the air supply, but they are powerful enough to kill microbes and other tiny organic contaminants that circulate through air ducts.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety (NIOSH), the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) and the CDC have all recommended UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) lighting technology to inactivate airborne tuberculosis bacteria. Photocatalytic oxidation is achieved by combining UV rays (from the UV lamp) with a surface coated with TiO2 (titanium dioxide). This process helps to reduce the number of microbes in your home's ducts, coils, and airspace. It is important to note that UV light can be just as harmful as UV light from the sun can be when someone is exposed for too long. However, when the UV light system is installed in your air conditioning system (inside the duct walls), you and your family are not directly or harmfully exposed. To summarize, whole house air filters are effective against inorganic allergens while UV lights are effective against organic contaminants. Both solutions can help improve air quality in your home.
When choosing between air filters and UV lights, consider what type of contaminants you want to remove from your home's air supply.