Hello to all,
Our heating contractor is doing some additional work in our remodeling project, and the topic came up about cleaner air for asthma sufferers. The contractor recommended adding Ultraviolet Photo-catalytic air purifiers to the return air ductwork. I’m not familiar with these units, and I’m not sure of their effectiveness. Does anybody have any working experience with these units.
Thanks,
Jim12
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Choose the right WRB product and install it well, because if you're not keeping water out, nothing else matters.
Featured Video
Builder’s Advocate: An Interview With ViewrailRelated Stories
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
I THINK ultra-violet is what hospitals use, and the purpose is to kill germs. Remember that electronic air cleaners create ozone, which might be a bigger problem for someone with asthma than the particals it collects (plus there are maintenance issues). I don't know if ultra-violet cleaners have this same issue or not.
After looking over a variety of options, I went with the big thick pleated media filters. About 8" thick.
The ultraviolet air cleaners do not use ozone, and they are used in conjunction with Hepa filters which we allready have on the furnace. There is an annual bulb replacement cost of about $100.00, and the voltage to power the bulb year round.
Sounds like there is not much experience out there with the use of these cleaners.
Thanks,
Jim
Jim
They do kill the live molds, yeasts, bacteria, and viruses, but they still need to be filtered out. I think an asthmatic would benefit more from better filtering.
I realize I put two thoughts in one sentence which is a bad idea.1. Ultraviolet kills germs, which I doubt has much of a direct effect on asthma.
2. Electronic filters (which are not ultraviolet) create ozone. And I suspect ozone is bad for asthmatics.I like the pleated filters I have, and we don't have any problem slowing down the air movement.
No experience, but my interest was piqued when I first read about English hospitals' incredible success with transmitted problems. They work. But what they do is kill pathogens. To me, it was appropriate for a very different application, concerning earth tubes in a humid climate.
Pretty sure that has little to do with asthma. My experience, which is fair, is that you want to filter the triggers for asthma. Electrostatic, while effective, isn't the answer, disposable pleated filters are.
With one exception, the HVAC guys I've encountered hated pleated filters. Claim that they slow down the air too much, creating a drag on the system. Certainly this can happen, but does not have to. We use a pleated filter here with our air system and it works very well. 5 micron is all we need.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Ultraviolet photocatalytic air purifier has little effect on asthma patients. Perhaps Olansi PM2.5 air purifier is more suitable.