UV Air Treatment

HP80

Just wondering if anyone has any feed back on UV air treatment. I have been using it in my house for just over a year. The system that I went with is from Sanuvox and it is their R3500X model, which will cover a nominal 3500 square feet. This unit with the "U" shaped tube has done wonders both here in my home but I keep hearing more and more good feed back from our customers. This unit has delivered more than what was promissed, we moved into this house just over a year ago and there was an odour we couldn't identify, so we tried the Sanuvox. The reason was that the Rep from Sanuvox explained that with standard insertion type UV you must remove the system to clean the bulb monthly and you need to replace the bulb annually. This is not the case with the "U" shaped bulb units from Sanuvox you only have to clean them(not really) every 3 years when you are replacing it (they guarantee the bulb for 3 years even on continuous fan). The first 3 months that this unit was in I had to replace the 1" pleated filter weekly ( i could hear a change in the air from the return air grills) and these filters had more than usual collection of dust. I feel this is because the UV light was killing off the food source for this stuff to cling to the duct work. I strongly recommend the bulb from Sanuvox that uses UVB and UVC light for best performance.
These people make a great product that is being handle by Carrier (including Bryant and Payne) as well as Nordyne Group (including Maytag,Westinghouse,Frigidaire,Gibson and more) and I heard that even Lennox is looking at them.
I don't work for Sanuvox I just wanted to share a great product experience with others.
You can get more info at www.sanuvox.com

Jack_23

UV lites...in general

First, UV works and makes sense. Second, they all work on the same principle. UV is a specific part of the light spectrum, can't remember which right now. As all the bulbs generate the same light spectrum they degrade in pretty much the same manner. The light may function for three years but the replacemnt schedule laid out by the manuf is for "effectiveness". Internal "solarization" is a coating which accumulates on the interior surfaces of the bulb and over time reduces the UV which gets into the duct to do the job. So, remember if the manuf of the bulb says one yr, replace it at one yr. Personally, and I don't make a nickel on them (unfortunately), but I prefer the units whcih insert far into the Return air. Your sanuvox unit, (which works as well as, but not better than all the rest) sits along the edge of the duct in about a 4" pipe if I'm not mistaken. Cross sectional area of 4" is about 12 sq". If you take a 10x20 return at 200 sq in, you need to turn the air at least 18 times before "all" the air goes thru the tube. The "kill zone" for bacteria on UV is about 2" from the bulb. However, UV will sterilize to about 24 " away. If it cannot reproduce it cannot multiply and on multiple passes the bacteria will get cleaned up. I prefer UV in the RA also. Be careful that it is not to close to the filter because the filter material may degrade due to UV light. Plastic humidifiers can too. I don't like the supply side on the ac coil for a couple reasons. first, UV is temp sensitive. It doesn't work as well below 55f or above 115f. a H/C system will be out of both specs. Also, the UV cannot get to the whole coil. When installing UV, start with a "REAL" cleaning of the cooling coil and as much of the system as you can, upgrade your primary filtration to at least 2" pleats (at least MERV 8 rated, 11 or 12 is best), add a by-pass hepa filter and you then have the BEST. Don't forget to look at combustion air issues and the possible need of an ERV. Your sanuvox is a good unit and a good upgrade to your HVAC system. Good call!

HP80

You are a very intelligent person but I do have to question why you have a problem with a by-pass uv system but not a by-pass Hepa sytem, keeping in mind we will never make our homes clean rooms. With the number of air changes we see in a typical household I strongly believe that the UV bypass was and is the best system. We went through the great Central Black-out and I have opted to keep the A/C off since then, I have severe allergies to pollens and grasses that hits in late August, but even with the windows open this year I felt no effect. Keep in mind that I keep my furnace fan running 24-7 along with the air treatment! Watch the market and watch the educated people move to Sanuvox or what ever name they go to market with.

ken D

How does UV affect pollen and grass? I have allergies in late august/sept too. Is it the life in the pollen/grass that effects you, or is it the actual matter it is made of? Im just asking because UV isn't removeing the pollen, the filter does, it isn't bacteria that we're allergic to, but the pollen & grass. Follow me? If the UV kills bacteria, and even pollen & grass, the "bodies" still exist in the air and can't that still effect your allergies? Or wouldn't it be the pleated filter that gets them out from your exposure?

HP80

I have the same allergy season as you and this year due to the blackout that hit our area I left our Air Conditioner off after power was restored. This intern left me with the issue of leaving the windows open all of the time. Like I said we are asking for a bit much to expect the HVAC equipment in our homes to make them the same as clean rooms. All this aside though with my Sanuvox UV system and my furnace running continuous fan there was quite a noticable difference with my allergies at home and at work. At home I had very mild sniffles and at work ( with no Air Treatment) I had the runny nose itchy eyes and all the other fun stuff attached to allergy season. So in answer to your question those dead UV sterilized bodies that you are asking about being in the air had and have no effect.

PJO_3

How is the effect...

on the electric bill? Running that fan and UV 24/7 has got to be pretty expensive in the long run...especially where I live (near Phila. - $0.11 per kW).

My family suffers from allergies, too but I don't have anything like this set-up...sounds pretty effective.

Take Care, PJO