Are UV Air Purifiers Dangerous?

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Whenever you’re looking for an air purifier, you may want to consider a few things first. When it comes to UV air purifiers, you may want to know if UV air purifiers are dangerous or not. Are UV air purifiers dangerous? That will be discussed in this article, as well as ways to use your air purifier safely. Some UV air purifiers can be dangerous, but once you know the signs, you’ll have a safe, healthy household.

There are many air purifiers out there. One of the newer, more recent technologies is UV used in air purifiers. Some people have concerns when it comes to UV lights. This is valid, considering UV lights can produce some dangerous stuff sometimes. However, there are only a few of them that do. There are ways to find out which UV air purifiers are safe and which ones aren’t. Usually, it’s to do with price tags! Either way, there are certain things you have to look for.

What is UV?

UV is an abbreviation for “ultraviolet”. This UV comes from light or wavelengths, especially from the sun. Natural UV light is what causes some of us to have sunburn when we’re outside for a long time. In some extreme cases, it can even cause skin cancer if someone isn’t careful. It damages our skin either way, so sunscreen might be necessary.

The reason that this happens is because the wavelengths are so small that it can get into our cellular makeup and cause them to burn. The UV light from the sun causes our skin to burn, giving us what we call “sunburn”. This can cause our skin to reduce in elasticity as well as skin cancer. Any way you look at it, ultraviolet wavelengths seem rather dangerous, so why do we use them in our air purifiers? The answer is quite simple.

Why Use UV in Air Purifiers?

As stated above, it seems that ultraviolet light is dangerous to skin and cells. While this is true, we have harnessed its power and can now use it to kill other organic matter like bacteria and viruses. With the assistance of UV lights in our air purifiers, we can clean the air even better than before. Stand-alone UV lights aren’t the best, but there are in-duct UV lights that can help with enclosed air conditioning.

Many air purifiers combine the use of a UV light with other air filters. Many true HEPA, activated carbon, and others combine the use of ultraviolet light in air purifiers. While these filters will collect most of the solid particles and airborne obstructions, the UV light will eliminate the very tiny particles that can cause sickness and other annoying responses from your body.

Is Using UV Dangerous?

There are a few things that UV light bulbs can do. While there are beneficial things, some people might worry that the UV wavelengths might leak out and cause health issues. Along with the UV radiation that might come from it, UV wavelengths are strong enough to create ozone around the bulb, which can also leak out. Ozone is already dangerous enough as is, so how does one know if their air purifier produces ozone?

Realistically, these are valid concerns, but they’re the only things that can be an issue when having a UV bulb in your air purifier. There are some cheaply made air purifiers that don’t concern themselves with these, but responsible manufacturers put guarantees and warnings on their products. These air purifiers are likely a bit more expensive, but you can see the promise of “no ozone” or how to use the air purifiers effectively and safely.

Unfortunately, that does mean that you might have to pay a bit more for a good air purifier to run in your home. With the extra few bucks, you can feel safe and comfortable with your air purifier going on as long as you want it to. Ozone can be an effective tool to use, but it should never be around you. For example, if you have an ozone generator, you should only use it in unoccupied spaces.

Conclusion

While UV light is dangerous to humans and animals, it can be an effective tool to keep you healthy. It will eliminate those bacteria and viruses that could potentially make you sick. It can also help eliminate odors that are sticking to things to where you can’t get them out. Unfortunately, there are some cheaper air purifiers that might leak ozone and cause respiratory problems for you and your family.

Many manufacturers put warnings or guarantees on their products, promising no ozone or ways to use the air purifier safely. These air purifiers tend to be a bit more expensive than others, but it is worth it in the end. An air purifier can do many things for your health, taking out harmful particles and airborne annoyances from your environment. It is worth getting one, but make sure you get a good one!

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