Ultra-violet Lighting system
 

It has been suggested that I invest in a ultra-violet lamp system to reduce any chance of mold in my HVAC system. It is also my understanding that the UV lamps should be replace on an annual basis. Can anyone share information regarding the efficacy of such a system, its cost and its cost for annual maintenance ?

Thank you

Glad you are asking questions, this sounds very suspicious. What company are you dealing with? If it is not the company that installed your system, I would check with the initial installer. Also check the company you are dealing with, Google, seniors against crime, BBB, etc.

I can't speak for Florida, but the UV was only used if there had been a mold issue in the past in California. Otherwise, they were pretty much considered a ripoff by the reputable AC companies.

I agree with the above. It looks like there is a significant lack of information, and conflicting information on Google. Did not have a chance to check with the EPA website. It would be nice to get and independent review of these.

Our system in the other villa had UV. It was great for allergens. A very expensive system and much better than what is in the recently built house we bought.

I went to

https://en.wikpedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet

found it to be helpful

Most after-market UV installations in HVAC systems are totally unnecessary and usually quite expensive. They have not proven to be especially effective against mold and most of us do not have mold anyway, just mildew or some such thing. I am told the UV lights have to be replaced annually at a cost of $150 or so plus the HVAC service call to replace them. Your best defense is what you are doing now - get multiple opinions and (most importantly) multiple estimates from licensed HVAC companies. I personally think they are a waste of money and have better used for my hard-earned money, but that is just my opinion.

UV lights can be helpful for those who have severe allergies, etc.

The problem is that there are many different types of lights, cheap ones and quality ones. The cheaper lights may not have the output to do the job. Also, the cheaper units have bulbs that need replacing often, thus making those units more expensive in the long run.

Adding to this, many of the A/C companies see this as a huge profit maker. The installation of these are quite simple, and yet they add hundreds of dollars to the bill. There is sometimes little correlation between the quality of what you are getting and the price you pay the installer.

Do the research. Get guarantees. Be careful.

On a side note, I see over 400 A/C filters a year.....over half of them are a year old, dirty, filled with mold, etc. Do the easy stuff first folks...keep your filter clean and change them as needed.

Hope this helps.....Frank

They have one on display at HD looks like a small bulb.A 2 ton a/c system pushes about 600 cubic feet of a air a minute,I don't believe the air has time to be disinfected.The cost is about $1,000 installed.

We had the UV system included in our home in TN when we replaced the HVAC.

It has made a world of difference in the quality of the air. I used to have the AC service folks replace the bulb (annually because the UV strength disipates some over time). Used to cost $129 more on the annual service.

Then after watching him do it one time I started oredering the bulb from Amazon $65.....and doing it myself....takes 10 minutes or less to replace the bulb.

When it comes time to replace the HVAC in our FL house it will include the UV light system.

OP, I have no specific experience, but I did a quick search on Google:

uv air cleaner review

and

uv air cleaner hvac reviews

You might try these searches, and see if this info helps you. In general my understanding from previous discussions is these are not worth the money, and good high quality filters, changed every 6 months to year work as well or better.
Hope this helps.