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UV Air Purifiers - What You Need To Know
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- čas přidán 4. 03. 2020
- Air purifier shown in this video:
Germ Guardian AC4825 - amzn.to/2I5s4yt
Current list of top rated air purifiers overall:
1. Winix 5500-2 - amzn.to/2Pwp1Dx
2. Coway Mighty - amzn.to/2TjOy3O
3. Austin Air HealthMate - amzn.to/2TaVXny
The latest updated list of top rated air purifiers overall: www.consumeran...
In this video we discuss UV air purifiers. More specifically, we look at how well Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is implemented in cheap consumer air purifiers.
Note: some of the links used in the description will direct you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
One of the better videos on the subject. As an HVAC tech. for 40 years, I have seen UV lights often oversold and claims of how they kill germs incorrectly stated.
How do HVAC systems implement UVC lights? I've seen retrofits, and some solutions around putting UVC lamps inside of the air handler units.
I have spent at least 2 hours on your channel learning about air purifiers. I can buy with great confidence now. THANKS!
You're welcome! Glad I could help!
Can you share your decision? Maybe it can help me. See my new comment. Thanks.
@@iancanuck4769 What I did was get two gg3000bca units for the bathroom and kitchen, two austin air healthmates for the bedroom and living room, along with a Winix 5500-2 for the kitchen and Alan air Flex in my hallway, just outside of the bathroom. Also, I am getting two of the germguardian 5250pt units for the bedroom and living room, so that I have my entire apartment blanketed in UV-c with 8 and 9 watt bulbs, which are actually powerful enough. There is a residential unit with a 25 watt bulb setup, but it's a 1400.00 unit. Not stopping there bought materials in bulk to build my own filters, I'm adding filters to the ac vents into the apt. I'm going to add certain house plants and very big bags of activated bamboo charcoal everywhere. I have just the basic version of the full size austin air purifier for my two ausin air units, but I realize what makes the "bedroom machine" version much better and twice as expensive is the UK military invented "activated carbon cloth", so I just got some of that and I'm adding it to the basic model on the cheap. Of course I usually use wayfair and get a supervisor or customer advocacy agent (above supervisor) to give me a discount rate quote, and then I always find a way to add a 10 percent off promo code to the quotes, because wayfair lets you double stack. I've gotten my two austin air healthmate units for 700 after tax, it's like 45% off. Lol.
so which one did you buy?
This guy is spot on. I bought one of Amazon's "best" rated UV purifiers only to find out the UV light is in its own blocked-off compartment, totally useless at killing any germs.
I think dwell time isn’t as important if the purifier is powerful enough for the room it is in, the reason the UV-C lamps are sweet is because when the HEPA is in the purifier for over a year the lights will reduce the chance of breath through by germs or viruses. Great video either way!
Excellent informative video I'm surprised there are so few views especially now. Although not surprising as people instead of concern over things like this are worried about toilet paper with a virus that has no intestinal symptoms.
Haha so true
What about putting the UV light right BEFORE the HEPA filter (and not behind of after like most of the air purifiers), so that it will not only kill a portion of the germs passing through the machine but it will also kill germs captured on the surface of the HEPA filter !
In other words : why not using the UV light for "cleaning" the HEPA filter, more than cleaning the air ? Germs inside the HEPA filter will be stuck there long enough to get exposed to the light and it will maximize the chances to kill them. The idea will be also to avoid contamination during the cleaning process while unmounting the machine when you want to wash the filter. Is there an air purifier that is using this solution ?
Thank you
Man I'm fortunate to come across your video, it really helped me with my research. You really nail the gist of what to look out for and the thought process into considering any product. Thank you for this educational video
Excellent video. They don't tell you that stuff in the real world. Keep up the good work, and THANK YOU, you saved me a lot of money.
Thanks for the positive feedback. I'm glad I could help! :)
Thank-you, Was fixing to drop a ton of money on useless replacement filters and bulbs. Before my original thought was to just buy a new similar unit. However, I think when you brought up implementation of the uv light and particle filtration, most products at major retailers are gonna disappoint. So I will build my own unit from scratch now to suit my environment.
Reflective light is subject to both inverse square and power (dosing) losses and is not very usable as reflected light is scattered and altered by the surfaces. Generally, only that air that actually is pulling a virus through a blower/fan across a UVC lamp is effective. The good news is that most virus are airborne. The factors are; cubic ft/min and wattage @ cubic ft/sec. E.G., 20x20 room with say a 9ft ceiling = +/- 3600 cu/ft. Dosing the passing air to kill a virus would be (say a coronavirus like we see now) at +/- 0.5 sec, requiring 4 -30 watt lamps in the air box. The longer the air is in the box the better and multi passes through multi boxes would be even more effective. The calculation would have to include the air exchange times. This should be about a 92% effectiveness per chamber. Adding temperature sensors, masks, sanitation and distancing should help with the rest. I hope this helps.
I love how much information you give... Thank you! Keep up the good work!!
Thank you for the kind words! It's much appreciated!
these are great reviews.! i am noticing that they say
"the UV-C light works with Titanium Dioxide to reduce volatile organic compounds" I noticed on the 4825 the metal plate that goes in where the UV bulb is has some coating on it.. i dont know if that is titanium dioxide and or if that is /would even be effective since essentially I dont think there is a way for air to flow through that compartment. so much miss leading advertisments. thank you for your honesty!
This video is perfection. Let all reviewers learn from this
Thank you very much for the kind words.
Excellent video!!!! I'm glad I watched this!!!
Thank you for watching! :)
a low wattage uv bulb can be effective but only if additional time granted is allowed for contact as well as closer contact to the bulb with the germs in question. that said the only uv bulb that is even gonna do anything in this regard is uv-c based. luckily germ guardian has those. regrettably the germ guardian implementation is either too far away from the filter and its air draw or is after the filter entirely and the closest path to that is blocked by metallic shielding.
my ac5000 has an 8watt full sized bulb and that would take hours to sanitize the air in the room its in. by the time it could help me the filter itself has already removed the particles in question so it's really just an expensive add on used to maximize profits for the company. needless to say i've not replaced the initial bulb when it burnt out. ensuring you have actual hepa filters is what matters here.
Thanks for the info. Is there a concern regarding UV light creating ozone when interacting with the air?
We have the tall uv light that works well it smells sweet and vinegary smells then the Uv light is working well.
Is it okay to have this germ guardian UV light on continuously, I mean 24/7? Or turn off the UV light and have the air purifier on 24/7?
Thanks! I was trying to find the facts about UV air purifiers and this is a great overview.
Very good video. I suspect the coatng on the UVC lamp shield is zinc oxide? Maybe. It's interesting though. That light box at the top of the unit is then lowest flow areas of the unit. Like a back-water, a three sided box in a river flow. And germ in that space will have a much higher dwell time, and over time as room air recirculates through the unit you are probably seeing a high kill rate. How long? Good question. Could be too slow. So I do not think it should be called a bad engineering, it actually could be very astute engineering balance of low-flow/high-dwell time area in a high-flow/high-filtration unit. Actual meausrements, flow through in that wee little box, with some UVC senstive dust might be made in experiment.
what if you just straight up put a uv light in a room every now in then with a fan running (for mold)
Thank you for answering my questions about the works of UV light in air purifier. Can you do the test of TruSens air purifier, InvisiClean Aura II air purifier, and Airthereal APH260 air purifier, which all have UV light and HEPA?
We'll definitely look into these models when we do additional testing in the future. In the meantime, you can use the UVGI principles we outline in the video to determine whether any particular UV model is likely to be effective or not. For example, what is the wattage of the bulb(s) it uses? The higher the wattage the greater the chance it will be effective. What is the orientation of the bulb(s)? The more exposed the air is to the bulb (or more specifically, the light it emits) the better.
There are personal air purifiers out that claim to use negative ions to kill germs. For example Air Tamer has been on the market for years. With Covid-19 we see competitors coming out with products. Airplane travel is always an issue in terms of picking up viruses. I’d love to see you do an analysis of those personal, wearable, negative ion producing “air purifiers”. Thanks!
I will definitely look into it. For now, I can tell you that I'm highly skeptical of these types of air purifiers. You may also find my analysis of ionizers helpful: www.consumeranalysis.com/guides/air-purifiers/air-ionizers/
Thank you, very helpful and scientific
You're welcome!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
what's a good wattage of uv bulb?
I am looking to buy a very good air purifier which is able to capture germs, bacteria, mold, pollen, dust etc, but I found out that UV and negative ions with Ozone are harmful for the lungs and it could worsen things for people with asthma (like me).
As long as almost all the air purifiers have Ionizers or UV (the ones I wanted most: Homedics, Levoit, TruSens), do you think I should buy the Winix PlasmaWaves? I am very confused which one to choose.
The Winix's ionizer (PlasmaWave) can be turned off and left off if you'd like although the unit is completely safe to use even with the ionizer turned on: ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/air-cleaners-ozone-products/california-certified-air-cleaning-devices
Very Informative video.
Thanks for sharing
So are all air purifiers horrible for killing mold spores? i have a mold spore issues in my house, and bought a blue air 211, and it doesn't seem to do anything. i can still smell it in the air
As it grows, mold can emit VOCs. Those are likely the chemicals you're smelling in the air. Your air purifier is working fine removing mold spores (particles) but it cannot remove VOCs (gases) very well. I would recommend something like the Austin Air HealthMate or HealthMate Plus - an air purifier with substantial VOC filtration media - if you want to eliminate the smell from the air.
What about models that are optimized for killing viruses with UV? Regarding specifically covid?
Hi, EXCELLENT educational video! I've been wondering whether to buy an air purifier with or without UV-C and this video will help. The gist I got from watching this video is that UV-C can be redundant, and considering that it is not effectively implemented in most residential models, it can also be considered as minimally (even not) functional. Given that "air/particle filtration" and "UVGI" have opposing requirements, does having UV-C mean it must sacrifice air-flow speed in order to gain longer dwell time? One more question I have is: is it safe using UV-C air purifier for home use? I mean really 100% safe for our health. Thanks again for your video and hopefully answer to my questions here. I plan to subscribe to your channel.
Yes, slowing air flow would increase dwell time and therefore increase the efficacy of the UV-C light. In response to your second question about safety, I found this article to be quite helpful: www.klaran.com/is-uvc-safe
@@consumer-analysis Have you found any air purifiers that have been able to do that? Most air filters today focus on the maximum air movement rather than dwell time...
What about the germ guardian 5500 wifi unit. Is it any good? The options look cool, I like the air quality number readout. Or is there a better brand?
It's good in the sense that it comes equipped with a true HEPA filter. On the negative side of things it has a low quality carbon filter and low output (airflow). For smaller rooms (under 150 sq. ft.) it should work fine. For larger spaces I would strongly recommend a larger air purifier like the Winix 5500-2 or Coway Mighty.
How about skye air purifiers?
how about that Stanley steamer offers a uv for home systems called renuv?
Do you plan on testing the Enviroklenz?
I don't have immediate plans to test it but will definitely consider testing it in the future.
@@consumer-analysis is there a particular reason why? Expense or something I'm not thinking of? Do you think that having the uv light over the HEPA filter helps?
How can these company claim that, that is false advertising should be illegal
Does the winix plasmawave create ozone? If so, how should I use it with out compromise my health? Please help me answer this!
You can just turn it off and leave it off though even if you leave it on it doesn't generate ozone in sufficient quantities for it to be harmful: ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/air-cleaners-ozone-products/california-certified-air-cleaning-devices
@@consumer-analysis Is it more beneficial to leave it on? I just want to make sure I'm using the winix 5500-2 to its fullest potential without it being counterproductive.
@@nyrydaman17 I discuss how ionizers (like the one in the Winix) can be helpful here: www.consumeranalysis.com/guides/air-purifiers/air-ionizers/
Thanks very informative
For AC4900 , how would I know if that UV light bulb is still working ?
According to the AC4900 manual the UV light on the front of the air purifier turns red when it's time to replace the bulb.
I love the information but I’d love to see tests maybe not by you but in general to see how well these products actually kill germs and bacteria in the air.
wha about the biopur by sanuvox?
...could you do a series on UVGI lights. due to the current crisis this is coming up and I want to know if I should buy a UVGI lamp
I will definitely be taking a look at these. Thank you for the suggestion!
I am quite interested as well. Wondering about portable units that you can take on trips to sanitize a hotel or cruise ship room. I don’t mean wand size, but something effective to sanitize the whole, but small room. You showed a link to hospital unit, but I hope there are viable small room options that are effective. I understand that the ozone production requires the room be vacated for awhile while the unit does its work. That’s reasonable when you travel. Turn it on and leave the room to go get a meal! Thanks for your videos. They are thorough, but understandable!
What’s a good wattage to look for?
I think low wattage is only one of many reasons why most UV air purifiers are ineffective. Even with a much higher wattage bulb I believe most units will still be ineffective. A whole different way of processing the air is necessary for effective UVGI - something like this, for example www.xenex.com/our-solution/lightstrike/
Are you looking into reviewing air purifiers that are designed around UVC first? A lot of the products on the market today are more air filters first with a secondary UVC element. We'd love to send you one!
It's been a while since i learned something without feeling like a product is about to be pitched.
Great death knowledge, very enlightening thank you sir for sharing selflessly.
I remember the Oreck air purifier that used electrostatic plates for a filter, it had UV lights in it that was marketed as “the Helios Shield”. Lol. Don’t think those air purifiers are that effective
Thank you for so much detail . It was very informative and thorough. Thanks again.
does UV light create harmful ozone ?
Thank you for this. Kind of dumb question - Since the virus can be captured with HEPA filters, will spraying Lysol or other disinfectants to the Air Purifier/directly to filters 'kill' the pathogen?
The pathogens should die on the filter without needing to spray disinfectant on them.
Hepa filters cannot capture viruses as they are smaller than the 0.3 microns that hepa filter can capture
And to entertain this question even more. IF there was a hepa filter that could capture viruses they will die on the filter as viruses need a host to survive.
With your first few statements, you invalidated most cheap big box brands. Light intensity is also an overlooked issue
have you come across radic8 hextio ?
Unfortunately, no.
@@consumer-analysis hextio.net/technology/ check out there website tell me what you think it seems to work on a different type of technology, i value your expert opinion
UV-C can kill bacteria and viruses by producing reactive oxygen species. That usually requires a catalyst or coating material like titanium dioxide for maximum effectiveness.
Will the UV light help kill the virus in the air?
UV light absolutely kills germs. My concern in this video is that most air purifiers are not properly optimized to use UV light to kill germs effectively.
I want to believe this guy but strikes me as a Winix salesman.
This guy looks like the villagers from minecraft
I haven't played Minecraft but looked it up online and I don't see the resemblance?
Folks just remember if you pick up a book you too can learn.
could you study the hospital grade air purifiers in the market? we all want fast, quiet and effective.
Thank you very much for sharing what you know to us!
Could you also make a video on filters for masks? Everything is coming from china. Can we make them here?
Thank you for your suggestions! I will definitely take them into account for future videos, especially in light of the current crisis.
Will this kill the junk they spray in the sky?
Bro you must’ve been a professor
More of talking less of information.