UV Lights

UV stands for ultraviolet light. UV lights have been used for years to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi such as mold. UV lights in an HVAC system are an add-on feature to help improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and prevent mold growth on your air conditioner or heat pump system’s evaporator coil.

There are three types of ultraviolet light: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVA and UVB are the UV rays that can cause skin cancer and sunburn. Short-wave UVC rays can kill microorganisms by penetrating their cellular walls and destroying both nucleic acid and DNA, which effectively deactivates bacteria, viruses, and mold.

UVC rays are also not safe for human exposure. Since HVAC UV lights are UVC lights, technicians must take special precautions to turn off the light before servicing the unit.