September 1, 2012
It is a common complaint among Northern California homeowners during the summer – a musty smell or odor that permeates throughout your home.
If you have already looked for the source and cannot find it, it may be your air conditioner.
That is correct, one of the most common causes of this odor is in your air conditioner. When your air conditioner cools, it uses a very cold refrigerant. As this refrigerant passes through your air conditioner’s metal coils, it creates condensation much the same way a cold glass of water does.
This condensation drips into a condensate pan and is drained out of your home. However, this moist environment inside of your air conditioner creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mold, mildew, and other bacteria.
If you already have a musty odor in your home as a result of buildup on your air conditioner’s coils, we recommend first getting an air-conditioning tune-up, which will include the cleaning of your coils.
Then the task turns to prevention. The most effective method of preventing this buildup of mold, bacteria and mildew within your air conditioner is to use a UVC germicidal lamp.
A UVC germicidal lamp emits UV light that kills microorganisms and keeps them from reproducing. The UVC lamp is installed within your air conditioner, above and below the coils, so any mold spores that are introduced into the area are killed before they can become a health problem for you and your home.
You may have heard some talk about the safety of UVC germicidal lamps in heating and cooling applications, because of ozone concerns. Much of this is due to UVC lamps being confused with “ozone purifiers” and “ozone generators” (which are banned in California.)
While UVC lights do emit some ozone (even those advertised as “ozone-free”), the levels are well below the federal limits. Also, many other things emit small, safe levels of ozone, such as fluorescent lamps, electric motors, fax machines and copy machines.
UVC germicidal lamps are a safe, effective method of keeping mold, mildew, and bacteria from growing in your air conditioner and creating a musty smell throughout your Northern California home.
For more information on how a Biocide Chamber UVC light could improve your home’s indoor air quality (and smell), contact us online.
Service Champions provides the best air-conditioning, heating, and air quality services in Northern California. We proudly serve San Jose, Sacramento, and the East Bay areas.