Do Uv Lights Kill Mold Spores

Effective destruction of some viruses and most mold and bacterial spores usually requires much higher uv exposure than is provided in a typical home unit.

Do uv lights kill mold spores.

It s not biologically toxic but it will eliminate the viability of mold spores along with other organic compounds like bacteria viruses and some volatile organic compounds vocs. Ultraviolet light acts very similarly to humans getting a sunburn. If you are trying to kill spores typically they are more resistant to uv also as they tightly pack their dna into hardened bundles that are tightly wound until conditions are right for them to grow. This affects the functioning of the uv lamp when killing mold and eventually defeats the whole purpose.

But typical uvgi cleaners used in homes have limited effectiveness in killing bacteria and molds. Uv light is a proven technology that can kill mold powdery mildew germs and other pathogens from spreading. Uv c lamps which provide uv light on the c bandwidth are best for dealing with mold problems as other types of uv light don t damage the mold enough. Pur uv powerful light 55w livingroom bedroom germ dustmite eliminator kill 99 9 mold bacteria germs dustmite virus help reduce allergy from dustmite 360 sterilization remote control 110v 3 5 out of 5 stars 45 249 99 249 99 249 99 count save 5 with coupon.

Leaving the regular lights turned on while using uv light to kill mold is one of the biggest blunders one can make. Uv lights in the air conditioning system will kill mold indirectly. A strategically placed uv light is very effective at killing close to one hundred percent of these harmful pollutants. This type of radiation comes into contact with organic materials such as mold and bacteria and begins to break it down killing the affronting materials and pollutants on contact.

The best part is that the lights are harmless to pets and humans. In these cases ultra violet uv lamps are effective in killing mold and mold spores. While uv light is effective as killing molds fungi bacteria and really any living organism it does not penetrate very well. Since the 18th century it is widely used in industrial processes medical equipment and hospital e g.

Uv light has been in use for many years as a disinfecting technology to not only kill mold but also bacteria viruses and other pathogens. Germicidal or uv lights for hvac systems are used to kill the dna of germs viruses mold spores bacteria and fungi as they pass through the air handler system. In fact as early as 1878 arthur downes wrote a scientific paper describing the sterilization of bacteria to short wavelength light. This is how uv purifiers work and why they work so well.

Furthermore dead mold spores can still produce allergic reactions so uvgi cleaners may not be effective in reducing allergy and asthma symptoms.