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Germicidal Light

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Germicidal Light
How long does it take for Germicidal UV-C lamp to kill germs (I have a 36 watt light)?

Do the UV-C lights in my furnace actually work at killing germs/bacteria or are they like most things, to good to be true and cost big $. I know that UV-C does actually kill germs but its not instantly in most cases. I’m trying to figure out if the air in an air duct passing by the light would actually be enough time to really kill germs. Any educated input on the matter would be appreciated.

Different germs required different amounts of time under the light. For example, some viruses can be killed after only a few seconds or minutes, while most bacteria require at least 20 minutes to kill.

The air in a duct passing under the light (if the air is constantly moving) would kill some germs, but not most.
I work in a microbiology lab, and we leave the UV light on for at least 20 minutes when we want to decontaminate something.

I would not spend a bunch of money on such a light for my home, just get a really good filter instead. Additionally, most of the germs in your home that would make you sick will be found on surfaces (door knobs, light switches, etc), unless someone in the house currently has a respiratory infection (including the common cold).