Choosing An Ultraviolet (UV) Water System For Your Home

Ultraviolet (UV) water disinfection equipment hashad a mechanical failure of the system. Basically, it will
become commonplace in many rural homes acrosstell you if your lamp or power supply have failed.
the USA, Canada, and the rest of the world. ThroughSome more sophisticated systems will provide you
water testing many homeowners discover that theirwith a code indicating which component has failed.
water is contaminated most commonly with ColiformThis can make troubleshooting and fixing your UV
bacteria but occasionally with more dangerous e.coli.water system far more straightforward. If you are
It's at this point that most people choose to go withgoing to be performing the maintenance and upkeep
an ultraviolet (UV) water system to solve theirof the system yourself, this is a feature that could
problem. The trouble is, there are manybe of great value.
manufacturers and models to choose from - soThe next level of performance monitoring is a
which one should you choose?system that includes an ultraviolet (UV) sensor,
Having a water source contaminated with bacteriasometimes called a UV monitor. Think of a UV sensor
can be a scary problem for a homeowner to tackle.as an electronic eye that stares at the UV lamp. If
The first step that most people take is to consultfor any reason the "eye" does not receive enough
anybody and everybody who has anything to doUV light it will trigger an alarm. Reasons for a UV
with home water systems. This often means asensor alarm include a dirty sleeve, poor incoming
conversation with the plumber. While there are somewater quality, or an old UV lamp. UV sensor
plumbers who are well versed in the world of watertechnology is not inexpensive and if you choose a
treatment, most only sell and install the stuff whenmodel with a sensor expect to pay several hundred
their existing customers demand it. Asking thedollars more than a similar capacity model without a
plumber for advice on which UV system you shouldsensor. It's important to note that a system with a
use to protect you and your family is akin to askingsensor is typically much more finicky than a
him which models his local wholesaler keeps in stock.non-sensor system. That is, the unit will do much
To be clear, most plumbers when asked about a UVmore beeping and alarming than a system without a
system will go back to their wholesaler and find outsensor. For some people, especially those with
what models the wholesaler has on the shelf. Thisdangerously contaminated water, this is a good thing.
can be a real mixed bag. Some wholesalers will haveFor people who are buying a UV system as a
high-quality products and some will carry theprecautionary measure, this might be an annoyance.
cheapest brand they can find.One last note about ultraviolet sensors - some
Often, the next step that a consumer takes is toapplications in some jurisdictions require that you
speak with the local water treatment shop. Typically,have one. If your water system is considered "public"
these stores will carry higher quality products within any way, shape, or form you probably need to
many more bells and whistles available. Often thehave a UV water system with a sensor and/or an
prices are very high, and it can be difficult to figureNSF certification.
out which features are worth the money.NSF CERTIFIED ULTRAVIOLET WATER SYSTEMS
It's up to you, the consumer, to arm yourself withIn the world of ultraviolet (UV) water systems there
the information you need to make an informedare two groups - NSF Certified and non-certified
decision. The rest of this article will help to educatesystems. The NSF is an organization that performs
you on the ins and outs of UV disinfection to helptesting of water disinfection equipment including
you make a smart choice.ultraviolet (UV) systems. A manufacturer can send
LAMP WATTAGEtheir system to NSF and pay to have them test it to
Manufacturers of electronics do a great job oftheir standards. Systems that pass then carry the
presenting consumers with so many technical detailsNSF-Certified mark. So, how does NSF do their
about their products that it obscures some of thetesting? Simply stated, in order for a UV system to
most important details. Lamp wattage is certainly onepass the NSF testing it must deliver a high level of
of these often-overlooked specs. The performanceUV disinfection performance, and must sound an
of a UV system, and the level of protection that itaudible/visible alarm if that level of performance is
affords, has first and foremost to do with the powercompromised. In order for the system to accomplish
of the UV lamp being used. An ultraviolet (UV) lamp isthis it needs to have by default a UV sensor and a
a specialized fluorescent lamp very similar to the kindflow restrictor. NSF Certified UV systems are most
you use to light your home. The higher the wattagetypically installed in public water situations such as
of the UV lamp, the brighter it is. A brighter lampcommunity centers, churches, schools, etc. Some
delivers more UV intensity and it provides a higherstates, however, demand that any UV system
level of protection. Period. Don't mistake systeminstalled in any situation must be NSF certified. These
wattage for lamp wattage. Some inefficient UVstates are California, Iowa, Massachusetts, and
systems will use a low power lamp but the powerWisconsin. In all other states it is rare to have an NSF
supply that drives the lamp may be a higher wattage.certified system installed on a private residential
You must find out the lamp wattage. Another wordwater supply.
of caution - different ultraviolet (UV) systemWARRANTY
manufacturers will use different lamp technologies.The only thing to mention about the warranty on UV
You may find an 8 gallon per minute system madesystems that differ from some other products is
by manufacturer X uses a 3-foot long lamp whilethat some manufacturers offer pro-rated warranties.
manufacturer Y uses a 2-foot long lamp and callsSo, if the manufacturer states that they offer a
their system a 12 gallon per minute system. How can10-year warranty and your system breaks after 5
the shorter lamp deliver higher performance? Simple.years, some UV system manufacturers will sell you a
Better technology. Lamp size has nothing to do withnew power supply for half price while others will
performance. Again, wattage is king.replace it for free. Avoid pro-rated warranties where
PERFORMANCE INDICATORSpossible. Keep in mind that it's much more common
If you're thinking about a home UV water system it'sto have a UV lamp or power supply burn out
usually because you have bacteria in your well orprematurely than it is to have the chamber spring a
you're concerned that you might in the future. Forleak.
this reason, you need to know if your UV system isEASE OF MAINTENANCE
working or not. There are several different featuresThere are a few manufactures of UV systems that
offered by most UV system manufacturers to helpoffer products that can be serviced without tools.
you know if your system is functioning properly. TheThis is a major plus for the homeowner who is going
first and most basic is an audio/visual performanceto be maintaining the system himself. Keep in mind
indicator. Any UV system that you're consideringthat you will want to remove the quartz sleeve for
should have an indicator light that tells you if yourcleaning periodically and will have to remove the lamp
system is in failure. This should be accompanied by anonce a year to change it. Some UV systems make it
audio alarm that sounds if the system fails. Sincevery easy to remove the lamp but nearly impossible
many ultraviolet (UV) light water systems areto remove the quartz sleeve without breaking it. A
installed in the basement, make sure the audio alarmbroken sleeve is an expense and a major
is loud enough that you can hear it on your main livinginconvenience - you won't be able to turn the water
level. The audio/visual indicator will tell you if you'veback on until it's been replaced.