Germ Guardian EV9102 UV-C Air Sanitizer Review$109.00 to $149.99 Whether you believe, as I do, that the 21st century will see rampant epidemic disease and biological warfare, or simply desire some health security, some kind of defense against biological contamination will be a critical area to your future. Though popular, these sprays reduce microorganisms only temporarily. Many air purifiers advertised as appropriate for microbe removal have dangerous ozone emissions. Standalone ultraviolet (UV-C) air sanitizers could be part of the answer. Germ Guardian EV9102 UV-C Air Sanitizer, an elegant steel and aluminum design with glowing blue rings that say "it's working," is worth a closer look. For starters, this is no fringe product: bricks-and-mortar retail market penetration includes Costco Wholesale and Lowes Home Improvement.
The builders of the Germ Guardian claim it can kill over 99% of airborne microorganisms in air passing through the sanitizer. Marketers have substituted the phrase "in the room." Mold, bacteria, viruses, and dust mites are said to be eliminated from the air. Germ Guardian Air Sanitizer is claimed to eliminate airborne pathogens associated with diseases, including Bronchitis, Staph, Pneumonia, Tuberculosis, and Meningitis. Users agree that the EV9102 Air Sanitizer does dramatically reduce odors from mold, cooking, pets, and smoking. But note that odor reduction is a far cry from 99% room "sanitization." UV-C GermicidalGermicidal lamps operate at the relatively short wavelength Mercury resonance line of 254 nanometers. UV-C is a time honored method of disinfection in hospital operating theaters and in clean-room manufacturing. UV-C radiation alters microorganisms' DNA, causing reproductive cell division to stop. Pathogens cannot develop immunity to this radiation. GermGuardian: Great ExpectationsWhile I like the quality look-and-feel of the EV-9-102, there are several marketing exaggerations associated with the device. These must be addressed, and will cost GermGuardian a few points on the review's numeric rating. Some competitors products are convection current driven, making them very slow to clear air of germs. The Guardian has a fan with a variable speed control dial, allowing users to select any speed between low and high. EV9102s intake germ-laden air through slots at the bottom, and exhaust it through ports under the upper lid. Air goes through a coarse pre-filter ahead of the polished aluminum-lined disinfection chamber. This filter is probably intended to protect the lamp, fan, and chamber from dust build-up, and not an attempt to remove fine particulate from ambient air. Irradiation with UV-C takes several seconds, so there is always a design compromise between dosage and air movement. UV-C can sterilize any stationary environment when given enough time, but air moving through a UV air sanitizer must pause under the UV light. This is called "dwell time." Germ Guardian is claimed to move 1,380 cubic feet of air per hour, apparently raised from 700 cubic feet per hour recently. Again, that's cubic feet per hour. Note that this is not airflow in CFM (cubic feet per minute) as air purifiers are rated. Dividing 1,380 by 60 minutes we derive a mere 23 CFM fan capacity. The EV9102 Guardian is not an air purifier, as many buyers thought when making their purchase. It does not, and cannot, have a certified Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). Flee from any vendor who even alludes to a CADR for the Germ Guardian EV-9-102. Builders rate the Germ protector for a 200 square foot room. I rate it for half that. But the problem arises when vendors advertise: "Disinfects 10x20 Room In 60 Minutes." This is a blatantly false assertion. More like 60 hours. "99%" bug clearance from the 200 sq. ft. room might never be achieved, depending on source re-introduction rates. Simply dividing room size by airflow rate and assuming all the room's air has been cleared of microbes is very misleading. Even assuming the Germ Guardian is kept on its highest setting, there will be very substantial shortcutting, reprocessing of the same air in a loop, with a machine this low powered. On low settings, far reaches of the room simply will not be protected. How will it pull germ laden air from across the room when 200 cfm air cleaners cannot? This is why Consumer Reports will not recommend any air cleaner under 100 CADR (roughly equivalent to 110 cfm). Also, the Guardian kills only airborne pathogens, not germs on surfaces, hidden in cracks and crevices, clinging to drapes, or multiplying in carpet. There is a very good reason why most UV-C installations go in HVAC air plenum chambers, heating and AC coils, evaporator pans, and air ducts. HVAC systems, operating intermittently in humid climates,condense moisture which breeds germs. So, for example: an air sanitizer installed in a damp basement room served by moldy air conditioning coils in Atlanta will take much longer to clear the air of mold spores an identical machine deployed in a desert mountain home overlooking Phoenix. How about this marketing line: "works in any size room." Not even a false statement - presumably it would "work" outdoors. The last marketing issue is the repeated assertion that the germicidal power of the EV9102 has been tested, and by implication certified, by the Harvard School of Public Health. I did not see evidence or find links to support the Harvard claims. NoiseGerm Guardian is advertised as "whisper-quiet," which it should be since the control knob offers limitless settings. But several user reviews report fan noise even on the lowest setting. Almost everyone posting says it's loud on high. Now this could be caused by a quality control problem - many inexpensive air cleaners are shipped with out of balance or misaligned fans - or a design issue, hard to discern which. Maintenance
Guaranteed to last 8000 hours of continuous use, the bulb will flicker or change colors when replacement is needed.
EV-9-102's UV-C bulb start to fade by 9000 hours, about a year of use. Germ Guardian Replacement UV-C Light Bulb and Filter, part EV9LB, runs $25.99 on sale at www.air-n-water.com. I saw it for $26.98 at Lowes today. A Phillips screwdriver and minimal mechanical skills are required to replace the bulb and filter. However, extreme care must be taken when handling the Mercury-vapor bulb - both breakage (see below) and fingerprints must be avoided. EV-9-102 Safety and PortabilityThe UV-C bulb in the Germguardian does not produce ozone. Blue UV-C shines through glass slits, can we assume it is safely contained? Users should not look at unfiltered UV radiation - eye damage may result. The bulbs contain mercury, not intended to be disposed of in trash. These low pressure mercury vapor discharge tubes (UV bulbs) must be handled carefully to avoid breakage. If broken, do not vacuum. Standing 17 inches tall and just over 6 inches in diameter, the germicidal cylinder weighs just 4lbs. 4oz. This makes it easily transportable between rooms. However, the microbe guard is not tiny, having the presence of a good sized table lamp. Desktop or bookshelf installation in gaps just 18 inches high is feasible due to the lateral, as opposed to upward, air intake and exhaust. Company InfoGerm Guardian
Guardian offers a 5-year limited warranty, long for the price range, on their microbe killer. Build quality is universally regarded as very good, switches appear sturdy, as does the metal shell. ApplicationsGerm Guardian EV9102 is an air sanitizer, not an air purifier. Hands in particular transmit disease. EV-9-102 is vastly underpowered for biological safe room installation. Many people mistakenly install conventional air purifiers into damp, mold-infested environments. Those installing any small air sanitizer in these microbe-prone environments should lower their expectations. Apartment dwellers and other short-term residents should see the Germ Guardians as a supplement to a real air purifier. Homeowners could consider similarly priced induct UV systems which install directly in a home's heating/air conditioning (HVAC) plenums or ductwork. So that leaves; Bathroom deodorizing is another potential installation, as most baths are small and have bugs and odors to zap. For these groups, the handsomely designed and quality built EV9102 UV-C Air Sanitizer from Germ Guardian is a viable option.
Germ Guardian EV9102 UV-C Air Sanitizer RatingEach of ten factors gets up to 10 points, 100 is perfect and very unlikely. 1. First do no harm; minimal out gassing, no ozone. Score: 8 of 10, builder says their product emits no ozone, Mercury issues hurt here. 2. Serious gas and odor removal is a requirement if health benefits are expected: Units with real carbon VOC capability rank higher. Score: 8 of 10, odor reputation good, probably oxidizes some chemicals, not first line defense for chemicals. 3. Quality construction; case, gaskets, seals, and precision fitting eliminate bypassing and assure high efficiency at filtering sub-micron particles. Score: 10 of 10, well designed and constructed. 4. The design maximizes the lifespan of each filter stage by allowing independent filter replacement. Ideally this is combined with electronic filter monitoring. Score: 10 of 10. 5. Unit has long filter life, low maintenance requirements, and reasonable operating costs. Score: 8 of 10, annual maintenance 1/4 purchase price. 6. Purifier produces low noise levels and meaningful air flow rates relative to noise. Score: 7 of 10, not as quiet as many expect - competing ceramic-heat-tube type air sterilizers are totally silent. see Airfree Air Sterilizer Review 7. Manufacturer has a track record, with many units in the field and a reputation for supporting what they sell. Warranty period and average service life are long. Score: 5 of 10, warranty is long for price, 4 points lost here for misleading marketing. 8. Purifier is a value in terms of price/performance ratio. Every price range should be included, “models above $1,200 are best”, while true, is not useful to most consumers. The list is generally in order of descending price. Score: 8 of 10, be sure not to pay full suggested retail. 9. No dirt; unit and manufacturer should be devoid of class-action suits, high returns, recalls, consumer complaints, and legitimate negative consumer reviews. Score: 8 of 10. 10. Unit is stylish, portable, comfortable, and convenientfor consumer use. Score: 10 of 10, sharp design and materials, easy to use. Air-Purifier-Power Numeric Rating; 82, sharp design, but don't expect miracles.
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Online vendors, including allergybegone.com, air-n-water.com, sears.com, air-purifier-home.com, homedepot.com, and walmart.com, have featured the shiny cylinder.
Germ Guardian air sanitizer has a replaceable 9 watt UV-C light bulb.
