Healthcare Technology Featured Article

October 12, 2020

How Your Air Conditioner Affects The Air You Breathe




Your air conditioner can positively or adversely affect indoor air quality. A clean unit will promote clean indoor air. However, using an unclean air conditioner or the wrong cooling system might increase health issues for household members and guests. So, continue reading to know how your air conditioner affects the indoor air you breathe.

1. Increases The Risks Of Respiratory Issues

First of all, if you have a respiratory disease, like bronchitis or emphysema, breathing unclean indoor air from your air conditioner might worsen these conditions. If you don't get the right amount of fresh air, your lungs will start working overtime. The air inside your lungs will compress due to the air pressure delivered by the faulty air conditioner.

As a result, your lungs will work very hard, and your body will have a harder time to recover from existing health respiratory complications. For this reason, if you use an air conditioner for more than two hours in a day, then the air conditioner may adversely affect your health.

Another thing that can affect the health of your air conditioner is the indoor air’s humidity level. Consider using the air conditioner when the humidity level is low in your area. It’s better to avoid using it in areas where the humidity level is considerably high. It’s because the cooling system won’t function properly and will even increase the risks of mold growth.

Continuous exposure to mold growth might promote respiratory problems, such as asthma and chronic coughing. You can prevent these issues from happening by investing in a packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) as this device can promote excellent indoor air quality. You can click here for more information about choosing PTACs.

2. Increases The Risks Of Allergy Attacks

Note that the air conditioner works to cool a room by lowering the temperature inside. It works to improve indoor air quality by removing indoor air irritants.

It would also be best if you understood that high humidity levels might promote airborne allergens, such as mold, bacteria, and even mildew. Hence, invest in a good air conditioning system if you live in an area susceptible to these harmful microorganisms. Continuous exposure to these pathogens may increase the risks of allergy attacks, especially for the respiratory system.

Aside from these harmful substances, another source of indoor air pollution is smoke. Smoke is a very potent germ-carrier, particularly among those who inhale through their nose. Also, cigarette smoke contains numerous carcinogens, which can aggravate existing allergies.

Other indoor air pollutants exist, and you need to consider if you own an air conditioner. Various allergens, such as dust mites and mold spores, are containable with the right air purifying system. You may want to consider a HEPA air filter to get rid of dust mites. A filter that’s too small or too large will not trap airborne allergens.

If you already have an air conditioning system, it’s good to regularly clean your air ducts to prevent indoor air from getting contaminated. It may also be worth considering purchasing a portable HEPA filter air purifier for the home or office, particularly during the summer months.

3. Increases The Risks Of Infections

Air conditioning systems circulate the air in an area. Hence, if the location has contaminated or polluted air, it invites pathogens to enter people's bodies in the immediate vicinity.

So, if you experienced a paper cut or a guest has a wound, the unclean indoor air may inflict infections to the existing injury. Thus, the unclean air can promote a range of health complications, ranging from mild to serious.

If you’re already a proud owner of an air conditioner, don’t forget to clean it regularly. Clean your air conditioner at least once every 12 months. However, you might want to clean or maintain it more frequently if your home or business is in a relatively dirty environment.

Cleaning your air conditioner may not require a long time to accomplish. But, if you think the task is too much to handle, don’t hesitate to contact professionals. Technicians in the industry can help ensure that your cooling unit stays as clean as possible.

As a result, you and other household members can enjoy breathing clean indoor air throughout the year. Furthermore, you reduce potential infections from occurring.

Conclusion

Remember that the air conditioner you opt to use and its current state of cleanliness can affect the quality the indoor air you breathe. Thus, it should be in your best interest to always keep the information posted above in mind to maintain the household members’ and guests' excellent wellbeing.

 



Dave Turner

With more than ten years of experience in the blogging industry, Dave Turner has successfully gained thousands of readers online – and with Dave’s ability to write informative blogs on health and self-improvement, there’s no wonder why. 

Aside from updating his blog with high-quality articles, Dave also partners with several other websites to do guest posting. 



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