From home to the car to the office, school or store, many of us spend our summers moving from one air-conditioned space to another. But have you ever considered the quality of the air coming out of that air conditioner?
It could be affecting your health.
Here are some things to consider before you turn on the AC:
AC maintenance
Whether your unit is an HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) or a heat pump that provides cold air in summer and heat in winter, spring can be the perfect time to have your unit serviced to make sure it is ready for summer.
Getting your AC checked will make sure the unit is up to the stress of summer heat. It will also see to it that there are no mechanical problems that can contaminate the air inside your home.
Change the filter
A clogged filter can’t stop allergens, pesticides or other particles from entering your home. Just remember, if the filter is not clean, the air coming out of the vent will not be clean.
So before you crank up the AC for summer, change the filter. Consider writing the date you put in a new filter on the paper frame of the filter facing toward you. That can give you an easy way to keep track of how long the old filter has been in place.
Find out how often the manufacturer recommends changing the filter, and then do it. Your nose and lungs will thank you!
Open up for fresh air
Many air conditioners recycle the air already inside the building, which means your air conditioner can actually concentrate contaminants and help spread germs throughout the building.
Central air conditioning has been shown to spread serious infections, including a potentially fatal form of pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease.
While this kind of infection may be rare, other contaminants are commonly found in indoor air, including chemicals from building materials, cleaning products, synthetic fibers and insecticides. Other contaminants include pet dander, dust mites and potentially deadly carbon monoxide from gas water heaters and other appliances.
Opening the windows in the heat of summer may not be a good choice. But whenever the weather allows, open up the doors or windows to let in some fresh air.
Duct check
In addition to cooling the air, your air conditioner pulls moisture or humidity out of the air. This means there can be a lot of condensation inside the unit or in your ducts. Condensation that builds up in the summer can blossom into mold when the unit is shut off in the fall.
That mold, along with dust and other contaminants, can collect on your AC filter when it is not in use, then be blown into your home along with the first blast of cold air the next summer.
You can check part of your duct system by removing an air vent and looking into the tunnel. If you see signs of mold, dust accumulation or other particles, have your ducts professionally cleaned before you turn on your AC for the summer.
If you’ve done any remodeling or home renovations, get your ducts cleaned to remove any residue, especially if you had work done involving asbestos or lead paint removal.
In addition to contributing to respiratory problems caused by dirty air, air conditioning can also contribute to other health woes including:
• Increased risk of catching a cold, the flu or other illnesses due to mucous membrane irritation caused by cold air.
• Headaches and fatigue from over-conditioned air or being caught in a cold draft if your desk sits right under an AC vent you can’t avoid.
• Dry skin from hours under the dry air pumped out by the air conditioner.
• Increased symptoms from chronic illnesses such as low blood pressure, arthritis or neuritis.
• More difficulty adjusting to temperature extremes when you go outside in the heat.
Depending on where you live, air conditioning may feel essential — or may actually be essential — to summer survival. Taking care of your air conditioner can help to ensure that it is improving your life, not making you sick.
Sources:
Huffpost Healthy Living. How to Help Keep your AC From Affecting Your Health. Kayla Matthews. Web. June 28, 2015.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kayla-matthews/how-to-keep-your-air-cond_b...
Livestrong. Negative Health Effects of Central Air Conditioning. Caroline Thompson. Web. June 28, 2015.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/160205-negative-health-effects-of-cent...
Global News. Top 5 health problems associated with air conditioning. Nicole Bogart. Web. June 28, 2015.
http://globalnews.ca/news/258330/top-5-health-problems-associated-with-a...
EnlightenMe. Central Air Conditioning and Allergies. Web. June 28, 2015.
http://enlightenme.com/central-air-conditioning
Reviewed July 2, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith