Could your air conditioner be making you sick?

Could your air conditioner be making you sick?

It’s that time of year when we all enjoy the sunny weather, warm breezes, and spending time outdoors. But when we’re done with the outdoor activities, we come inside and enjoy cooling off with our air conditioners making our indoor activities a little more comfortable.

But did you know that an improperly maintained air conditioner unit could be making you sick? That’s right, it can.

 

WHY AIR CONDITIONERS CAN CAUSE YOU TO FEEL SICK

Although air conditioners have been involved in the plan of treatment for those who suffer from such respiratory issues as asthma and allergies, some people have started to wonder if these common household appliances can be doing more harm than good. But why?

While air conditioners in themselves do not make us sick they do act as a catalyst with environmental conditions within our homes. Meaning that if our home has bacteria, fungi, mold, and mildew present, our air conditioners can and will interact with these contagions and result in what is known as ‘Air Conditioning Sickness’ (aka Air Conditioning Lung). Our air conditioner is circulating the contagions in our homes and helping them to make the leap from a surface to your respiratory system. In addition to this, our air conditioners can harbor mold and bacteria within themselves if not properly maintained. Since an air conditioner operates by pulling air over it’s coils the air conditioner produces condensation. This moist environment is the perfect environment for bacteria and mold to develop when regular cleaning is not performed.

Another way to get sick from our air conditioners is by running them too cold. That’s right, if its too cold we can be exacerbating the conditions we have physically and environmentally to lead us toward illness. Here’s how. According to WebMD, some viruses have a better survival rating in low humid, cold environments. Well guess what? Air conditioners are designed to keep our homes humidity and temperature low. When we run our air conditioners too cold, we can cause the arteries in the skin to constrict so that it protects the body from heat loss. This leads to a decrease in the flow of blood, which includes white blood cells that defend the body against viruses. This ultimately will make us more vulnerable to getting sick. As far as the low humidity…very dry environments evaporate the moisture found in the lining of the nose, thus making it more inclined towards infection, which means…. we can get sick easier.

 

SYMPTOMS OF AIR CONDITIONING SICKNESS

How does ‘Air Conditioning Sickness’ manifest itself? Well, have you ever noticed that while you’re enjoying your air-conditioned room, that over time you have developed a stuffy nose, sore throat, headaches, dizziness, dry skin or nasal passages, difficulty breathing, heat intolerance, or even raised blood pressure or weight gain? If so, you may be experiencing ‘Air Conditioning Sickness’. After seeking medical advice, it’s time to also take a look at cleaning that air conditioner.

 

DON’T HATE YOUR AC

Now we don’t want everyone to think that their air conditioner is some evil entity that needs to go to the dump. Far from it. Air conditioners have proven to be a life saver in our day and age, and they certainly have their place in our homes. Simply put, they need to be properly cleaned and maintained to provide a safe, comfortable home environment. This is true of any appliance in our home. So let’s continue to enjoy our air conditioners, but at the same time realizing that they deserve some time and attention to be safe and effective.

 

HOW TO KEEP MY AC SAFE?

The obvious answer to the question above is ‘Clean it’! There are basic things we can do to keep our AC clean and in good working order. One of the main ways to do this is to regularly clean your AC’s filters. But what about the hard to reach areas of your AC? You know those areas where bacteria, fungi, mold, and mildew hide out. To tackle this job, I recommend using PureAC. This device is well worth every penny. It simply slides into position over your air conditioning unit and then you turn it on, the rest is automated. PureAC will disinfect the hard to reach spaces inside your AC by using a process of disinfection used in many health and food industries for decades. Once the cycle is complete, you simply slide off the device and resume using your AC without the worry of spreading active contaminants around your home.

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