Proper maintenance of air conditioners is important. Before turning them on, you must check that the filters are also clean to avoid unpleasant negative effects on our health
In the summer (but also during the winter months), heat pumps and air conditioners are used a lot. However, many of us do not know that before putting them into use it is necessary to clean them properly to prevent accumulated dust from dispersing in the air we breathe, but also to optimize their operation and reduce energy costs.
Unfortunately, many air pollutants, harmful bacteria but also dust and pet hair end up in the filters of air conditioners. This is associated with a number of health risks when such systems are not properly cleaned.
Contaminated air conditioning makes us more vulnerable
A dirty air conditioner or filters become an ideal breeding ground especially for harmful molds and fungi. These types of particles also accumulate and hide deep within the air conditioning system. (Also Read: Mold Exposure: Symptoms You Shouldn’t Underestimate)
Once the air conditioning is turned on, the cold air that is released unfortunately disperses the atmospheric pollutants that contaminate the room environment. Once inhaled, they can promote the spread of certain diseases, including legionellosis, respiratory problems and other lung diseases.
Symptoms related to the presence of molds
Often associated with the presence of humidity in the house, they can also be linked to poor cleaning of the air conditioners. Here are the symptoms that indicate its presence and to watch out for:
- mall on test
- Eye irritation
- Skin irritation, in the form of dryness and itching
- Postnasal discharge
- Cough
- fatigue
These symptoms could be even more troublesome for allergy sufferers and children.
Sick building syndrome
This term might sound creepy, but it really exists. It was first used by Dr. Mark Mendell, an epidemiologist who conducted a research study in the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory of the United States Department of Energy.
The Ministry of Health also explained what it was, according to which the Sick building syndrome – SBS manifests itself in a large number of occupants of modern or recently renovated buildings, equipped with mechanical ventilation and global air conditioning systems ( without the introduction of fresh air from the outside).
Symptoms of SBS
They occur after a few hours of staying in a specific building and resolve themselves over the course of a few hours or days after leaving the building. Although the exact causes are not yet known, the Ministry reports
factors related to buildings, air conditioning and ventilation systems, maintenance programs, the type and organization of work and personal factors certainly play an important role. Numerous investigations in buildings where health or comfort problems were reported showed that the prevalent problem (in almost half of the cases) was inadequate ventilation. Many chemical compounds found in indoor air are known or suspected to cause irritation or stimulation of the sensory system and can give rise to a sense of sensory discomfort and other symptoms commonly found in so-called SBS. Studies conducted on offices and other public buildings in different countries have revealed a frequency of disturbances among occupants of between 15% and 50%.
Why clean filters often
The advice is to clean the air conditioner filter every 2 weeks. This brings a number of advantages concerning:
- Energy efficiency. A dirty AC air filter is linked to higher power consumption. One of the easiest and fastest ways to reduce your energy bill is to replace the air filter when it cannot be cleaned.
- Salute. A dirty air filter reduces the air quality in our home. As we have illustrated, this can aggravate allergies and asthma, particularly in children.
- Atmosphere. A dirty air filter increases our carbon footprint. Periodic cleaning and replacement of the filter reduces the amount of energy consumed by the home.
So many reasons why we should pay more attention to the cleaning of our air conditioner.
Sources of reference: Ministry of Health
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