AC does more than keep you comfortable in the summer. It can prevent heat-related symptoms and even help prevent illness. You may have heard scary stories about air conditioning making people sick. The fact is, when you take proper care of your system, air conditioning health problems can be easily avoided.
Health benefits of air conditioning
Reduce or eliminate heat-related symptoms
In many places where air conditioning is less common, heat waves become a health crisis. The less heat-tolerant, such as kids and the elderly, are more at risk for heat stroke and dehydration. Certain conditions, such as heart disease or immune disorders, can be exacerbated by the heat. Air conditioning is the best way to prevent and reduce heat-related symptoms.
Improve air quality conditions
Air conditioning can help remove dust from the air, and give you cleaner air indoors. Upgraded filters can also help remove bacteria, mold, allergens and air pollution from the air, making a healthier environment for those with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory issues.
It’s important to understand that standard HVAC filters don’t remove contaminants. MERV 13 filters can help, but the best way to remove airborne contaminants is with an HVAC air purifier.
Some air conditioning health problems
High humidity can spread illness
Certain AC problems can lead to high humidity in your space. High humidity allows bacteria to flourish. If not properly cleaned, system can develop and spread mold and fungus. Left unchecked in a large setting, a neglected AC system can spread bacteria and mold, leading to what is sometimes called sick building syndrome.
Sick building syndrome is most common in office buildings with reports of air conditioning health problems, or employees claiming that the building is making them sick. What can really be making them sick are the particles being spread by an improperly-maintained system.
Fortunately, sick building syndrome can easily be fixed or prevented with proper care, maintenance, and cleaning of your HVAC equipment and ducts.
Low humidity causes discomfort and more
Having the humidity too low can also cause problems. Dry air can cause dry skin and hair. It can also dry out your sinuses, making it easier to get respiratory infections. What’s worse, many viruses thrive in low humidity conditions.
If your AC is running constantly because it needs maintenance, you could end up with too little humidity in your space.
Exposure to refrigerant
Rarely, refrigeration chemicals used by AC can cause health issues. The situation is rare because these chemicals are normally completely contained within the system and reused continually, so you should never come into contact with them. But if there is a serious leak, or an untrained person tries to fix the AC, it’s possible to cause exposure to dangerous chemicals that can result in air conditioning health problems.
For this reason you should ALWAYS leave repairs or construction around HVAC systems to the professionals.
Learn more: DIY HVAC Repair? Don’t Even Think About It
How to prevent air conditioning health problems
Here are three strategies to prevent your air conditioning from becoming contaminated or having repair issues that could impact your health.
AC preventative maintenance
A good way to make sure your AC is getting enough maintenance is to schedule an appointment with your HVAC technician in spring, and possibly fall, depending on your usage. Getting your system checked out before you start using it for the summer and after you stop using it for the year is a great way to keep your AC functioning properly all year long.
Ask questions and make sure the service you are getting is thorough. A service technician should inspect and clean the whole system. They should check any place in the system where moisture might build up, such as drain lines, pans, and coils. Your HVAC tech should also check the fan motor, blades, and belts for signs of damage.
Duct cleaning
If your HVAC system has ducts, this is another area where illness-causing particles can accumulate and contribute to air conditioning health problems. Having your ducts cleaned can improve air quality by eliminating the spread of mold, bacteria and viruses.
The right HVAC filters for your needs
Getting the right kind of HVAC filters is a great way to prevent air conditioning health problems (as well as problems with your system).
Standard filters only prevent dust from entering the HVAC equipment. They don’t prevent pollen, allergens, or pollution from getting in the air you breathe.
Higher efficiency filters can trap more allergens that aggravate allergies and asthma.
HEPA filters are the highest efficiency filters (rated MERV 17-20). They are woven from glass fibers and trap smaller particles (and more of them) than paper filters. HEPA filters should be changed more often than paper filters, at least once every other month, or once a month in high pollen count areas and seasons.
Be aware that there are downsides to HEPA filters:
- They are thicker than standard filters and may not fit into your filter housing (requiring expensive system modifications).
- HEPA filters cost many times more than standard ones.
- HEPA filters reduce air flow and can cause problems with your system.
Ask your HVAC technician to recommend the right filter for your needs and your system. If you are concerned about allergies and illness, a MERV 13 filter might be the best option.
If you work in a place that has poor air quality, such as a commercial kitchen, machine shop, factory, you should clean or replace your filters more often, even if you are getting regularly scheduled maintenance. Your technician can get you filters and show you how to change them.
Learn more: Why and How to Change an AC Air Filter
