Modern day homeowners use air conditioning systems to maintain comfortable temperatures at home. These aircon systems come in handy in extreme weather conditions such as hot summer nights.
It is important to note however, that your air conditioner also has a large impact on the air quality in your home.
For this reason, a regular maintenance process should be carried out. This ensures the system is free of contaminants so the air is fresh and clean. As an aircon owner you should make it a habit for the air conditioner to be inspected regularly.
If you neglect your aircon system the air outside your home could be of higher quality than that inside, which is not a great outcome.
How Can Air Conditioners Affect Air Quality?
There are many different reasons your cooling / heating system could be causing poor air quality, especially when it recirculates indoor air.
For starters improper installation and a lack of maintenance can lead to leaks and blockages in the system. This can lead to poor air circulation and a moisture buildup in the system itself. Not only does this cause poor air quality but can also create dangerous mould and mildew spores.
Next, the air filters are designed to remove air contaminants from the air in your home. However, when they are dirty or not changed regularly, they become home to numerous contaminants and a breeding ground for bad bacteria and microorganisms.
As such, if basic maintenance is ignored or not performed as scheduled, smaller issues can turn into bigger problems as dirt and contaminants can spread throughout all the internal parts of the system.
If left for too long then only an expert can help by performing an extensive clean and overhaul of the system, which depending on the damage could be expensive.
How to Prevent Air Pollution & Bad Bacteria from Breeding in Your AC
As mentioned, a clean aircon all starts with proper installation. This is why it is vital that air conditioners are professionally installed by experienced technicians. This will ensure that all the joints are properly sealed and tested.
Next, as an aircon owner, you should learn how to perform simple maintenance tasks on your specific model of air conditioner. Clearing the filters regularly and wiping down the vents or ducts may be all you need to do, but if you do not do this it can lead to larger problems.
The final, and arguably the most important thing you must do is get a professional annual maintenance service. During this service, the technician will not only inspect the AC unit for issues or part replacement opportunities, but they will also thoroughly clean it.
Steps the technician will take go beyond what you have access to including cleaning drain pans and cooling coils, eliminating blockages and fixing leakages. This thorough clean will completely remove contaminants such as debris, dust, bacteria and mold spores.
A regular professional service will also prevent breakdowns due to small issues and will also help determine whether the system is performing optimally. When the system is running as efficiently as possible your power bill will be lower, so this is another benefit of this professional service.
But above all else, an aircon specialist will help remove toxic airborne bacteria and microorganisms from your AC system. This is an effective way of improving the air quality in your home.
AC Air Pollution Leads to Increased Health Issues
In a time that viruses are lurking in the air, it is crucial to prevent air pollution from air conditioners as AC contaminants could be worsening the condition of those with respiratory or other health issues. It can worsen these people’s condition as the biological growth gets into the lungs.
The more it accumulates, the more it becomes a health hazard. With time, occupants of the home may start having varying issues.
You can tell when there is a problem with the air quality when you experience throat irritation, allergies, stuffy nose, and even inflamed sinus passages. Dry skin, flu-like symptoms, increased asthma attacks, and fatigue could also be caused by dirty air conditioning units.
It is worse for those with auto-immune disorders, allergies, COPD, asthma, and immune-compromised individuals.
Why wait to experience discomforts and health issues to have the unit inspected? Instead, ensure preventative maintenance.
Conclusion
When the air quality in your home is poor, it could be making the occupants sick. That HVAC system you have owned for several years could be a source of health issues if it is poorly maintained.
If the air conditioner accumulates microparticles such as fungus, mold, bacteria, and dust, then this will be a source of health problems. These bacteria can get into your body and settle in your bloodstream.
As a homeowner, you should not wait until you feel sick every time the unit is on. It is a problem that can be prevented with regular maintenance. All you need is to work with a reputable technician and then follow a regular maintenance plan.
This is the only way to prevent AC air pollution and to ensure that your home’s air quality is excellent.
Another benefit of this approach is you will increase the lifespan of your HVAC system. Also you will notice more reliability from your system with a lower power usage as it will be more efficient.