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Is Your Air Conditioner
Making You Sick?  

It could be you're lack of focus, fatigue and headaches
are coming from an unexpected source... 

Do the A/C's filters really make a difference?

Ever wake up in the morning with an inexplainable head cold and suffer through your day with a range of symptoms like headache, running nose and a sore throat? Or you slept a full 7-8 hours with the A/C ON but still waking up tired as if you didn't sleep at all?

Well, it is possible that your air conditioner is making you sick!

While the the cold air coming from your AC or the unit itself is not inherently making you sick the reasons for your trouble are the side effects of a dirty air conditioner and indoor air pollution.

To put it simply, your air conditioner recirculates the existing air in your room, and if your room consists of airborne pollutants, these also get circulated through our air are inhaled into your airways and can end up triggering health problems.

What many do not realize is that your AC does not bring in fresh air, rather it recycles your existing indoor air, cools it and pushes it back out at a lower temperature. The result of breathing this recycled air can be harmful. 

How this recycled air can be so harmful? Your AC does have a filter, but what may surprise many people is that indoor air quality can be up to 5x worse than outdoor pollution. This is because our homes are designed to be airtight, keeping the temperature comfortable while protecting us from the elements.

The unintended consequence of this is that we end up breathing in a cocktail of indoor pollutants that can cause effects detrimental to our health. 

But doesn't my AC already have a filter?

Yes, your AC does have a filter, but unfortunately it was designed to stop large pieces of dust but does nothing against micro pollutants, bacteria, spores or viruses. Many people are surprise to learn that indoor air can be up to 5x more polluted than the air outside. This is because our homes are designed to be airtight, keeping the temperature comfortable while protecting us from the elements.

The unintended consequence of this is that we end up breathing in a cocktail of indoor pollutants that can cause effects detrimental to our health. In fact there are millions of premature deaths a year that are caused by air pollution.

How does this happen?

Suppose you have pet dander floating around or mold and bacteria present in your room. In that case, air conditioning will cause these pollutants to circulate, which can cause sore throats, stuffy noses, or respiratory issues. Also, if your air conditioner is not well maintained, it can end up being a source of mold growth and bacteria. As air passes through your AC, these pollutants can simply escape into your room.

6 Signs Your A/C is Making You Sick

BREATHING OR RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS
Dirty air conditioner can  become a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria and fungi. This oversight can result in black mold in especially bad cases, as moisture can build up in the coils and ducts from condensation that forms when the cool air passes.

VISIBILE MOLD 
Living or working near an old and moldy air conditioner can increase your chances of respiratory infection. Mold also causes symptoms like throat irritation, wheezing, and congestion. If you are feeling any of these symptoms, it may be time you checked out your surroundings for mold. Molds can lead to potentially fatal infectious pneumonia or even Legionnaires’ disease, 


DRY OR FLAKEY SKIN
Spending lots of time in an air-conditioned environment can cause your skin to dry out. The cold, dry air often causes your skin to lose moisture, which results in dry, flaky skin. The same can be said for your hair and scalp, as they may suffer some ill effects as well.

FATIGUE AND HEADACHES
Many individuals find that after a day of work, they tend to feel more tired than usual, some have headaches, and some have a general sense of weariness. Those same people will also find that once they leave the building, the symptoms often resolve. The chances are that it may be something in the building, such as the air conditioner.

CONTAMINATION AND GERMS
The Environmental Protection Agency has warned that we may be exposed to more pollutants inside than outside. One cause of this could be central air conditioning circulating old stagnant air rather than bringing in fresh air from outside. Meaning that if there is mold, dust, animal dander, viruses, or airborne infections floating about, then individuals are more likely to be exposed and get sick.

 VISITING THE DOCTOR FREQUENTLY
Studies have shown that individuals who spend more time in an air-conditioned environment have increased use of health care services. An analysis found an increase in complaints related to ears-nose-and-throat problems, respiratory issues, and dermatological problems.

You May Think You are Safer at Home...

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American spends 93% of their life indoors, take into account the effects of the recent pandemic and you can bet that that number has increased.

If you don’t understand why this is a problem consider this; studies by the EPA have shown that indoor air can be up to 5 times as polluted as the air you breathe outdoors.

What’s worse, is that your exposure to these harmful pollutants is drastically increased while indoors due to the lack of proper ventilation. The air outdoors is constantly moving, removing harmful pollutants through complex systems.

Conversely the air you breathe in your home is stagnant, especially in the winter months where it is too cold to open a window. Homes are designed to keep air in so it is no wonder that the air quality at home can be harmful to your health. 

Meet the "Silent Killers" -
PM10 & PM2.5

There are two main types of household pollutants that everyone should be aware of, PM10 and PM 2.5.

PM stands for particulate matter (also commonly referred to as particle pollution). Particulate matter is defined as the a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air we breathe.

Some particles, such as dust, dirt, hair, or smoke, are large enough to be seen in our daily lives, these generally fall into the category of PM10. While others particles are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope and are considered PM2.5, or by the their nickname - "The Silent Killers".

As you may be wondering the respective 10 and 2.5 notation refers to the particulate matters (PM) size as measured in micrometers.

Why Your AC Filters Need Regular Cleaning

Surprised about AC Pollution?
Watch Out For these Activities in Your Home!

Many common household activities result in the production of particulate matter and pollutes of the air we breathe. Here is a list of some of the biggest air quality polluters at home.

Cooking Gasses 🍳
Cooking has been shown to be a huge indoor air polluter. Particularly when frying with oil, experts suggest cooking only in well ventilated areas when fresh air can remove the carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and other harmful pollutants that are created from natural gas stoves. 

Tobacco Smoke 🚬
We know that smoking is dangerous to our health, but studies have found that second hand smoke can be just as harmful. Not only that but tobacco smoke has a way of sticking to walls, carpets and other fabrics leaving your home with a nasty smell.

Pet Hair 🐾
Yes pets are awesome and they provide us with loads of unconditional love. But they tend to track in outdoor dirt and are constantly shedding dander and hair that can cause allergic reactions.  

Dust Particles 💨
Dust particles are created everyday from sources such as dead skin cells being shed, organic matter that gets tracked into your home from outside and can be even spread throughout your home by running an unclean air conditioner.

Plant Pollen 🌼
Many people suffer from seasonal allergies cased by plant pollen primarily in the springtime. These microscopic particles can cause a range of symptoms from runny noses, to coughs, sneezes and itchy eyes.

Mold Spores 🍄
Molds tend to grow in damp and dark spaces in our home such as bathrooms and air conditioners. While most mold will only cause mild irritation for humans, some molds, such as black mold can be extremely harmful to human health. 

Airborne Bacteria & Viruses 🦠
While totally invisible to the naked eye, we come in contact with thousands of airborne viruses and bacteria everyday. While many are not harmful to humans, there are some that can cause illnesses from a minor flu or cold to SARS-COV-2 infections.

This is an advertorial not a news article or a blog post - This page is intended to act as a promotion for a product and should not serve as medical advice. Any product reviews described on this site are based on individual experiences that some users have achieved and may not be typical

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