Neglecting to clean air conditioners regularly can put our health at serious risk and also inflate our electricity bills during the summer. A dirty air conditioner turns into a breeding ground for dust, mites, mold spores and bacteria. When the unit is turned on, all these pollutants are dispersed into the air in the room, primarily affecting the respiratory system.
Exposed people may develop or worsen respiratory allergies, manifested by persistent sneezing, runny nose, dry cough and a burning sensation in the throat, and for those suffering from asthma or chronic bronchitis, attacks become more frequent and more severe. Eye and mucous membrane irritations are also common, and the specific unpleasant odor is a clear signal of fungal contamination that releases mycotoxins into the air.
In addition to allergic symptoms, the lack of sanitation favors the development of more serious infectious conditions, such as pneumonia or the severe form of pneumonia, caused by the bacteria Legionella pneumophila, which thrives in the moist environments of air conditioning systems.
In order not to put our health at risk, it is essential to periodically clean the air conditioners, explains Beatrice Mahler, associate professor at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, primary pulmonologist at the Marius Nasta Institute of Pneumology.
“It is absolutely necessary to carry out regular maintenance of air conditioners, both to benefit from clean air and to protect our airways from allergic manifestations, such as the onset of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Moreover, in the situation where there is a risk or we learn about a person who has become ill with an atypical bacteria, such as a Legionella type bacteria, it is recommended to announce if we have been in an air-conditioned room, because that bacteria can remain in the facilities and later infect other people who will be in that area. However, this usually requires air-conditioning systems that are not maintained, filters that are not changed on time, and conditions that allow sufficient time for the development of this microorganism to occur.”the doctor declared, for “Adevărul”.
A dirty air conditioner also increases your electricity bills
The advice is repeated by the energy expert Dumitru Chisăliţă, president of the Intelligent Energy Association, who explains another benefit of cleaning appliances – saving significant amounts on energy bills.
“If the machines are not cleaned in time, the filters and internal components become clogged with dust and other solid particles, and this prevents the airflow from reaching the cooling unit properly. As a result, the machine is forced to run longer to reach the same desired temperature under the same conditions”explained Chisăliță, for “Adevărul”.
In addition to this extra mechanical effort, an uncleaned air conditioner can develop ice on the coils due to reduced airflow, which further blocks circulation and forces the unit into inefficient defrost cycles.
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These cycles consume additional energy without contributing to effective cooling of the room, and in the long run, premature wear of components can further decrease energy efficiency.
What else should be avoided to cool the home without putting your health at risk
According to doctor Beatrice Mahler, so that air conditioners do not put our health at risk, it is important to follow other steps, such as avoiding smoking inside the home or using scented sticks.
“There is a real risk that some atypical bacteria can be found in air conditioners, but this risk assumes that there was a sick person with that infection, such as legionella or pneumonia, in the room where the air conditioner is operating. In the situation where there is no such contact or a possible contamination of the filters in the air conditioner, the danger is small.
However, an air conditioner that is not properly maintained can cause important complications for people who have an allergic terrain, because inside it accumulates, in addition to the particles and flora that it filters, various particles of matter, bearing in mind that there is indoor pollution in homes. This indoor pollution is all the more serious when in that room there is smoking or intensive use of scented solutions or sticks, which negatively change the quality of the air that people breathe”explained the doctor.
Smokers are the most exposed to illness due to the bacteria hidden in the device
According to the doctor, the people most exposed to illness with bacteria in the air conditioning are smokers, as they weaken their immune system.
“The vaporizer of the air conditioner also collects dust particles or mites, which can act as a carrier for microbes, taking them deep into the lungs. However, the effect depends very much on the body’s local defense mechanisms. Our lung has, up to the level of the alveoli where there is contact with the blood, some defense mechanisms that, if effective, protect us to a great extent. We are referring here to the nose, that is, the upper airway, which, if used correctly, i.e. inhaling air through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, it provides a very good filtering mechanism, including for some of the microbial flora.
Afterwards, we have the defense mechanisms at the level of the airways, where there are some cilia, similar to the threads of a carpet, which, if we are very well hydrated, help us retain both pollutants and possible infections. If these cilia do not retain and eliminate harmful agents, then other cells intervene, which, for example, in a non-smoker are extremely efficient; these are called macrophages and even if they have not come into contact with that microbe before, they can destroy it and protect us from infection. But for all this to work, it is necessary to take care of our health and our immunity, and this can be achieved through a lifestyle as balanced as possible, which includes effective sleep, both in terms of quality and quantity, exercise, a balanced diet and managing stress as best as we can, because all these elements, taken together, make the body’s defense mechanisms really effective”the doctor concluded.
