Most people in the world own at least one air conditioner and these units help us survive long, hot summers, and they help us feel better, happier, and healthier. We all know that we need to properly maintain and clean the aircon, but we don’t always do it.
We tend to forget and to just keep using it, and as long as it cools our rooms, we are happy with it. However, have you ever wondered if you can get sick from a dirty AC unit? Keep on reading to learn the answer to this and much more.
Can you get sick because of it?
The shortest answer to this question is yes, you can get sick if you don’t properly clean and maintain your unit. The reason for this is dust and moisture. We all know that our air conditioning units have condensation, and we know that mold and mildew appear where there is moisture and hot air.
However, we tend to forget that this happens in our AC units as well, and we think that somehow the air is going to dry everything off and we don’t need to clean it. At the same time, we just think that there is no way for dust to gather there, because, once again, there is constant air movement, so that should not be an option.
Unfortunately, these things are not true, and dust will gather in your device, and moisture can and will get trapped in. This can lead first and foremost to molding, and since it will happen inside the unit, chances are, you will not notice it until you can either smell it or until it stops cooling the space down properly.
When there is moisture and dirt, bacteria will start growing as well, and you and every member of your family will be inhaling those things all the time. If you spend only several hours in a room where the device has not been cleaned for a long time, chances are, it will not affect you in any way, but when you do that day in and day out for months, it is definitely going to have a negative impact on your health.
Know that, as you can see on websites like ac-hawaii.com, you can avoid all possible problems and issues, with your health and your AC as well, if you collaborate with a trusted service that will do the maintenance and cleaning process far before anything bad happens.
Now let’s see what are some of the diseases and conditions that you may develop if your unit has not been properly cleaned and maintained.
Health problems and conditions
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When it comes to health issues that can happen because of a dirty aircon unit, you should know that there are a lot of them. We already know what can happen because of mold and mildew, and the problems can range from a sinus infection, up to allergies and even heart problems.
When you spend all of your time in a room where the aircon has not been cleaned for a long time, you will first start feeling like your throat is hurting all the time, and like your mouth is dry no matter how hydrated you are. Note that you may develop some breathing and respiratory problems that could turn into a chronic illness. These things will happen because of the mold, along with all the dust particles that you are inhaling all the time.
You will experience headaches and you may even start feeling tired and fatigued. You will feel like you have no energy whatsoever, and you may start experiencing symptoms similar to the common cold or the flu. However, no matter what you try to do, and how much you try to get rid of these symptoms, they will persist because you will be constantly exposed to the bacteria that is coming out of the unit.
In addition to all this, some people start having skin problems, and the skin on their faces and bodies starts getting extremely dry and flaky. This could lead to wounds and cracks that are extremely painful and really difficult to treat. You will end up visiting your GP all the time, and you will be getting treatments for different problems without knowing why they are happening.
Note that you may notice a difference in the colder months when you are not using your aircon, and you will deal with all these things, and so much more when you are constantly exposed to it.
Remember that other things that may happen to you or anyone who lives with you include dehydration or constant thirst, itching or swelling of your eyes, increased blood pressure, constant headaches, dizziness, and fatigue, as well as intolerance to heat. As you can see, all of these are serious conditions that will affect your long-term health and wellbeing, so it is better to maintain your device on time than to wait for the problems to arise.
Signs that you need to clean your unit
Lastly, you should know what are the signs that your aircon needs to be cleaned. You should clean this unit at least once per month or two months, and if you live in an area where the weather conditions require you to have the unit turned on all the time, you should do it even more frequently.
So, if you don’t remember when was the last time you did this, this is the sign that you should get to it as soon as possible. Another sign is if your unit is not cooling off the space properly, or if more hot air is coming out than cold. You may notice that it takes a long time to reach the needed temperature, and the device may even start overheating.
In some cases, you may be able to notice different and strange sounds coming out of it, and you may even see water leaking. Even though this may be one drop per hour, a good aircon should run without any water coming out of it. You should also pay attention to your electricity bills because a dirty device will waste more power than a maintained one.
The best way to maintain and clean it is with the help of a professional service that will help you do everything on time and the way that it should be done. Some tasks you can do on your own, but it is always better to consult the experts before you delve in on your own.