It is still popular to say that air conditioning it is harmful to health. Being in air-conditioned rooms and cars is attributed to frequent infections of the upper respiratory tract, as well as susceptibility to colds. Some air conditioning users also complain of headaches. What it comes from? Can I use air conditioning without compromising my health and well-being?
Basic mistakes of air conditioning users
Harmfulness of air conditioners to health results primarily from the incorrect use of air conditioning. The first of them, which concerns both users of air conditioning in rooms and cars, is setting the device to too low a temperature. Experts recommend that the temperature difference between the room (car) and the outside environment should not exceed 6 degrees. In practice, this means that it will be a mistake to set the air conditioning in the room to 20 degrees, if the heat outside reaches 30 degrees. A seemingly insignificant difference of 4 degrees between the recommended and actual room temperature can lead to a cold.
Another mistake is directing the stream of cold air directly at you or sitting within range of the stream of air exhausted from the air conditioner. While sitting near an air conditioner on a hot day may be pleasant, it is certainly not healthy. It can lead to excessive hypothermia and even chilling of the body, and consequently to headaches, earaches, pain in muscles and joints, and general malaise.
Cleaning and maintenance of air conditioning and the impact on our health and well-being
A common mistake made by air conditioning users are oversights related to carrying out regular maintenance cleaning and fumigation of the device. It is worth remembering that water vapor condenses in the air conditioner, creating perfect conditions for the development of fungi and mold harmful to our health. The air conditioner is also a place of accumulation of solid impurities - dust, pollen, peeling epidermis. If the device is not regularly cleaned and fumigated, all these impurities will circulate in the room, causing upper respiratory tract infections and promoting the development of inhalant allergies.
In order to ensure safe use of the air conditioner, it is recommended to regularly replace the air filters and remove the fungus from the air conditioning. The minimum recommended frequency of fumigation is twice a year - preferably at the beginning and end of the summer season. It is worth remembering that in autumn and winter, air conditioning is often used to heat rooms, and this is also conducive to the growth of fungi and mold.
Is it then possible to use air conditioning without compromising health?
Of course! Air conditioning is an invention that can have a very good effect on our health and well-being on hot days, if we use it wisely. Remember to set the temperature correctly. If possible, try to keep the temperature in all rooms the same. Let's not sit in the stream of cold air and make sure that our device is free of fungi, mold and harmful microorganisms. This applies to both air conditioners in utility spaces and the increasingly popular devices for residential applications.
