When you think of your air conditioner, the first thought that comes to mind is usually how it keeps your home cool and comfortable during the warmest times of the year. But you might be surprised to find out that it also can provide you and your family with some unexpected health benefits. Here are a few reasons why your home air conditioner’s job does not end with just cooling your home.
Helps Prevent Heat-Related Illnesses
Certain individuals, such as young children, the elderly or those who suffer from medical conditions like immune disorders or heart disease are susceptible to heat-related illnesses. In some cases, heat can worsen the symptoms of some conditions. Air conditioning can reduce the risk of dehydration and heat stroke in addition to keeping you and your family comfortable.
Improved Air Quality
One of the biggest issues that Florida residents face with their homes is controlling humidity. Living in a very humid area with frequent rain during the part of the year means the humidity level is often very high. This increases the risk of mold and mildew growth in homes. These funguses can exacerbate respiratory problems or cause allergy symptoms. Your home air conditioner helps remove moisture in the air and keep air circulating to help prevent mold and mildew and improve your home’s indoor air quality.
Your air conditioner can also help cut down on the amounts of dust, pet dander, pollen, bacteria and viruses that finds their way into your home. By using special filters and replacing them regularly, these contaminants can be removed from the air, which helps reduce respiratory issues, including allergy and asthma symptoms. You and your family might also see reduced instances of colds and other respiratory viruses, too.
Keeping Your Air Conditioner Healthy
If you want to enjoy the health benefits of air conditioning, it is important to keep your air conditioner healthy. It is also important that the air conditioner you do have is properly sized for the area you are cooling. When it comes to air conditioners, bigger is not always better. A unit that is too big will cool your home too quickly without properly reducing the humidity in your home. When too much humidity is present in an air conditioner, mold and fungus can grow and be circulated throughout your home.
Having your home’s air conditioner properly maintained can alert you to issues that could interfere with its otherwise healthy benefits. To make sure that your air conditioner is ready when you need it:
- Make sure to have it serviced at least once a year or at the first sign it might be malfunctioning.
- Choose the proper air filters for your system that will remove contaminants from the air.
- Check your air filters monthly or more often as needed and replace or clean them when dirty.
Help your air conditioner keep you and your family healthy. Contact Snyder Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electric for all your HVAC service and repair.
