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It’s fair to say that air-conditioning has become one of life’s necessities. We doze off in air-conditioned comfort, wake up to a fresh home, pop our car cooler on as we drive to work, and are refreshed by a blast of cold air as we walk through the glass doors of our building. Sounds good to me! However, questions have been raised as to the health pros and cons of living this air-conditioned life; stuffy noses, sore throats and dry eyes have all been blamed on our A/C units.
Does an Aircon Make You Sick?
Aircons increase the spread of diseases
In the majority of light commercial installations, an air-conditioning unit pulls in outside air, either cools or heats it, and pushes it out the other side. A good aircon will have filters in place to strain out pollens and other airborne critters but it won’t create a disease. But – and there is an important point to note here – if your A/C unit is not maintained properly you may find that mould could take root in your system. Mould spores can induce allergic reactions or illness in some people, and therefore proper maintenance of your aircon is a must.
Sudden changes in temperature make you ill
Jogging into a breezy office from a balmy 32°C will certainly be a shock to your system – a wonderful one. But if we are constantly in and out of a cold room do we risk getting ill? When we jump into a swimming pool on a hot day, or into a bath on a chilly night, does this not have the same effect? The bottom line here is that bacteria and viruses make us sick, not a cold room.
Using an aircon while you sleep will give you a cold
In the crazy humid temperatures that some parts of South Africa experience, the cool air from our overhead system is exactly what we need to get a good night’s rest. But can this cold draft throughout the night make you sick? The short answer is, no. Again, pathogens – not cold – make people sick. In fact, in many areas, sleeping with an aircon running at night results in the quiet circulation of scrubbed air, minus pollens and other allergens. And minus mosquitos!
Aircons irritate sinus and create allergies
While some people report feelings of a dry nose or throat after a day in an air-conditioned room, there is no evidence to show that a properly functioning A/C unit will irritate allergies. In fact, just the opposite is true. A good quality Toshiba aircon has incredibly sensitive filters which rid the air of pollen, dust and other irritants before blowing it into your room. Anyone who has suffered from asthma, pollen or dust allergies know what an open window in spring does to their eyes and nose!
You shouldn’t exercise with your aircon unit on
We’re still a little puzzled over why this is an issue, especially considering gyms and other training venues have a highly efficient aircon system running at full steam, so to speak. However, this idea is yet another falsehood. Provided you have your A/C set at a sensible temperature and you’re not trying to freeze the sweat as it exits your pores, you’re good to go. It’s also worth noting that while you’re exercising, your lungs are working at full capacity and the fresh, clean air (free from allergens) is a great environment to find yourself in.
It’s clear that demonising our friend the aircon is pointless. As we’ve mentioned in previous articles, and common sense can attribute to – a good quality, well-maintained aircon unit will not make you sick. It’s as simple as that.
So, if it’s time for you to invest in an aircon for your space, then we are here to help. Chat with Toshiba today and let us keep you cool.
