Allergies can be anything from an occasional irritation to something that constantly interferes with your life. There are lots of ways to tackle them and to reduce their impact but one that can easily be overlooked is air conditioning. With thousands of people suffering from allergies, could air conditioning help with the problem?
How air conditioning helps with allergies
Allergies tend to be one of two categories – seasonal and year-long. Seasonal allergies like hay fever are triggered by certain allergens that only appear at certain times of the year. Year-long allergies are triggered by something that is around all of the time such as pet dander or dust.
Air conditioning can help with both of these situations. That’s because it can filter out the particles in the air that cause allergies and improve the air quality of the home. The filters lock these allergens into place and prevent them from triggering the allergy reaction in sufferers.
As well as trapping those allergens, air conditioning can also trap common things that can cause random allergic reactions. Examples of these include bacteria, mildew or mould. These can grow due to things like damp problems and be released into the air, causing problems for people with allergies or breathing conditions.
When air con doesn’t help
Air conditioning is a big help in easing the suffering of people with allergies. But are there situations when it doesn’t work?
The primary reason that air conditioning isn’t effective for dealing with allergens is when it isn’t maintained properly. Air con systems need regular servicing to remove and clear filters. If this isn’t done, then either the allergens aren’t collected or too many are stored and then released when the system is in use.
How to make air conditioning effective
Having an effective air conditioning system doesn’t require much work on the part of the homeowner but there are a few tips to ensure the system works at optimum condition.
The first one is to schedule regular servicing with an air conditioning specialist. This ensures that air filters are cleaned or changed regularly so the system works just as it should. If the air con system is 10 years old or more, it may be time to renew it as these systems are often energy inefficient.
Clean any debris or dust that builds up around the outdoor and indoor air con units. This stops the dust being pulled into the system and blocking up the filters, allowing them to catch other allergens instead. Also, dust indoor registers and returns regularly.
Finally, keep windows and doors closed when you are running your air conditioning. This helps to avoid pulling more allergens into the home and overloading the filters. If you are struggling with air quality even with the system, then an air purifier might be a useful addition.
Handling allergens
Having an allergy isn’t fun and any steps taken to reduce its impact is always a positive move. Air conditioning needs simple maintenance to ensure it helps and can ease the symptoms of an allergy significantly, regardless of the cause.