Central air conditioning is great for keeping your home cool and comfortable. But, did you know that it also plays a major role in maintaining good indoor air quality? There are many health benefits associated with having central air conditioning. Here are six of those benefits.
1. Reduced Allergens
Anyone with allergies knows how miserable it can be, especially those with severe allergies who are at risk of having an asthma attack. You can make your house a safe haven by using a central air conditioner.
As the unit runs to cool your residence, it takes in the air that’s filled with allergens such as dust, pollen, pet dander, and pollutants and removes them using its filtration system. The result is cleaner air. As these allergens collect, they begin to clog the filter, which is why it’s. imperative to change the air filters every 30 to 60 days for a 1 inch filter or every 4 to 6 months for a 4 inch filter to maintain optimal air quality.
2. Fewer Biological Contaminants
High humidity is a breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and other harmful organisms that can cause serious health issues such as headaches, cold-like symptoms, and asthma attacks. To keep these contaminants at bay and protect your health, humidity needs to be kept to between 40% and 50%. A central air conditioner regulates the humidity levels in your home by removing moisture from the air as it cycles through the system.
The central air conditioning unit does this through the use of its evaporator coil. As hot air from inside the house passes over the evaporator coil, it condenses from the air and drains outside.
3. Reduced Illness
With a filtration system that includes both a filter and a UV light, your central air conditioner can remove disease-causing bacteria and viruses in addition to larger contaminants. As the air cycles through the system, it will go through both a filter to remove particles and a UV light that will destroy bacteria and viruses that could make you sick.
If someone has a cold or the flu in your home, the central air conditioner can help to remove the virus or bacteria from the air and prevent it from circulating throughout the entire house. This reduces the chances of others catching the illness or becoming re-infected.
4. Improved Quality of Sleep
When you remove all if the contaminants from your residence and have clean air to breathe, your respiratory system isn’t stressed. This, in addition to a cool environment, is important for quality sleep. Dirty air irritates the upper airway and can cause swelling and congestion that also affects the central nervous systems and areas of the brain that are responsible for breathing patterns and sleep.
If you’ve ever tried sleeping in a hot room, you know how uncomfortable and hard it can be. Tossing and turning all night and waking up multiple times prevents you from getting a good night’s sleep. All of this can be a thing of the past when you have a central air conditioner cooling your residence and cleaning your air.
5. Reduced Fumes and Odors
No one likes bad smells, but these odors could be indicating an even bigger problem. Cleaning agents, fumes, and gases from cooking or burning candles can have a negative effect on your respiratory health. Foul odors are a sign of poor indoor air quality and the presence of chemically active particles in the air. A quality central air conditioner with a good filtration setup can remove most of these fumes and odors from the air.
6. Lower Risk of Heatstroke
High temperatures can be dangerous for the elderly, very young, and those with an illness. An overly warm environment can drain you of energy and lead to chronic fatigue and a lowered immune system. It can also result in dehydration and heatstroke, which can be deadly.
A central air conditioner creates a consistent temperature in your home, which makes it easier for your body to regulate its temperature and better able to fight off an infection if you’re suffering from an illness.
Are you thinking about installing a central air conditioner to improve your health, home comfort, and air quality? The heating and cooling experts at Gunthers in American Fork, UT, can help you to decide on what type of system is best for your house and take care of the installation process. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you. We offer heating and cooling repair, maintenance, and installation as well as plumbing services, humidifiers, and indoor air quality products.
