Can Air Conditioning Give you a Cold? Myth vs. Reality

Choosing an air conditioner for your home is often stressful and very often uncomfortable: you want to buy a high-quality model at a reasonable price, so the design should match your interior.

But even if you find a variant suitable for the first two parameters, the idea of damage to the air conditioner, as a rule, begins to pierce his head because many people talk about the disease—this device.

Air Conditioning for your Home is Bad for your Health?

Some people believe that air conditioning causes runny noses even in hot weather. However, according to studies, many people with allergies get rid of the unpleasant symptoms and return to normal life only after air conditioning.

When it comes to health and safety, it is only a matter of learning to correctly calculate the power of the air conditioner according to the size of the room, choose the right location, and select the functions according to the temperature of the air outside.

Taking care of your loved ones is easy. But, if you have babies, children, the elderly, or someone with heart disease or high blood pressure, buying an air conditioner is the best solution.

We asked El Dorado’s Electronic Appliance Advisor to deconstruct some popular myths about the use of air conditioners. We wrote this article specifically for those who continue to doubt the benefits of air conditioning.

Excessive Electricity Accounts: Is It True?

Energy Consumption Category. Air conditioners are considered to “eat” a lot of electricity. But it all depends on the class to which the model belongs: A is the most energy-efficient variant, and the most anti-economic one is characterized by the letter G. You need to consider that when choosing an air conditioner.

Usage. Depending on his, units consume different amounts of energy. For example, heating a low-saison space requires more resources than maintaining a comfortable temperature in hot climates. However, most models of split systems presented since 2013 have sufficient energy efficiency, so it is difficult to scare light accounts.

Principle of operation. The choice of an air conditioning inverter is ideal. Its engine adapts to the operating conditions by slowing down when a regulated temperature is achieved. This technology is to reduce electricity consumption by 30-50%.

In Temperate Climates, air Conditioning is Extra?

According to meteorologists, the comfortable, cool summer season is over. There will be warmer months in the coming decades. The decision to buy an air conditioner, for example, is more than a comfort and usually a profitable investment in a well. Trademark models are efficient in extreme heat and will not cause damage over the years.

Here are three more reasons to install it in your home:

1. Create a Microclimate

In addition to cooling the space, many moderate and high-end models function to humidify and ionize the air. So now you can enjoy cool dew no matter what time of year it is.

2. Protection from Insects

Another benefit is that you need not open the windows in the summer to take in the fresh air and get annoying insects into the room.

3. Insurance in Case of Cold Weather

If there is any doubt about the heating system’s operation, air conditioning solves the problem. Because the heating in our homes operates according to a schedule regardless of the temperature, split-system owners create a comfortable microclimate in their apartments. At the same time, they avoid dryness (the eternal companion of radiators), which is very harmful to mucous membranes, lungs, and skin.

Scientists vs. Myths: How Does Air Conditioning Affect Our Lives?

Is it possible to get fed up with air conditioning, or not? This question is one of the most important obstacles among dew fans and heat lovers. Some claim they cannot live a minute without this heavenly device if it is +30 degrees above their windows. And others assure us that it is a global evil and the source of almost all summer illnesses.

We need to demolish the myths and tell the truth about the effects of air conditioning on our health.

You Can Get Cold From An Air Conditioner?

That is true because switching from a warm room to a cold one causes a sudden temperature change. Also, the temperature difference between the room and the environment should not exceed 6°C. So, for example, if there is +30°C, the room should be kept at least +24°C.

The temperature difference itself weakens the body’s defenses and damages the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, leading to breathing problems.

The term “air conditioner” appeared in 1815 when Jean Chavannes of France received an English patent for a method of air conditioning and regulating room temperature. In fact, the idea was implemented 87 years later: on July 17, 1902, Dr. Engineer Willis Carrier designed the world’s first industrial cooling machine following a special order from a New York printer. The celebration was scheduled to coincide with that date. It is worth noting that this machine was not ordered for the employees but to ventilate a room where moisture had accumulated. She damaged the quality of the prints. Outdoor air conditioning was introduced in 1931, thanks to the discovery of Fluon, which replaced the unstable ammonia previously used.

You Cannot Run an Air Conditioner and Stay Indoors All Day Long.

Partial Myth. If the air stream from an air conditioner blows directly at a person, it is dangerous. In this case, cooling is relatively easy. In my office, there have been many cases where people have described their discomfort exactly with a stream of cool air from the air conditioner beneath them.

However, if there is a comfortable environment in the room, the air conditioner is properly taken care of (filters are cleaned and replaced), and if the cold air stream does not reach humans, they can stay in such a room all day long.

Clean Filters Are Not Harmful to Health

The temperature difference between the outside and room temperature in an air-conditioned room should not exceed 10 degrees Celsius.

True. Different sources provide different factors: some talk about an optimal difference of up to 10 degrees, others 6 degrees. The greater the temperature difference, the more negative it is for the organism.

Harmful Bacteria Can Accumulate in Air Conditioners?

Fungi and bacteria can hang over air conditioners if filters are not cleaned or replaced in a timely manner. The most common disease they carry is Legionnaires’ disease. Unfortunately, air and aerosol systems provide the perfect environment for Legionella.

Note that a fever exceeding 37.5°C for more than 3 days should prompt a visit to the doctor. Legionnaires’ disease pneumonia is very serious and even fatal.

Young Children or Sick People Should Not Come in Contact With air Conditioners When Turned On?

– No one can say with certainty whether this statement is a myth or the truth. The concept of a “sick person” is very broad. For example, the air conditioner should not be opened if a person has a sore throat and is already feeling chills. On the other hand, if a patient needs special care, warm weather air conditioning will facilitate his condition.

As for young children, it is advisable to take them out, take them out of the room, run the air conditioner, cool the room, and then return. It is preferable not to take risks.

Air conditioners can operate 24 hours a day and do not need to ventilate the room.

During the day, the air conditioner should be turned off and the room ventilated. It would be best if you ventilated the space three-thirds of the time per day.