Have you been feeling under the weather lately? Maybe seasonal allergies have got you down? Or have you formed a mysterious, obnoxious cough that you just can’t get rid of? Before running off to the drugstore to stock up on medicine, you might want to take a look at your AC. When not maintained, your trusted air conditioner might be spreading harmful pollutants around your house, making you and your family sick.

How Air Conditioners Make Us Sick

When we don’t maintenance our air conditioners regularly, our AC will start producing dirty air. Mold, bacteria, allergens, dust and other pollutants start to circulate in the air vents. An AC that has not been maintained will not be able to filter any of this out. This means polluted air is being circulated around your home.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims that poor indoor air quality can lead to a number of health issues. Most commonly, irritation in the nose and throat, headaches, and dizziness are reported. However, it can also trigger asthma attacks and cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Long term effects such as respiratory disease, heart disease and even cancer have been linked to poor indoor air quality.

How To Know If You Have Bad Air Quality

There are some telltale signs that your AC might be making you sick. One of the most obvious is that you are feeling ill or having trouble breathing indoors. One way to know that your air conditioner is causing damage is if your home is constantly covered in dust. If you keep finding dust all over your house, even after cleaning, this might be a sign that your AC is not properly filtering pollutants.

The most accurate way of knowing what is in your air is hiring a professional to test your air quality. They will be able to determine if your air is harmful by test for mold and other dangerous pollutants. You can also buy DIY homes testing kits. While less accurate, they offer a cheaper solution for finding dangers in your air.

What To Do?

The best way to prevent an AC unit from causing illness is through regular maintenance. Be sure to change your AC’s filter at least once a month so it can filter out pollutants. Also, have your entire system professionally cleaned and maintained at least once a year. A professional technician will not only be able to clean out any pollutants causing illness, they will be able to spot what is causing your poor air quality.

If you think that your AC is making you sick, contact One Hour Air Largo today! Our experienced technicians will keep your air safe and your home comfortable.