Three Health Risks Associated with an Unmaintained HVAC System
Stay Healthy This Summer and Keep your A/C Unit Well Maintained
There’s no better way to beat a hot, humid summer day than with the cool embrace of your home’s air conditioning system. However, failing to keep up on proper maintenance can cause your A/C to not only perform poorly, but also end up transforming the system from a means of comfort into an all-around health hazard.
Let’s take a look at some of the dangers posed to your health and home as a result of a poorly maintained A/C system.
Health & Safety Threat #1: Reduced Indoor Air Quality
The average person spends about 90% of their time indoors, and about 65% of that is at home. While you might like to get outside as much as possible on gorgeous spring and summer days, chances are you’re going to want to park it at home during an oppressive heat wave. For that, it’s important to make sure that the air you’re breathing is as healthy as possible.
One of the biggest dangers that a poorly maintained A/C system can contribute to is reduced indoor air quality. When the components responsible for the process of circulating and filtering cool, dehumidified air throughout your home are not working properly, it can end up causing or exacerbating a variety of health issues including:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Sinus/Respiratory Infections & Congestion
- Sore Throat & Coughing
- Eye Irritation
- Fatigue & Heat-Exhaustion
- Irritability & Anxiety
- Headaches
- Nausea
- & More
Problems like this usually crop up when the system’s air filter is either the wrong size, not routinely changed, or by ductwork and vents that haven’t been cleaned. This leads to dirt, dust, and other allergens being circulated throughout your home.
Another particularly bad, yet surprisingly common health issue caused by lack of air conditioning maintenance is Legionnaire’s disease, which is essentially a type of pneumonia. Legionella, the bacteria responsible for the disease, thrives in warm and moist environments, which can be created if your A/C is not doing its job.
Health & Safety Threat #2: Structural Damage
In addition to cooling the air throughout your home, an A/C system also dehumidifies the air. However, if the system is not properly maintained and thus not performing well, moisture is left to build up in the air which can end up causing damage to your house and everything in it. You may notice the following things:
- Peeling Paint & Wallpaper
- Rotting Wood
- Caving Walls, Ceilings & Floors
- Moldy Carpet & Upholstery
- & More
Health & Safety Threat #3: Attracting Household Pests
An air conditioning system that isn’t properly cooling or removing moisture from the air runs the risk of inviting unpleasant guests into your home. Pests like cockroaches, centipedes, and earwigs love hot, humid environments. Termites and carpenter ants might also start making a meal out of your home, since they prefer moisture-damaged wood because it’s easier to chew and burrow through.
Don’t wait until you actually have to use your air conditioning system to find out something is wrong with it – call Technical Hot & Cold! For just $69, our technicians can inspect your entire A/C system and address any potential issues before they even have a chance to become hazards to your health and home. We’re here to make sure that you never have to sweat out a whole Michigan summer with an unreliable air conditioning system. Call us at (734) 326-3900 or schedule your A/C tune-up online!
