Can you be allergic to air conditioner?

Are you always sneezing or having running nose in the room with air conditioning? You may think that you are allergic to the air conditioner. In fact, air conditioner just plays a role in making you feel unwell, the culprit that causes an allergy is actually the contaminants in the air.

Pollen

Pollen can often enter your home through doors and windows, and fall on clothes, shoes, carpets, and furniture. When you turn on your AC system, the pollen will be circulated throughout the room and trigger allergy. So, it is necessary to clean the filters of your AC and dust your house on a regular basis.

Mold and mildew

Mold thrives in a humid environment. If your air conditioning unit has a damp coil or condensate pan, the chance is high that there is a mold and mildew problem. These contaminants will lead to allergy suddenly and make it progressively worse.

Dust mites

Dust mites are more common and tough allergens no matter in the city or in suburbia. Dust mites also grow in damp conditions. And compared with pollen, dust mites are larger particles, which makes it easier for them to settle down to a surface.

Bacteria and viruses

Your air conditioner can also be infiltrated by bacteria and viruses. They can be circulated by AC throughout your indoor space, enter your body through your respiratory tract, and bring you various health issues like sneezing and runny nose, but without any symptoms of a certain illness.

Pet dander

Some people may be allergic to the proteins contained in pet dander, while some may develop the allergy later in life. If you have a pet in the house, do vacuuming and dusting frequently in case pet dander is circulated by AC. Or you may need to consider finding a new home for your pet.

Pollution

Never think that you are safe from pollutants in a house with thick walls. According to the report, the air inside the house is actually 2 to 5 times more polluted than outside. The pollutants will filter into your indoor space and can be contributors to your allergy problem.

Anyway, the best protection against all these allergies and other potential contaminants are to clean your air conditioner regularly, once every three months at least. If you are already suffering from allergy, of course, try cleaning more frequently as you can.

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