Air conditioner cleaning :
A quick word on Air conditioner cleaning.
The importance of regular air conditioning cleaning.
Air conditioning systems, after regular use, have a tendency to become contaminated with things like mould, fungi and bacteria. An air conditioner is the perfect environment for this sort of thing and of course mould, fungi and bacteria can become airborne every time you turn your air conditioner on.
Mould, fungi and bacteria being blown around a humid room by your air conditioner is unhealthy to say the least.
Many people are not aware of the need to clean their air conditioners beyond just the filters. In reality the whole head unit should be cleaned on a regular basis. Air conditioner cleaning is extremely important.
Of course each environment is different and how regular an air conditioner should be professionally cleaned will vary depending on how contaminated it is. In the beginning, annually is a good place to start. The anticipated regularity of this can be discussed with you on the day of servicing.
Air conditioning, how it all works.
Air is drawn into the air conditioner through a grill, then passes through an air filter and finally into the head unit. Inside the head unit is a fan and a heat exchange coil often called the evaporator. It looks a little like the radiator in your car, copper coils with blades or fins on them. The evaporator is very cold and this removes any heat from the air that is being passed across it. By way of condensation, water will often build up on the blades. It’s a bit like putting a cold bottle of drink on the table straight from your fridge. It soon becomes wet as water in the air “condensates” on it’s surface. The “air conditioned” air then returns to the room via the front of your air conditioner. Any water collected ends up dribbling down into a pan or tray under the evaporator and is then drained out through a pipe connected to the unit. This is the pipe you see coming out of most air conditioners that dribbles water.
The mould, fungi and bacteria have a new home.
Most of the time, air drawn into an air conditioner will contain dust and some biological matter. Unfortunately even the best filters will let some of this material through. The mould, fungi and bacteria then combine with the water and in this warm and moist environment, begin to germinate and grow.
Sure the filters need to be cleaned but that isn’t enough.
When it comes to Air conditioner cleaning, Just because you clean the dust from the filters or maybe even wash them in an antibacterial solution, doesn’t mean that all the contaminants are gone. Mould and bacteria will quickly return because they live inside your air conditioner not just on the filters. Sometimes as quickly as within a few months.
The problem is, that there are areas you can’t get to without some dismantling of the head unit. The coil, the fan and drainage pipe are all moist environments which mould, fungi and bacteria thrive in. An air conditioner contaminated with mould, fungi and bacteria can cause cold & flue like symptoms, skin irritations, hay fever & trigger asthma attacks. Provide your family with a comfortable air conditioned environment but make sure that the air is clean and healthy too.
How to tell if your air conditioner is contaminated.
Different people can react in different ways to a contaminated air conditioner. Below is a list of some of the things to watch out for. Remember this is only indicative. The air conditioner will have to be inspected first to see if it is the cause or not. Of course if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should seek advise from your health care professional.
Asthma attacks – Allergies – Hayfever – Fatigue – Sore throat – Sore, dry eyes – Respiratory problems – Headaches – Tightness of chest – Frequent colds – Flu or flu-like symptoms.
Some benefits of air conditioning servicing.
If you clean and service your air conditioning system on a regular basis, it will operate more efficiently, use less power, last longer and save you money. Not to mention the health benefits too !