Air conditioners are marvelous inventions. They make living in the south bearable by keeping us cool during the hot summer months despite increasing our electric bill. They also filter out humidity and allergens like dust, pollen, and mold. But can these fantastic devices also cause sinus problems?
Sinus Congestion and Air Conditioner Problems
Unfortunately, the answer is yes, air conditioners can cause sinus problems. There are three main reasons for this and a couple of them you may not know.
Cold Air and Sinuses
The cold air produced by your air conditioner, while a necessity during the summer, can cause your sinuses to become congested and your nose to run. We’ve all experienced it. You walk outside in the bitter cold of winter; your eyes start to tear, and your nose opens up like a faucet.
The same thing can happen with your air conditioning in the summer. The cold air triggers the membranes in the nasal passages to produce more mucus, causing the excess to drain out of the nose. The nasal membranes in your sinuses also produce more mucus, causing congestion. This phenomenon can be worse for people with allergies.
Allergies to Dust, Pollen, and Mold
If your air conditioner isn’t maintained regularly by a certified technician, mold, dust, and pollen can build up in the unit and wreak havoc on your sinuses. Mold can build up in the ducts and coils of the unit because of the condensation caused by the cold air in a hot environment. This creates a playground for bacteria and more mold. When you turn on your air conditioner in the summer, all of these allergens get blown into your home and can cause allergies and sinus congestion.
Recycled Air
Your air conditioner recycles the air in your home, meaning the air blown in through the ducts is pulled back in through the filter and cooled and then blown right back into your home. If you already have problems with the buildup of mold, dust, pollen, and bacteria, you’re compounding the problem the more you run your air conditioner and exacerbating your allergies.
While you can simply change the filter in your air conditioner to minimize the allergens circulating your home, this doesn’t take care of the mold and bacteria that builds up in the unit and ductwork. This requires regular maintenance of your AC unit by a knowledgeable, certified AC repair technician. We can help you with that.
When your air conditioning goes out during the summer, it’s an emergency. That’s why we offer 24 hour AC repair in Houston. Contact us today to find out more about our AC repair services or to schedule your AC repair.
