Four Ways Air Conditioning Benefits Health

Air conditioning sometimes gets a bad press when it comes to health. People who live or work in buildings where air conditioning is regularly on might complain of symptoms ranging from sore, dry throats to itchy, watering eyes, pointing the finger at the air con. There are also grumblings about the systems helping to spread germs around shared indoor premises, ensuring everyone in the building gets the office cold.

But on the contrary, air conditioning is actually beneficial to health in some important ways. Here are four positive effects air con systems have on the populations of large public buildings.

Removes contaminants from the air

The air we breathe is full of stuff that doesn’t really do us any good. Pollution, dust, pollen, fumes, germs, chemicals from things like cleaning products, they all quickly build up in concentration in enclosed indoor spaces. Air con systems filter the air that is recycled around a building, reducing the levels of these unwanted contaminants. No filter system is perfect, but still, the fewer of these unwanted invisible substances we breath in, the less likely they are to trigger allergic reactions, or build up in our bodies over time to cause longer term health issues.

Provides consistent temperature and humidity

Maintaining a stable, comfortable temperature in our places of work and in our homes is important for our health. When we are too hot or too cold, our bodies have to use up valuable energy trying to regulate our internal temperature. This can reduce how well our immune systems work, leaving us more prone to picking up diseases and generally contributing to feelings of tiredness and inability to concentrate. This also applies if there are rapid fluctuations in temperature, as our bodies fight to adjust. Air conditioning systems help to maintain a happy medium, cooling when ambient temperatures rise and warming when they drop. In addition, they help to maintain a consistent level of humidity. When air gets too dry, that’s when things like sore throats can develop. But equally, high levels of humidity can encourage the growth of mould and mildew which add to the contaminants we don’t want to be breathing in.

Helps with respiratory disease

Taken together, removing contaminants from the air and regulating temperature and humidity play an important role in combating the symptoms of respiratory diseases like asthma. Asthma is caused by irritation and inflammation of the small tubes that make up our lungs and has been linked to allergens like pollen, dust and mould spores, as well as to air pollution. With 1 in 12 adults in the UK suffering from asthma, air conditioning can make a significant difference guarding against attacks in the workplace.

Prevents dehydration

Finally, many common complaints including fatigue, headaches, dizziness and loss of concentration can be linked to dehydration. Although that’s a major part of why we are told to drink plenty of water to stay healthy, what many people don’t realise is that even moderate increases in temperature can lead to our bodies needing quite a bit more water than usual. By controlling temperatures and especially by cooling interior spaces in very warm weather, air con helps to stabilise our need for liquids and therefore guards against dehydration.

Efficient Cool Heat install and maintain all types of Air Conditioning systems in both offices and residential properties, if you’d like a free, no obligation chat about installing or improving your existing system, contact our friendly team on 0161 494 6930