One of the leading causes of asthma in the masses is the low air quality. The worse the air quality, the higher are the chances of mild to severe asthma attacks amongst those who already suffer from it. There isn’t much that you can do to control the outdoor air, which is already wrought with pollution. However, thanks to the modern HVAC systems controlling the indoor air quality is now well within your reach. Improving indoor air quality means minimizing the chances of asthma attacks.
A Bit About Asthma And Its Triggers
People who suffer from asthma have extremely sensitive airways. They react to certain elements or things that result in breathing difficulties. Usually, the element or thing that they are sensitive to is referred to as a “trigger.” Breathing is a trigger that causes their airways to tighten or swell, leading to symptoms like congestion, runny nose, itchy eyes, coughing, or wheezing. Hence, it is imperative for asthma patients to know their triggers.
Indoor Triggers Of Asthma
A majority of our time is spent indoors either at home, college, school, or in the office. Therefore, indoor air quality gains prime importance in trying to control the bouts of asthma. The poor air quality will worsen the symptoms in those who already ail from it, but that is not all. It can also result in the development of asthma in completely healthy individuals, especially the very young and old. So knowing about the indoor triggers of asthma is critical. Here is a mention of some of them:
1. Temperature variations.
2. Dust and other particles in the air.
3. Pet dander, which includes shed hair and dead skin cells.
4. Tobacco smoke.
5. Nitrogen dioxide produced gas stoves and space heaters.
6. Chemical odors that are given off by paints, cleaning agents, pesticides, room fresheners, and such.
7. Fragrances from personal use products like soaps, detergents, perfumes, deodorants, etc.
8. Pollen that may find its way indoors from outdoors or that which comes from indoor flowering plants.
AC System Minimizes Asthma Attacks
You must now be wondering how the AC system reduces the chances of asthma attacks. Well, here’s how it does that:
1. Keeps The Air In Motion – When the air conditioner runs, it circulates the air throughout the home or office. When the air becomes stagnant or stops moving, it becomes a thriving ground for mold, dust mites, and fungus, all of which are allergens. Keeping the air in motion prevents such infestations, and so the allergens in the home are contained.
2. Cools The Air And Removes Moisture – In the absence of an air conditioner, the enclosed space is warm and moist. Most bacteria, viruses, and allergens love such a climate to propagate. When an air conditioner runs, it makes the air cool and also draws out the excess moisture from it. That is to say; it effectively destroys the opportunities for illness-causing organisms to breed and flourish.
3. Air Filters Trap The Allergens – Within the AC system are air filters. These air filters help improve the indoor air quality by trapping the pollutants and allergens. The cooling system installed in any building helps it to breathe. The AC picks up the air within the house, cools it down, and sends it back into the house. When the air is being drawn in, the air filters capture a large portion of the suspended particles, including those that can trigger asthma. Once trapped, these are duly taken out of circulation, and so the indoor air quality becomes way better.
Caring For The AC To Minimize Asthma Attacks
There are a couple of things that one needs to do to eliminate the risk of asthma triggers indoors. These are more like reminders to self about those aspects of AC, where special attention is mandatory. For example:
1. Annual maintenance of the air conditioner should be given due importance. It is because an AC that runs efficiently and optimally performs a better job of removing the asthma triggers from an enclosed space.
2. The air filters should be replaced every month. If it is not possible to do so, they should be replaced at least once a quarter. It ensures that the air filters continue to remove the suspended allergens in the air effectively.
3. Air filters have a MERV rating or the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. The higher the rating, the more effective they are in trapping the unwanted particles. Use air filters with a higher MERV rating. Nevertheless, do not cross the limit as recommended by the AC manufacturer.
Other Ways To Reduce The Risk Of Asthma Attacks
Though the AC system will take care of removing most asthma triggers, yet with a little help, it can do an even better job. To aid your cooling system in this task, here are a few more things that one can do:
1. Ventilate your home from time to time by opening the windows and letting in the fresh air. This will reduce the concentration of allergens indoor.
2. Let in natural sunlight during the day. Sunlight contains UV rays. These rays are natural disinfectants and destroy most illness-causing micro-organisms.
3. While cooking, use an exhaust fan or the electric chimney to capture smoke and other allergens. This will prevent them from finding their way into the circulating air.
4. Vacuum the furniture and furnishings regularly to keep them clean. These places provide the best homes to organisms that can act as asthma triggers.
5. Install exhaust fans in the washrooms to keep them dry.
6. Brush your pets often so that they don’t shed too much hair and dead skin. Pet dander compromises indoor air quality.
Before Closing
AC is a necessity borne of time. Many people consider it a luxury, but the benefits that it renders are enough to put the myths associated with it to rest. An important advantage of using air conditioners is that they minimize the risk of asthma attacks. Those who have asthma can live full and wholesome lives.
Aztil Air Conditioning is a West Palm Beach-based HVAC firm. We are one of the largest air conditioning companies in South Florida. We believe in working the old fashioned way, that is, doing good, hard, and honest work. Our aim is to make your home and office as comfortable as possible. Our elite team of air experts can tackle all sorts of HVAC jobs like installation, repairs, and maintenance. Give us a call at any time to book an appointment for we are open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. We can be reached at +1-888-729-8452.
