Air conditioning is more than just a comfort for when it’s warm outside. It can deter serious health issues from risky heat waves. It stops outdoor pollution from circulating in your home. It helps you sleep more deeply. But while air conditioning can help you keep healthy and comfortable, an older unit can produce negative health effects for your family. Here are some items to consider if you’re thinking of replacing your home’s air conditioner.
Potential Health Hazards from Old Air Conditioners
As a general rule of thumb, HVAC professionals recommend replacing air conditioning units when they are more than 10 years old. However, if you are seeing reoccurring issues with your system before that, it doesn’t hurt to consider solutions beyond repairs and ongoing cleaning. Here are some issues that could influence your family’s health and should prompt you to consider a new unit.
Mold and Mildew
Your air conditioner works by cooling air over evaporator coils, which generates condensation. When there’s condensation, mold can grow. And where mold can grow, so can bacteria. That can result in sickness. More often, though, mold and bacteria can irritate preexisting lung conditions and allergies. Regular maintenance can help reduce mold growth, but broken parts in aging system can help mold spread.
Electrical Components
The older your HVAC system is, the more likely it is that you’re scheduling expensive repairs more often. That’s not just bad for your checking account. Your air conditioner is part of a complex appliance that operates throughout your house. When it breaks down, it can be dangerous for your home. The electrical component of your system is very important here, because HVAC units with older wiring are responsible for hundreds of house fires each year. The longer you put off replacing your system, the longer you could be putting your family’s health at risk.
Possible Leaks
Air conditioners use refrigerant to keep your home cooler. But not all types of refrigerant are created equal. As the HVAC industry has evolved, we’ve changes to safer versions of it—especially in the last 15 years. However, refrigerant can still make your family sick. Mild exposure can cause headaches and dizziness, but prolonged exposure can have more serious health effects. If you think you have a leak, reach out to a professional immediately.
Benefits from New HVAC Units and Features
A new air conditioner can do a lot to make your space more comfortable. Newer systems have technology that can help your family be a little healthier, especially when you add some more modern features to it.
Improved Comfort
As your air conditioner continues to work hard, it can lose its cooling power and efficiency. That could lead to sleepless nights when you’re unable to cool down. It could also leave you feeling uncomfortable or sick when the temperature outside rises to the extremes. With a new air conditioner, you can avoid all that, and keep your family happy and healthy.
Purer Air
Any good air conditioning system helps defend you from outdoor pollution using your regular filter. And changing that filter as needed is an important part of keeping your home healthy. If you want to take that a step further, think about adding an air purification system to a new air conditioner. Working as a team, they’ll keep your home nice and cool, while filtering out more pollutants from the outdoors—like dirt, dust or pollen.
If you’re concerned your current air conditioner could be impacting your family’s health or want to see what a new air conditioner could do for your home, give us a call at 1-866-781-0111 or book an appointment with us online. Our team is happy to help you find a solution that works for your home.