Last Updated on March 16, 2021 by Filip Poutintsev
Air conditioning (often referred to as AC, A/C, or air con) is the process of removing heat and moisture from the interior of an occupied space to improve the comfort of occupants.
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Pros and Cons of Air Conditioners
Air conditioning can be used in both domestic and commercial environments. This process is most commonly used to achieve a more comfortable interior environment, typically for humans and other animals.
Earlier, air conditioning was an extravagance vouchsafed only to the privileged few; but in this avant-garde era, though, it’s a norm in offices and in few public transport systems, it has become a part of lives for many of the individuals and they got habituated to it.
Pros of Owning an Air Conditioner
1. Prevents Dehydration and Heat Strokes
Being exposed to excessive heat for long periods can cause dehydration. This is because high temperature leads to profuse sweating and makes your body lose water. If you fail to replenish this lost water, the result will be dehydration. Since air conditioners reduce sweating, they can minimize the risk of water loss and dehydration.
Heat strokes are another problem that excessive heat can cause. This is because too much heat can make it difficult for the body to regulate its temperature. Failing to treat this problem early enough can cause damage to the brain and other organs of the body. Since air conditioners reduce the temperature of the air, they can be helpful in preventing heat strokes.
2. Air Filters
Air conditions can help to filter as well as disinfect the air that we breathe. This can help to reduce the risk of asthma attacks and allergies by removing pollen and dust, and also preventing the growth of mildew and mold.
Being exposed to mold is one of the main factors that increase the risk of asthma attacks, allergic reactions, and other respiratory issues. This is also the reason we close our windows while using air conditioners. It helps to prevent the entry of environmental allergens, bacteria, and dust.
3. Fights Aging
The regulated temperature created by air conditioners contribute to a sound sleep. The benefits doesn’t just end at a cool and comfortable resting environment. While sleeping in a temperature regulated environment, your body is also more likely to release melatonin, a hormone that fights symptoms of aging and helps prevent getting wrinkles sooner than you should.
4. Saves Life (literally)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 600 people die every year due to extreme heat in the USA. During 1979-2015, this number was more than 9000. These numbers merely represent the number of deaths caused directly by heat.
If we consider cases where extreme heat played a secondary role the number is sure to hike up. Having an air conditioner can save your life in such cases. Doctors suggest that having an effective air conditioning system is the best way to prevent heat related health issues.
5. Increases Productivity
It is a well established fact that high temperatures have an inverse effect on productivity level of humans. According to a journal published by the Scientific American, human body exerts a significant level of energy to cool down the brain and other important organs in hot temperatures, which decreases productivity level. On the other hand, in winter or in cool temperatures our body can redirect this energy to enhance our productivity level. So in offices or at home installing air conditioning service can be very effective.
Disadvantages of Air Conditioning
Air conditioners don’t have a lot of disadvantages. The few it does come with can be prevented with the right care. But if you don’t give your air conditioning unit the proper maintenance, you could end up with a few problems on your hands.
1. Dry Skin
If you run your air conditioner too high for too long, your skin will lose some of its natural moisture. This can make your skin feel dry and irritated. Prolonged exposure to air conditioners make your skin so dry that it ends up becoming itchy and flaky. In some cases, the skin becomes red, develops rashes, and starts peeling off.
If you are already suffering from eczema, rosacea or psoriasis, your condition may worsen, as air conditioning upsets the moisture balance of your skin. But there are a few ways to avoid this problem.
Don’t spend prolonged periods in a high air conditioning. Turn the temperature down and use floor and ceiling fans to make the room cooler. If you like high air conditioning, you can always use lotion to keep your skin moisturized and comfortable.
2. Dirty Filters Can Be a Health Risk
Over time, the filter inside your air conditioner will get full of dust, dirt, hair follicles, bacteria, and other allergens. If you don’t clean your filters, their air will carry all that gunk through the rest of the house.
If anyone in your home suffers from asthma or respiratory allergies, it’s especially important to keep the air filters clean.
A dirty filter can cause allergens to build up in your duct system, and they’ll linger there for months. Whenever you have a forced-air system running, those allergens will be released into the air you breathe.
You might even end up with a mold problem in the ducts. This can aggravate respiratory problems like allergies and asthma.However, as long as you clean your filters every few months, you shouldn’t experience any of these problems.
3. Environment Pollution
Air conditioning system uses refrigerant to absorb the heat of your room. Prior to 1995, he refrigerant used in air conditioners was chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which is very harmful to the Ozone layer.
After 1995, however, AC manufacturers started using halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) instead of CFCs. Halogenated chlorofluorocarbons are less harmful than CFCs but they nonetheless produce greenhouse gases. In a world where global warming is already so rampant, anymore contributors to the source seems dangerous.
Conclusion
In conclusion, despite the weighing the pros and cons, I would personally not use Air Conditioners as a high power fan does the job quite well. In addition the air from ACs have a particular characteristic to them that gives me headaches. Having said that, if the smell is not something you notice, an Air Conditioning System is a great addition to your home and office for maintaining a comfortable environment.
