AC Allergies: Why Your Air Conditioner Could Flare up Your Allergies

It’s the height of summer, you’ve had the air conditioner on all through the night just to keep the place at a comfortable temperature. You wake up with a dry cough, blocked or runny nose, dizziness, you’re having an allergic reaction.

Sound familiar? Is there such a thing as AC allergies?

Read on to find out why your AC unit can cause allergic reactions, and what you can do to stop that from happening.

AC Allergies

What’s commonly referred to as an AC allergy is actually not what it sounds like. It’s technically just your reaction to other common allergens that are present in your home.

Your AC unit can harbor these allergens and then, when it’s turned on, circulate them into the room. So, really it’s just your regular allergies, exacerbated by the AC’s function.

Mitigating Allergens

Regular maintenance of your AC unit should help stop the spread of allergens throughout your home when it’s working.

Depending on where you live and where your AC unit is situated, you may be more susceptible to different types of allergens.

Window AC unit allergies could predominantly be that of pollen, or bacteria. If you live near fields or flower beds, for example, the pollen could be drawn into the AC unit and dispersed throughout your home.

Other allergens, such as dust mites and mold spores, thrive in humid conditions. Your AC unit is an almost perfect environment for these types of allergens.

There are a couple of ways to reduce the build-up of allergens in your AC unit. The first is to invest in a good allergy AC filter. They’re not expensive and a good quality filter will go a long way to stopping those allergens from spreading.

The best AC filters for allergies are those that consist of a fine enough mesh to stop the allergens from passing through. Most filters will accomplish this but with varying degrees of success for each type of allergen.

It’s also worth taking note of your AC unit’s effectiveness and the size of your utility bill so you know when to change your filter.

Getting your AC unit looked at by a professional once per year, regardless of any problems is also a good idea. Getting an AC tune-up will help to resolve any potential problems before they become an expense.

As soon as you notice that your allergies are flaring up when the AC is in use, you can also check it and clean the filter yourself to get rid of any build-up of dust, pollen, or even animal dander, another common allergen.

Breathe Easy

Allergic reactions to the stuff in the air of your home are really debilitating sometimes. Yet, they can be mitigated relatively easily with regular maintenance of your AC unit and a bit of attention throughout the year.

If you’re dealing with AC allergies on a regular basis, consider these solutions to help you breathe easy and get on with your day allergy-free.

If your AC unit needs a check-up, contact our team of highly trained HVAC engineers and stop having to deal with allergy flare-ups.