From the start of summer, the temperature in your home keeps rising up every new day. To stay comfortable throughout the heat, many homeowners turn on their ACs to cool down. For some, turning on their ACs can help ease allergies. But, while it does its job for some time, some people might find that they start sneezing and their nose starts feeling blocked. As a result, many wonder if air conditioner allergy relief is, in fact, the truth.
If some people react negatively to their air conditioners while others feel relief. So, who is right? Are air conditioners good at relieving allergies or is it all a myth? We’ve put together this guide as a way to help show you the truth behind AC allergy relief as well as answer any other connected questions.
If you’re interested in getting your air conditioner repaired or checked out, just contact our team at Hurliman Heating & Air Conditioning!
What Are Air Conditioner Allergies?
If you’ve ever turned on the air conditioner in the summer only to suddenly start sneezing and sniffling like your allergies are acting up, you might have already experienced what many people call air conditioner allergies.
Though that does make it sound like you’re allergic to your air conditioner itself, that assumption is wrong. Instead of being allergic to the AC itself, what you’re reacting to is allergens the system is blowing out. How they got into the system can vary from home to home, but the result is the same.
Named such for the odd connection between your air conditioning and allergies, your home’s AC is often blamed even though it just happens to be a coincidence.
Can My AC Ease My Allergies?
Of course, the most important thing that many homeowners want to know is centered around air conditioner allergy relief. Though many might believe that the AC is the cause of their allergies acting up, it’s actually the opposite. Your AC really does have quite a few benefits when it comes to easing your allergies.
The main way is how it handles moisture. Whenever you turn your AC on, the constant flow of cool air cause some if not all of the moisture to fade. Thanks to that fact, many people might find some relief. This is primarily because many of the pollutants and allergens that can cause or aggravate allergies are water-soluble. By removing the moisture from the air, your AC essentially removes the allergens too.
Additionally, the system has another way to clean the air through the use of a specialized air filter. As the AC runs, it draws in warm air from the rooms in your home to cool. That air can often be full of dust and allergens that can aggravate your allergies. Even when the system blows the air back out, any dust inside the system gets trapped against the other side of the filter.
Can Air Conditioning Make Allergies Worse at Home?
In rare cases, your AC can make your allergies worse, but not in the way that you expect. The primary reason that you might be noticing a sudden spike in your allergies whenever you turn on your AC is due to what’s in it, as mentioned.
The only way your air conditioner allergy relief can be negated is due to the air filter. Due to its placement and how it works, the air filter can get quite dirty. If you don’t regularly replace it – or if the slot is empty – the dust and allergens that get into the system blow out whenever the AC turns on.
In other cases, your cause can be something as simple as a dusty or dirty evaporator unit. If you’ve only recently started moving in or just turned on the AC for the first time in a year, the dust and even pollen can blow up and out into your home. If this is the case, clean up the unit’s vents and clean out the ducts as needed.
How to Ensure Air Conditioner Allergy Relief
If you find yourself using an air conditioner to help reduce your seasonal allergy symptoms, knowing what causes them can greatly help. As mentioned, many typical allergens like pollen can find their way into the system, whether that’s from open windows or through the ducts. While the answer to questions like “Do air conditioners filter pollen” is yes thanks to the air filter, the part still needs to be cleaned.
So, to make sure that your air conditioner works to its best ability while also helping with allergy relief, clean your AC’s vents and condenser unit as often as you can. Replace the air filter regularly as well! After sitting unused for six months or longer, proper cleaning can do more good than you expect.
Not only does it boost the likelihood of air conditioner allergy relief for you and your family while reducing any “air conditioner allergies”, but it can also help boost the AC’s lifespan and efficiency.
Takeaway
Our air conditioners are one of the most crucial parts of our home’s comfort systems, making summer days at home far more tolerable and even helping to provide relief to those that suffer from allergies. However, the potential for relief all depends on the AC’s state of cleanliness.
Though pollen and other allergens can get into your home, the system has air filters to stop them. Air conditioners do provide allergy relief, that much is a fact. But it all relies on keeping the air filter clean. If you need professional help cleaning out your AC or if you need a new one installed, just call us at Hurliman Heating & Air Conditioning.
