Living with average daily summertime highs that exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit, Hoover, AL homeowners need reliable air conditioning. Along with comfort, high-quality air conditioning is good for your health. Learn about five health benefits of air conditioning below.
1. Lowering Humidity Levels
One of the primary benefits of air conditioning is that it lowers the humidity levels in your home. When the air in your home is less humid, it has less moisture in it. Lower humidity improves your health in more than one way.
First, if you’ve ever gone outside on a particularly humid day and tried to take a deep breath, you may have noticed how “soupy” or “sticky” the air feels. The same is true for the air in your home. Less humid air is easier to breathe.
Additionally, homes with excessive humidity are more likely to have bacterial growth. Even if no one who lives in your home has respiratory issues, taking the steps to eliminate spores is important.
2. Removing Air Pollutants
Your air conditioner plays a pivotal role in indoor air quality in your home, thanks primarily to the air filters in the system. These filters catch air pollutants, such as dust and pollen. While regular dusting and vacuuming can cut down on the amount of respiratory irritants in your home, there’s simply no way for you to get rid of them all.
Changing your air filter regularly not only keeps your system running as efficiently as possible but also helps keep you breathing clean air. Experts recommend that you replace your air filters at least every 90 days. However, if you have furry pets, or someone in your home smokes or has respiratory issues, you may need to change them more often.
3. Minimizing Heat-Related Illnesses
While heat strokes typically occur when someone exerts a lot of energy outside in the heat, it’s possible for you to experience other heat-related issues inside your home. For instance, some people report terrible headaches when they get too hot. Others experience severe heat cramps.
Air conditioning becomes even more important when you’ve been outside in the heat and then come inside to cool down. Your body needs air conditioning to help you cool down and regulate your internal temperature. It’s simply not safe to do without a cool place to rest and recover after you’ve been out on a hot day.
4. Improving Your Sleep Quality
It’s difficult to get restful sleep if you’re feeling too hot. Your body temperature actually drops one or two degrees while you’re sleeping, which means you’re more sensitive to high temperatures in your home during this time.
Poor sleep quality leads to a host of issues, including decreased cognitive function and a weaker immune system. Conversely, when you can keep your home cool and comfortable, your body can get the deep, restful sleep that it needs to perform at its best.
5. Keeping Insects at Bay
Many insects and parasites, such as mosquitoes, thrive in damp, warm environments. This means that in addition to cutting down on the humidity in your home, effective air conditioning can make the space less desirable for the same bugs that you try to avoid when you’re outside.
Insects and other pests carry a variety of diseases that can cause significant harm to people. Dealing with these pests while you’re outdoors is annoying enough. You certainly don’t want to have to constantly bat them away or subject yourself to their bites in your home.
If your air conditioner isn’t working as well as you need it to, don’t put off calling for professional help. Whether you need to have your system repaired or it’s time for a replacement, our team is ready to help. Contact One Source Heating and Cooling to find out more about how we can help you use your air conditioner to improve your health.
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