Last year, right when the weather started to warm up, I began feeling sick.
Every morning, I’d wake up with a headache and congestion.
There were days when I was forced to call in sick to work. Since I don’t suffer allergies, I wasn’t sure what was causing it. I eventually noticed that my symptoms disappeared after I arrived at work. Once I arrived home, the stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing and sore throat would come back. I got suspicious that my air conditioner was the cause. My health issues appeared at around the same time I lowered the thermostat. I called a local HVAC contractor and scheduled a service call. When the technician took the air conditioner apart, he showed me the accumulation of contaminants within the inner workings. I was shocked by the amount of dust, debris, aglae and grime on the components. There was a significant amount of mold growth. The technician explained that the hot, moist interior of the air conditioner is the perfect environment for bacteria and other harmful microorganisms to thrive. Every time the cooling system started it up, it was spreading allergens throughout the house, and I was breathing them in. Plus, the debris restricts airflow through the system, forcing the air conditioner to run longer, work harder and use more energy. I was playing higher than necessary monthly electric bills for diminished comfort. The greater wear and tear on the air conditioner increased the risk of malfunction. After the technician completed a thorough cleaning of all components, my health complaints went away completely. I now make sure to have my cooling system professionally serviced every spring.