How pleasant to escape from sweltering heat into a well-tempered department store or to switch on a cooling fan in the car while others have their shirts sticking to their backs soaked in sweat – air conditioners can make life easier, and not just in summer. But they are not entirely unproblematic. As pleasant as the cool air is on a hot summer day, the discomfort triggered by the air from an air conditioner can be unpleasant.
Health drawback of air conditioners
Many people who are regularly exposed to air-conditioned air in the office, for example, complain of adverse effects: excessive drafts, too much cold, mucous membranes that are too dry. As a result, more illnesses occur, first and foremost colds, problems with the bronchial tubes and sinuses, and increased susceptibility to infections. Irritated skin and mucous membranes, headaches and concentration problems are also attributed to the air-conditioned air. And time and again, reports circulate that air conditioning systems also mutate into killers if they are not properly maintained: Legionnaires’ disease, in particular, caused by Legionella bacteria, can lead to severe, potentially fatal pneumonia.
Air conditioner stinks? Cleaning it helps.
Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi lead an unnoticed and undisturbed life of their own in the filters and pipes of air conditioning systems. They collect and multiply and are flung directly into the human organism with the air flow. At high humidity especially the molds are happy. High humidity is caused, among other things, by condensation when hot air cools down. Air conditioning systems must be professionally maintained at least once a year – only through such air conditioning maintenance can technical and hygienic defects be corrected in time.
Air conditioning makes you sick
Even if the air conditioner is maintained optimally, it can have disadvantages: With outside temperatures of 30 or 40 degrees Celsius and high humidity, everyone starts sweating. In an air-conditioned and thus cool office, restaurant or hotel room, it is then easy to catch a cold – the abrupt change between high and low temperatures stresses the immune system and weakens the defense cells. The sweat suddenly cools down, the dry air additionally irritates the mucous membranes of the upper airways – many types of viruses have an easy game and the stiff neck is not long in coming. In addition, the cardiovascular system is also put under great strain. To avoid abrupt temperature fluctuations, especially in the hot summer, air conditioners should therefore not be set too cool – the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors should not be more than 6 °C. If necessary, keep a jacket handy even in summer.American researchers have discovered that air conditioners make you fat. What sounds like an April Fool’s joke is explained as follows: In always the same and well-tempered indoors, you sweat and shiver less often – and thus consume less energy. Air conditioning also blocked especially in summer the natural summer diet mechanism, with which the heat ensures that our appetite is less.
Maintain air conditioners in car regularly
In the car, air conditioners are becoming more and more standard: when a car quickly heats up to 50 degrees or more in the sun, you are not only grateful for your own cooling, but also for the fact that you can transport your fresh food home unharmed. But beware if a musty smell escapes from it. After all, what applies to offices should also be observed in the microcosm that is the car: The cabin air filter, through which the air from the air conditioning system is also blown, should be changed about once a year to prevent pathogens and pollen from spreading in the car. The evaporator in the dashboard is particularly problematic here. This is where the condensation that is automatically produced during cooling is collected and evaporated. Microorganisms feel particularly at home in the moist environment. Evaporators must be cleaned and preferably disinfected.In the car, a temperature of 23 to 27 degrees and a humidity of 35 to 65 percent is ideal for driving.
Dry air in the airplane
The air in the airplane is particularly dry.Especially on long journeys, many passengers suffer from irritated eyes. This particularly affects passengers in First Class: since passengers here are not seated quite so close together, they also moisten the air less when exhaling.While the humidity in Economy Class is around 16%, it is only around 10% in Business Class – values between 40% and 60% are pleasant. At an altitude of ten kilometers, however, the outside air is very dry at around 52 degrees below zero. Before it enters the cabin, the fresh air is warmed up – but it is not practical to also humidify it with air conditioning:
A jumbo jet would have to carry an additional ton of water to have a noticeable effect. And that costs fuel. In addition, condensation could interfere with electrical systems. It is therefore advisable to drink plenty of water or juice (no alcohol!) and to drip artificial tears into your eyes if necessary. The air inside the aircraft is exchanged on average 30 times per hour, depending on the type of aircraft. However, part of the used air is not transported to the outside, but is blown back into the aircraft after special treatment via filters. Here, too, germs, especially viruses, can spread inside the aircraft. However, the risk of contracting an infection in this way is low. However, problems may arise in immunocompromised patients. In case of doubt, a doctor should be consulted. Organ transplant patients should plan air travel particularly carefully.
