In the summer, a working air conditioner becomes a real escape from the heat. The freshness and coolness of the room is very different from street conditions. This temperature drop negatively affects health. After the heat, being under a stream of cold air leads to a cold. Using a split system can cause a more serious illness. Legionellosis is a bacterial infection caused by microorganisms living in the air conditioner. So that the climate technology gives only comfort, you should follow the recommendations for its installation and maintenance.
Air condition legionnaires disease
In the summer of 1976, the Congress of the American Legion was held in Philadelphia, bringing together more than 4 thousand participants. After its completion, 221 people felt unwell and were hospitalized with symptoms of pneumonia. After analyzing the etiology of the disease, the doctors concluded that the infection occurred at the congress. The Legionella bacterium was sown, the habitat of which turned out to be the air conditioning system of a hotel hosting American veterans. Legionnaire's disease or legionellosis is periodically reported in the United States and Europe. In the natural environment, bacteria live in fresh water, and in artificial conditions they live in air conditioning, cooling, showers and boiler plants. Most cases are associated with hotels where the infection occurred by airborne droplets.
Pneumonia from the air conditioner is manifested by fever, chills, pain in the muscles and chest, sputum discharge. Soon nausea and diarrhea are added to the symptoms. Patients are hospitalized and treated with antibiotics. The peak of infections occurs in the summer, when climate systems massively work for cooling. Condensate accumulates in the system, which when heated becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.
As a disease prevention, it is necessary to follow the rules for servicing split systems. Filters are installed in the indoor unit, which must be regularly cleaned or replaced with new ones. Industrial plants are equipped with special bactericidal filters.
Colds under the split system
A room cooling system installed to ensure comfort can cause various ailments. Respiratory disease from an air conditioner is a common phenomenon of our time. A sharp temperature drop from + 32 ° to 18 ° becomes a stress for the body. There is a condition resembling a cold of the autumn-winter period. In the early days, malaise is accompanied by symptoms:
- muscle aches;
- headache;
- weakness;
- a slight increase in temperature;
- sneezing.
If you do not start treatment, the situation is exacerbated by pain when swallowing, sore throat, cough. In an advanced state, the disease leads to chronic diseases of the respiratory system. Medication can help alleviate symptoms. Herbal preparations, tea with honey and lemon, the use of vitamins, especially C. are useful. A plentiful warm drink, rest and taking medications quickly put on its feet. In case of deterioration, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
Respiratory disease from an air conditioner
Allergic reactions, bronchitis, rhinitis, cough, tonsillitis can be included in the list of diseases from the air conditioner. One of the causes of disease is dry air.During the operation of the climate system, moisture from the air in the form of condensate settles on the heat exchanger and is discharged to the street. Due to dryness, local immunity of the nasal mucosa and throat is disrupted, and conditions for the development of opportunistic microflora appear. Rhinitis or runny nose from an air conditioner is associated with general hypothermia and lack of moisture. It is manifested by burning and nasal sinus congestion, thick discharge, headache. Frequent rinsing of the nose helps to cope with rhinitis.
Sore throat turns into laryngitis or pharyngitis. Symptoms of ailments are similar: pain when swallowing, sore throat, hoarse voice. Hypothermia with joined viral infection causes a sore throat. The development of inflammatory processes of the respiratory tract passes into bronchitis.
Long-term exposure to a directed flow of cold air causes cervical myositis and facial neuritis.
Bronchial asthma and allergies
Allergic reactions in the form of sneezing, tears, nasal congestion can occur in healthy people. They are provoked by dust, animal hair, pollen and other pollution accumulated in the filter of the climate system. When the air conditioner is operating, air recirculation occurs. The filter system of the indoor unit traps dirt particles. Having exhausted their resources, the devices cannot cope with the air purification function. Dust and allergens spread throughout the room and enter the respiratory tract.
Avoid the development of bronchial asthma and complications from allergies will help timely care for climate technology. A cough from an air conditioner and other health problems are better prevented than treated later.
Avoiding danger
In order not to get cold from the air conditioner, to avoid the unpleasant consequences of hypothermia and the spread of viruses and bacteria, it is necessary to follow the manufacturers' recommendations for the maintenance of climatic equipment, the terms for cleaning and replacing filters. Following the rules of operation, owners of split systems minimize the development and spread of pathogens.
One of the important conditions for using the air conditioner is the choice of the mode in which the temperature difference in the street and in the room does not exceed 5-8 °. The desire to cool faster after the heat makes you choose a temperature of about 18-19 ° on the control panel. Rapid cooling provokes the body to reactivate the protection of internal organs, while peripheral organs are left without immunity support. This is a direct path to the common cold. Safe for health is a gradual decrease in temperature. First, 25 ° is set, after half an hour a smaller parameter is set - 20-22 °. In this mode, you should not be afraid of respiratory diseases.
Rules for using the air conditioner
The wrong choice of location for the installation of the indoor unit is a factor that provokes health problems. If the flow of conditioned air is directed to the working or sleeping area, hypothermia quickly occurs. Following are viral and infectious diseases. You should responsibly approach the installation of a split system, choose models with adjustable blinds, ensuring an even distribution of cold. During installation, take into account that in the area of 2-3 meters from the equipment, the air speed is higher and the temperature is lower than in the rest of the room.
Using climate technology, one should not forget about natural ventilation. It is necessary to ventilate the room, opening the windows. The process helps to restore the normal level of humidity, enriches the room with oxygen.
Do not combine air conditioning and ventilation. In this case, the equipment operates with increased load and may fail.
