Most of us share a home with several other pollutants, airborne or otherwise, which include the likes of pet debris, tobacco smoke, spores, mold, dust, volatile organic compounds or VOCs, radon, asbestos, lead and carbon monoxide. Anyway, one of the most common causes of air pollution in regular households is an air conditioning system that’s poorly maintained. While the air filtering unit is meant to keep both you and the inhabitants of your home safe and comfortable, many homeowners tend to feel that as long as the system is operational, even if inefficient, there’s no need for costly tune-ups, inspections or replacements. This can prove a bad idea.
Below are 4 ways dirty air filters can affect your family’s health.
1. Development And Aggravation Of Respiratory Conditions
Air pollutants can help kick-start or aggravate pre-existing respiratory conditions. Mold spores, pollen or even dust particles can help cause serious asthma attacks depending on the individual. Furthermore, these air pollutants can sometimes do so much more than just worsen pre-existing complications. For instance, studies have recently shown that infants living in environments that contain high amounts of mold in the air are more prone to developing asthma. While you can’t get rid of all the mold spores in the air, taking a few steps to help reduce their number is a vital factor when protecting the health of your family.
2. Development Of Mold Infestation
Mold spores cannot be seen using the naked eye. They fill the air inside your home with toxins. When they accumulate in the folds of your ears or any other vulnerable body regions they can end up causing you serious irritation. Sometimes, they can even dry out in that area and then cause bleeding. Mold, like we’ve mentioned a bit earlier, can also help develop or aggravate respiratory conditions. They’ve also been linked to allergic reactions and, sometimes, even depression. Ensuring a clean air filter can help you get rid of these allergens. Air filters such as 20x25x1 filters not only ensure clean air but can also eliminate bad odor as well.
3. Respiratory Irritation
Air pollutants, as we’ve seen, can have a detrimental effect on your respiratory system. Even those of you that don’t suffer allergies may sneeze when in the middle of a cloud of dust. These air pollutants can cause you daily respiratory irritation. An AC’s filter, unfortunately, decreases in efficiency as it fills up. This means that it’s less likely to be able to keep away unwanted particles in your AC unit. The irritation caused in these scenarios can sometimes lead to inflammation.
4. Decomposing Animal Remains Or Debris Can Cause Bacterial Infections
Animals that get trapped in your air ducts eventually die. Their remains end up decomposing and this can cause bacterial growth. This bacteria will then be inevitably released into the air through the air conditioner vents. Constant inhalation of this bacteria can cause bacterial infections. Not only that, those rotting remains can subject both you and your family to very displeasing smells.
It’s very important to keep every aspect of your home’s environment clean, even the air. It’s one part of the home that most people tend to overlook rather easily. However, the health of your family could be on the line. Protect their health by ensuring you have clean air filters.