How Does My Family’s Health Impact Purchasing a New Air Conditioner?

Air conditioning is more than just a comfort for when it’s warm outside. It can save you from serious health issues from risky heat waves. It stops outdoor pollution from circulating in your house. It helps you sleep more peacefully. But while air conditioning can help you keep healthy and comfortable, an older unit can create negative health effects for your family. Here are some factors to consider if you’re thinking of replacing your home’s air conditioner.

Potential Health Hazards from Old Air Conditioners

Usually, HVAC professionals recommend replacing air conditioning units when they are more than 10 years old. Although, if you are seeing reoccurring challenges with your system before that, it doesn’t hurt to consider options beyond repairs and routine cleaning. Here are some issues that could affect your family’s health and should prompt you to consider a new air conditioner.

Mold and Mildew

Your air conditioner operates by cooling air over evaporator coils, which generates condensation. When there’s condensation, mold can grow. And where mold can grow, so can bacteria. That can cause sickness. More regularly, though, mold and bacteria can aggravate preexisting lung conditions and allergies. Routine maintenance can help get rid of any mold growth, but broken components in aging system can help mold spread.

Electrical Components

The older your HVAC system is, the increased likelihood that you’re paying for expensive repairs more often. That’s not just bad for your wallet. Your air conditioner is part of a complex appliance that functions throughout your house. When it doesn’t operate as it should, it can be dangerous for your home. The electrical component of your system is extremely important here, because HVAC units with older wiring are accountable for hundreds of house fires every year. The longer you put off replacing your system, the longer you might be putting your family’s health at risk.

Possible Leaks

Air conditioners use refrigerant to keep your home cooler. But not all versions of refrigerant are created equal. As the HVAC industry has evolved, we’ve begun using safer versions of it—especially in the last 15 years. However, refrigerant can still make your family ill. Mild exposure can create headaches and dizziness, but prolonged exposure can have more serious health effects. If you suspect you have a leak, contact a professional immediately.

Benefits from New HVAC Units and Features

A new air conditioner can do a lot to make your house more comfortable. Newer systems have technology that can help your family be a little healthier, especially when you add some more modern features to it.

Improved Comfort

As your air conditioner continues to work hard, it can reduce its cooling power and efficiency. That could mean sleepless nights when you’re unable to cool down. It could also leave you feeling uncomfortable or sick when the temperature outside rises greatly. With a new air conditioner, you can skip all that, and keep your family happy and healthy.

Purer Air

Any good air conditioning system helps guard you from outdoor pollution using your regular filter. And changing that filter frequently is an important part of keeping your home healthy. If you want to take that a step further, contemplate adding an air purification system to a new air conditioner. Working as a team, they’ll keep your home nice and cool, while filtering out more pollutants from the outdoors—like dirt, dust or pollen.

If you’re worried your current air conditioner could be hurting your family’s health or want to see what a new air conditioner could do for your home, give our experts a call at (325) 692-5850 or schedule an appointment with us online. Our team is happy to help you find a solution that works for your home.