Can The Air Con In My Car Make Me Unwell?
The short answer to this question is Yes – It is possible to become ill due to the air conditioning in your vehicle. It may feel like cool and fresh air being pumped into your car when the air con is at work but there could be something wrong with it, with mould being the main culprit.
How Can Your Car Air Con Make You Ill?
Mould can gather and grow in the air conditioning evaporator and the air that passes through this will pass any mould that is there. The bacteria from this can make you unwell. In extremely rare cases this mould can lead to infectious pneumonia, but the more likely health issues you will experience as a result of this mould are respiratory ones such as coughing, sneezing, chest tightness or it may aggravate asthma.
How To Tell If Mould Is In Your Air Con
If there is a build-up of mould then you will usually start noticing an odd, unpleasant smell coming from the air vents. There are other causes, for example there could be a build of cigarette residue but more often than not it will be due to mould. The best thing to do in this situation is to get your air conditioning system cleaned professionally. This helps to kill any bacteria and keep the system clean and dust / dirt free.
The most efficient way to protect your car air conditioning from mould build up is to regularly have your air con serviced. This will ensure your filters are renewed and stop harmful levels of mould and bacteria building up. A recent study has shown that bacteria levels increase by as much as 67% when using an old or uncleaned filter.
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