Sick Building Syndrome

Central HVAC systems are nearly ubiquitous these days. Central AC is generally considered to be one of the biggest technological breakthroughs of the 20th century. It allows for larger buildings and better indoor comfort and ventilation. Possibly even more importantly, central air conditioning has allowed for people to live and work in environments which normally would be too hot or uncomfortable for most people to feel productive in. Were it not for central air, we would not be able to work in the office environments which are now such a lynchpin of the modern economy. It’s an amazing thing isn’t it?

However, there are some problems with central air conditioning, both when it comes to cost and comfort. In this post we will discuss comfort, as the cost issues for air conditioning have been discussed in other posts. Central air conditioning can cause comfort problems and health problems as well. This is largely based on the fact that air conditioning systems often recirculate too much air. This can make the cold air feel stale as it often is dehydrated significantly, which also makes it feel dry. In addition, when the filters in the AC system are not cleaned, particulate matter and microbes can be transported throughout a building by the air conditioning. With or without associated allergies or viral/bacterial diseases, some people experience Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) when they are at work due to this poor indoor air quality. SBS can make the skin, eyes, nose or ears irritated. Some people feel a general sense of malaise when they experience SBS in a building, while others develop specific hypersensitivity reactions, but in all cases, the feelings dissipate when the affected person leaves the building.

If you are considering replacing or updating an outdated HVAC system, I suggest that you go to AC-World for an air conditioning solution which will be less susceptible to SBS. Their non-centralized systems feature easy to clean filters and other components which will prevent a room from feeling stagnant, while also allowing for people to adjust local temperature settings for their comfort needs.