Can unmaintained air conditioning units be dangerous?

Is air con maintenance necessary? Read on to discover whether air con gas is dangerous and what you need to do to avoid any disasters.

Air conditioning systems are like any other appliance requiring necessary and regular maintenance and servicing. A failure to adequately maintain your air con isn’t just something that might end with it breaking down and draining your finances to replace. In fact, poorly maintained air con units have the potential to be far more dangerous than you’d first suspect.

So, regular air con maintenance is vital, as a damaged system can have an array of negative effects; some immediate and even deadly. Let’s explore.

What are the dangers of faulty air con units?

Fire hazard

Any air conditioning system that hasn’t been maintained properly can slowly develop faults which wreak havoc with the inner machinery of the unit. Most air con units will accumulate dust over time, which can cause overheating and drastically increase the risk of a fire breaking out.

In addition, the risk of short circuits in the wiring of your unit increases if you don’t maintain it properly. And it may be caused by something as simple as clogged air filters. Besides having to replace your air con, a fire breaking out could cause significant damage to your property and endanger those inside it.

As a business, it’s essential to stay up to date with the latest workplace fire safety and legislation.

Contaminated air

All kinds of pollutants and bacteria are safely filtered through your air con unit daily to ensure you enjoy clean, uncontaminated air.

However, over time, these contaminants will build up within a system and need to be cleaned out. A malfunctioning unit can leave traces of moisture in its interior. These dark, warm, and damp spaces make perfect breeding grounds for bacteria and other harmful microorganisms.

This can cause unpleasant smells and decrease the unit’s efficiency. Even worse, the air conditioning unit may subsequently disperse these germs into your office for your workers to breathe in, potentially making them vulnerable to allergies and asthma problems.

Symptoms include nasal issues, itchy eyes, headaches, nausea, or difficulty breathing. If any of these symptoms start to occur, it’s imperative to contact us immediately.

Air filters play an imperative role in keeping the flow of air clean and safe within your indoor environment.

Productivity

While there are many benefits of an air conditioning system, its duties and function are actually both very simple – to regulate the temperature in a room. A malfunctioning unit often fails at this task, leaving the temperature in a room either slightly or significantly unbalanced.

You don’t have to work in an office to recognise that personal temperature can have a dramatic knock-on effect on productivity. Every industry can suffer from an environment that is too hot or too cold. The knock-on effect can distract workers from their tasks, making them and the business less productive.

Is air con gas dangerous?

Anyone who has had an air conditioning unit for a few years will probably encounter problems. However, in most cases, all that is required for a minor problem is a quick maintenance job by a professional air con specialist.

Unfortunately, many people ignore the warning signs of a faulty air con unit and allow the problem to become more and more severe through neglect. Even if your problem is minor, after some time without air con maintenance, the problem can spread to other areas and soon become something far more serious.

Commonly associated with malfunctioning units is coolant (refrigerant) leakage, which can be an extreme health hazard with potentially fatal consequences.

In many cases, refrigerant leakage is the result of malfunctioning valves. The seal around these valves can degrade over time. If this happens, it can evaporate into a gas, which the air conditioning unit will then pump into the atmosphere of your office.

It can cause nausea and headaches, as well vomiting, coughing and dizziness. If you spot any of these symptoms among your colleagues or employees, they could be early warning signs of refrigerant poisoning. In which case, you need to turn off your unit and contact us immediately.

Deaths from refrigerant poisoning are not unknown, which makes it more imperative for you to take quick, decisive action.

Don’t underestimate the importance of air con maintenance

A well-maintained air conditioning system can provide your indoor work environment with a wide range of benefits, such as regulating the temperature while keeping you and your employees comfortable, happy, and more productive.

When it comes to maintaining your air conditioning unit, you will need to hire a professional company offering high safety standards. In most cases, you should do this on an annual basis, and rely on reactive air con maintenance where needed. If your company runs multiple units throughout the working day, then it may be wise to increase the frequency just in case.

Though some of the thoughts on this list may appear drastic and ‘dramatic’, thankfully, there’s an easy way to avoid them.

At Mid-Tech, every one of our highly trained engineers is adept at spotting any emerging, current, or developing issues with your system. They can take the appropriate action at once to continue safeguarding the health and comfort of both you and your employees.

So, if you’re interested to learn more about our air con maintenance services, get in touch today. In the meantime, follow our journey on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram for more handy insights.