Late last spring, I started feeling sick.
It began with me waking up with a headache every morning.
My symptoms gradually worsened to include a sore throat, itchy eyes, sneezing and nausea. I tried taking vitamins, eating more fruit and getting extra sleep. I went to the doctor and got a prescription for antibiotics. Nothing helped all that much, and I missed a tremendous amount of work. I was sick for the entire summer and didn’t get to enjoy the warm weather and sunshine. I didn’t start to feel better until the weather cooled off. As soon as I shut off the air conditioner and opened the windows, my symptoms went away. That’s when I realized that the central cooling system was most likely to blame. I hired an HVAC contractor and explained the situation. He took the air conditioner apart and showed me the inner workings. The equipment was clogged with dust and overrun with mold, mildew, algae and all sorts of disgusting growth and slime. The HVAC contractor explained that every time the air conditioner ran, the air was picking up harmful spores, particulates and bacteria and spreading it throughout the house. I was breathing in this polluted air and getting sick. The HVAC contractor completed a thorough cleaning of the cooling unit, using chemicals to kill the growth on the coils and keep it from coming back. He recommended having the air conditioner professionally cleaned every spring, prior to starting it. With regular service, I can have confidence in my indoor air quality and also enjoy greater cooling capacity and energy efficiency.