Can air conditioner emit carbon monoxide? Let’s figure that out in this blog.
Science and its inventions have made our life easier and more comfortable to many extents. An air conditioner is one among them. In scorching heat, it makes you feel like winter.
However, everything comes with a cost. An increase in the use of air conditioners is not out of it. While reducing the temperature of your home, it’s keeping a good role in increasing the earth’s temperature. And, it’s not the only problem. There are more.
Air conditioners use chemical refrigerants to cool your air. Thus it could produce some gases in the procedure. There are some gases it emits which might or might not be toxic depending on its source.
In general, the gas produced from the refrigerant is not harmful to a person or animal. But in some exceptional circumstances, it could even be deadly.
And, not only Ac, rather, your household refrigerator or any other electrical product can cause toxic gas emission. So, you must be careful about this issue.
Can Air Conditioner Emit Carbon Monoxide
Generally, Carbon Monoxide is produced from fuel-burning devices. But, an air conditioner is an electric device. It doesn’t use any fuel-burning process to run. So, your electric AC units can not produce or emit any Carbon Monoxide.
Generally, The partial oxidation of compounds containing carbon produces Carbon monoxide. If there is a lack of oxygen to produce Carbon Dioxide, only one oxygen atom connects to carbon and forms Carbon Monoxide.
The incomplete combustion of carbon-related fuels produces this gas. Fuels such as wood, coal, propane, and natural gas are among them. Generators, car engines, or anything that requires fossil fuel to run can produce it.
On the other hand, electric appliances use electricity to run the device. So no burning of carbon happens, and thus, no Carbon Monoxide is produced in these cases.
How Do You Know If Any Machine Is Leaking Carbon Monoxide?
Generally, Carbon Monoxide is created from partial burning. So, you might see some kind of soot-colored or brown/yellow color stain around your machine. It could be leaking of carbon monoxide.
Also, if you smell any kind of gas from your machine, that could mean there is a leakage. (Though Carbon Monoxide is odorless, you can smell an exhausted smell)
However, this is applicable only for fuel using machines. Thus, there is no reason to fear any electric devices like AC.
Do Air Conditioner Emits Any Harmful Gases
Yes, AC emits a harmful gas called Hydrofluorocarbons. It is produced from a refrigerant liquid that your Ac uses. It’s not toxic for humans in general.
Yet, It is harmful to the atmosphere as it is a Greenhouse gas. Besides, it is contributing to the Greenhouse effect, which is responsible for the earth’s rising temperature.
Generally, the refrigerant liquid remains within the coils of an Air conditioner. But they can leak out. Many things can cause this leak.
Manufacturing defects, design errors can be a good cause for a leak in the coils. Moreover, prolonged usage of an air conditioner could eventually form microscopic leaks. However, the possibility is not too much to worry about.
Does Air Conditioner Emit Any Other Gas?
As we know, the carbon component emitted from a hydroelectric power that is 96 Kwh can emit 384 g of carbon. This means per day emission of carbon by an air conditioner is 5344g.
If you use a 1.5 ton AC, then the emission of carbon will be 5728 g. That means 5.7 kg per day. So, It will be 1368 kg if the air conditioner is working 20 days a month.
Can Air Conditioner Released Gases Be Harmful?
Devices like AC, Refrigerator, Freeze contains chemical substances as refrigerants. These refrigerants produce gas named hydrofluorocarbons. It is also known as Freon.
Generally, the gases produced from an air conditioner are not harmful. But, it can be detrimental if the leak is excessive and can be a health hazard in prolonged inhalation.
Freon is very harmful to the environment. Generally, it is an odorless and tasteless gas. But, if anyone inhales the gas more, it causes severe health problems.
Is Your Air Conditioner Making Me Sick
Many of us think that our air conditioner can make us sick, But it is not true at all. Air conditioners generally can not make you sick. But there are some reasons which could lead us to sickness with our environmental issues.
So there is nothing to worry about as long as your air conditioner is running well and good. Yet, any fault in your air conditioner or any leakage can be harmful. It can lead to health hazards like refrigerant poisoning.
Air Conditioning And Its Effect On Health
Every good thing also has a negative side. It is a common incident of almost all technologies. They are good till they start showing adverse effects. Air conditioners are not from out of that league too.
Air conditioners provide many goodness and comfort. Still, there are some lackings in them. Among them, one of the most alarming is that It can cause some health issues.
Allergies
Air conditioners can cause seasonal allergies. It should be well maintained and cleaned on a regular basis. If it’s not, it can store and distribute high concentrations of dust, which can finally cause dust allergies to anyone.
Air conditioners can also produce microscopic fungi in the air. If anyone with low immunity inhales the air, they can be attacked by asthma, severe allergies, and other respiratory problems.
Infections
The air conditioner should not be kept in a wet and not well-maintained environment. Otherwise, it can make the surroundings more frowzy. Thus, It can produce germs, viruses, bacteria, and mold. That can cause more or less respiratory infections.
Among respiratory infections, you can be attacked by anything from a typical cold to Legionellosis. Legionellosis is very rare. But your lungs could be infected very badly with Legionellosis bacteria. Then it will be very dangerous.
The bacteria contaminate air conditioner water. And if you inhale the polluted air, you are likely to be affected.
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Respiratory Diseases
Air conditioners can be harmful to people who already have asthma problems. The cold air of the air conditioner can trigger their problem in a very worst way. It can worsen their condition and even cause new diseases.
They might suffer from Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. It is very harmful to respiratory disease sufferers.
Other Effects
Air conditioners can cause many other health hazards. People with weak immunity might get easily caught in these health issues. Prolonged use of air conditioners might also be harmful, even to a perfectly healthy person.
It can bring problems like dry and irritated eyes, mouth, throat, and nasal passage. These problems usually happen because of controlled humidity and a dry environment.
Air conditioners can also cause headaches. Also, the constant cold environment can bring Sore throat and cough. There is also the possibility for diseases like Laryngitis, Raynaud’s Disease, and Arthritis.
If anyone constantly falls ill because of an air conditioner, he must take the doctor’s advice. It can be about the temperature, cleanliness, and usage of the air conditioner in the house.
Conclusion
Every invention of science eventually has been proved to have adverse effects. For example, an air conditioner can not emit Carbon Monoxide. But, it can still do some harm to the environment and people in general.
So, try to use everything wisely and cautiously. It might not be guaranteed, but it will indeed increase your safety. And save you from the negative sides of these inventions.
