Mistakes that cause headaches and discomfort when turning on the air conditioner

Users may feel uncomfortable if they turn on the air conditioner and close the door for a long time. Photo: Anh Le .

In the current hot weather, air conditioners have become essential for many families. To cool effectively, increase the life of the machine and prevent insects from flying in, many home appliance information sites also recommend that people only turn on the air conditioner in closed spaces.

A social media post by account V. said that when he did this, he started to feel “exhausted, had a splitting headache, and an abnormally fast heartbeat.” The post received 80,000 likes and more than 40,000 shares within 3 days of being posted.

Sharing in an article on his personal page, Dr. Nguyen Hong Vu, a former researcher at the City of Hope National Cancer Research Institute (California, USA), stated that the health effects in reality are not that serious.

Mr. Vu explained that if a person sleeps in a closed room, the maximum concentration of CO2 produced is about 2,666 ppm. Meanwhile, the maximum safe level is 5,000 ppm, and the immediately life-threatening level is about 40,000 ppm.

The operating mechanism of the air conditioner will suck hot air in the room, blow it through the cooling coil, without consuming O2 or producing CO2. CO2 produced in the room is only due to people breathing out and gradually accumulates in the air.

V.'s post received a lot of interaction. Photo: Meta.

If you are in an area with CO2 levels between 2,000-5,000 ppm, you may experience fatigue, decreased alertness, and mild headaches, especially when you wake up. However, there is no scientific research showing any link between this and hair loss, and it does not cause suffocation or endanger your life, Dr. Vu said.

On the other hand, air conditioners can become a source of disease if they are not cleaned and filtered properly. According to Dr. Lauren Eggert, clinical assistant professor of pulmonary, allergy, and critical care medicine at Stanford Health Care, air conditioners that are not cleaned regularly can become a place for mold and bacteria to accumulate, leading to respiratory symptoms such as asthma and allergies.

The air in a closed air-conditioned room is often 2-5 times more toxic than the air outside, especially when the air conditioner is not cleaned regularly. This will pollute the air in the room, affecting the health of users, especially the elderly and children.

Experts recommend not staying in an air-conditioned room for more than 4 hours at a time. Therefore, every 2-3 hours, users should go outside to normal temperature to change the air and adapt to the outside temperature, avoiding heat shock.

Dr. Vu suggests that users design a small, fixed gap (~5-10 cm²) in the window or main door, or in a high position to take advantage of the pressure difference to naturally exhaust air. In addition, when sleeping, you can leave the door ajar (0.5-1 cm) and place a small fan facing the gap.

Some tips for using air conditioners to cool effectively and economically include setting the temperature appropriately, 5-7 degrees Celsius lower than the outside temperature to avoid thermal shock. Meanwhile, turn on the “Dry” mode (dehumidifying) if the weather is not too hot, or set the air conditioner timer and use it with a fan.

Users can consider Inverter air conditioners, or Fresh Air Supply from electronics brands such as LG, Daikin, Panasonic to help save electricity and protect health. Prices range from 12-16 million VND, depending on the brand, capacity and accompanying features.

Source: https://znews.vn/sai-lam-gay-dau-dau-kho-chiu-khi-mo-may-lanh-post1553808.html