Did you get away during the last holiday season? You may have gone to a beach resort or spent some time up in the mountains away from traffic, office blocks and busy streets. If so, there’s every chance you stepped out onto your balcony one morning and breathed deeply of the clean, outdoor air.

Yes, filling our lungs up with fresh, pure air is one of life’s gifts and helps to swish away the gloom and stress of today’s lifestyle. But why should we only experience this essential pleasure on an annual holiday? Surely it’s important enough to our health and well-being to enjoy it every day!

Most of us live in suburban streets with cars, garden fires, generators, and numerous other pollutants all around us. How do we keep ourselves and our families healthy?

Can an air conditioner purify the air in our homes and offices?

Let’s find out.

The Value of Clean Air

On the subject of air quality, one governmental department says, “Poor air quality reduces quality of life. Some air pollutants are irritants. Some smell bad. Some air pollutants can cause respiratory disease or even cancer.  Air quality is important both indoors and outdoors. Ground level ozone, particulate matter and allergens are common outdoor air pollutants. Secondhand smoke, mold and radon are common indoor air pollutants.  Poor air quality may limit people’s ability or opportunity to be physically active. People with preexisting medical conditions such as asthma, emphysema or COPD are at greater risk from poor air quality. Good air quality is an important livability indicator for a healthy community.”

When the quality of the air starts to affect your quality of life, then it’s definitely time to do something about it.

Can An Air Conditioner Purify Air?

Air conditioners are more common in homes today than they used to be, and with good reason. Most have both heating and cooling capabilities and can dehumidify a home or office quickly on one of those sweltering South African summer days.

But, they are also great air cleaners! Here’s why.

A good quality air conditioner such as the Defy 12 000 BTU Inverter Midwall Split has four filters, namely:

●      2 x High-Density Filter

●      1 x Active Carbon Filter

●      1 x Cold-Catalyst Filter

The high-density filters will capture larger particles in the air, such as dust, hair, and pet dander. The carbon filter absorbs unpleasant smells and deals effectively with nasty gases and vapours. The cold-catalyst filter works to absorb and break down dangerous pollutants like formaldehyde which can come from building materials in a home, smoking or unvented gas stoves or heaters. Additionally, it will remove other gases, such as benzene and ammonia.

With these filters hard at work, you can be sure that you’re breathing the cleanest air possible in your home or office.

Will An Air Conditioner Help My Allergies?

If you are a person with allergies and are wondering if an air conditioner can help with your symptoms, the answer is yes. Air conditioners help by eliminating dust, pollen and pet hair from the air, which are some of the most common allergens. Air conditioning isn't a cure for allergies, but it does help to reduce some of the symptoms.

How Else Can I Improve Indoor Air Quality?

Aside from investing in a long-lasting Defy air conditioner, there are further steps you can take to maintain a healthy home environment.

●      If you live in a busy suburban environment, keep doors and windows closed as much as possible. Run your air conditioner as much as is feasible and allow it to maintain a steady flow of clean air.

●      Dust and vacuum your home regularly. Where possible, use a HEPA filter on your appliances which is excellent for trapping dust and other particles in the air.

●      Maintain your air conditioner. Check the manual for maintenance suggestions, and ensure the filters are cleaned frequently. Not only will this extend the life of your appliance, but it will also allow it to do its job more efficiently.

Take a Breath

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what level of indoor air quality is acceptable in your home. If you want to ensure that the air inside your home is clean and healthy, you need to take a number of steps.

An air conditioner can certainly help with this goal by removing dust, pollen and other contaminants from the air. However, it cannot do all of this work alone and will need a little help from you and your family in maintaining pure, fresh indoor air.

Please take a moment to check the Defy range of air conditioners to explore what will work best for you.