What a year this is turning into with the virus and the lockdown, it has been a worrying time, whether it is health concerns or the problems financially.
We are now starting to warm up here in Cyprus and many of you know it gets hot, So the last thing people need to do is worry about the virus being spread by their air conditioning, and not use them.
There have been some claims that the virus can be spread via air conditioning. I am no expert on viruses, but I figure that the virus is unlikely to be harboured by the unit for very long, if at all. However, I feel that a bit of extra attention can’t do any harm.
The indoor unit of an air conditioner is made up of a cooling evaporator, a fan (to blow the air through it), and dust filters. Also, there is a drip tray that catches the condensation. Now these parts become very dirty and bacteria sometimes form in the drip tray, creating‘jelly like’ sludge. This sludge builds up often, blocking the drain, causing dripping units. We also know that mould will form in the drip tray, and when the unit is used for heating it dries out and the mould spores can be blown back into the room.
We have been servicing AC units here now for over nineteen years. We pioneered a method of ‘steam cleaning air con’ which has been adopted by other contractors here. (I should have applied for a patent). But most just use soap and a water jet. We feel that steam cleaning is a superb way of getting into the deep places and being that steam temperature is way over boiling point it is an excellent method for sterilizing.
Over the years we have found some particularly dirty ones that didn’t cool very well and ‘being clean’ is crucial for efficient running. It can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Regarding the Covid 19 virus, I feel that you would take great precautions by getting your units professionally serviced and steam cleaned.
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Written for Cyprus living Magazine by Steve Holloway from Cyprus HomeCare Tel 26271088 www.cyprushomecare.com