One of the best ways to reduce the risk of Legionnaires disease is to keep the water that flows through your air conditioning system clean. This means regularly cleaning out the condensation trap in your air conditioning unit, especially if your system is fed by a cold-water line. The condensation trap is the device that collects water that has cooled down from the air in the space being cooled and is pumped back to the air handler. It’s important to clean this out on a regular basis to ensure that it’s not collecting bacteria and other contaminants that could lead to Legionnaires disease.The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) recommends cleaning out your condensation trap once per month. This can be done by opening up the top of the trap, using a brush to loosen the debris, and then using a garden hose to flush out the trap. It’s also a good idea to keep a bottle of bleach in your fridge and use it to clean out your condensation trap once per month.
One of the best ways to reduce the risk of contracting Legionnaires disease is to change the filter in your air conditioning unit regularly. The filters in your system trap dust, debris, and other contaminants, including bacteria. However, if you don’t change the filter regularly, these contaminants can build up and lead to an increase in bacteria levels. This can increase your risk of contracting Legionnaires disease. It’s recommended to change your filter once per month, or even more frequently if you live in a particularly dusty environment.
Another way to reduce the risk of contracting Legionnaires disease is to make sure the water in your system is flowing properly. If the water is stagnant, it can lead to an increase in bacteria levels, which can make you more susceptible to contracting the disease. Make sure that the water in your system is flowing properly by checking the water flow meters. If the flow seems to be low, you can use a float valve to make sure the water is flowing properly.
One of the biggest risks of contracting Legionnaires disease is when you overcool your home. This can happen if you have an air conditioner that is set too low, or if you have a cooling system that isn’t properly sized for the space being cooled. If you have an air conditioner that is set too low, it will run for longer, which will increase the amount of bacteria in the air. This can make you more susceptible to contracting Legionnaires disease. Make sure that you have your system properly sized for the space you are cooling. This will help you avoid running the system for too long, which will decrease the amount of bacteria in the air.
The risk of contracting Legionnaires disease from an indoor air conditioning system is low. However, it is important to be aware of the risks and take precautions to prevent contracting the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are around 8,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease each year, with a fatality rate of around 10%. That said, the majority of these cases are not related to travel to a specific location but rather are the result of contracting the bacteria naturally in the environment where it thrives. As such, there are some ways that you can reduce the risk of contracting the disease from your air conditioning system. Here are some tips on how to keep your home cool and safe from Legionnaires disease by keeping your air conditioning system clean and up to date.