- Home air conditioners make more activities possible in the heat of summer.air conditioner vent image by Tammy Mobley from Fotolia.com
In many parts of the U.S., air conditioning has become such an accustomed part of life that you only notice when it's not there. Once a luxury, today air conditioning is everywhere: Homes, commercial centers, automobiles and even construction equipment come standard with air conditioning. When used properly, air conditioning can provide benefits in the home. - Mold growth in the home can cause health problems, including asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems. Mold loves to grow in moist places, so reducing the humidity in your home is the most effective way to prevent mold growth, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Air conditioning is one solution the EPA recommends. Because air conditioning removes humidity at the same time as it cools, it keeps your home drier and less susceptible to mold problems.
- Anyone accustomed to the hot, sticky summers typical of the southeastern U.S. will point out that comfort is the biggest benefit of a home air conditioning system. Despite the fact that many regard air conditioning as a luxury, historian Susanna Robbins points out that the rich were the last in the U.S. to add air conditioning to their homes because they could afford home designs that allowed for maximum ventilation, and servants performed most of the hot labor around the home and garden in the summer. Today, when that task falls to family members, air conditioning allows completion of the work in comfort.
- If you suffer from hay fever or seasonal allergies, air conditioning can provide a solution by allowing you to maintain a comfortable environment without letting in as much allergen-laden air from the outdoors. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology recommends that allergy sufferers use air conditioning in the home rather than opening windows. However, they also caution homeowners to thoroughly clean air conditioning vents in the spring as these can harbor dust and mold that trigger allergies.
- One of the early marketing ploys used to interest U.S. families in home air conditioning enticed housewives by pointing out that they could cook full hot meals without overheating their homes during the summer, according to Robbins. Although this message shows gender bias to modern audiences, the ability to use kitchen appliances for cooking without driving temperatures to unreasonable levels adds to the appeal of home air conditioning even today.
