Summer, the sky is pouring with heat – in such a situation, air conditioning in the car seems to be a godsend… And then a runny nose, headache and fever begin. How to use air conditioning in a car without getting sick?
Parents of small children or people with sensitive sinuses sometimes decide to completely give up air conditioning in the car to avoid further diseases and infections. Unnecessarily. Before we decide to take such drastic steps, it is worth checking whether we are using the air conditioning correctly.
FIRST, LET’S AVOID THERMAL SHOCK
The most important rule of using air conditioning is very simple – avoid very sudden temperature changes. In fact, they, not the air conditioning itself, cause most diseases.
If it’s hot outside and I have to avoid sudden temperature changes, it must be hot in my car too? None of these things! However, it is important to reach the desired temperature gradually and not to set it immediately after entering the car.
Before starting the engine, it is worth ventilating the warm car for a few minutes. Even if it’s hot outside, the temperature inside a heated car is still much higher. Just a few minutes of airing and we will get into a car that will be hot, but in which we can function.
Air conditioning should cool the car gradually. Let’s set the temperature too high to start with, and then reduce it every few minutes until the target point is reached. And here’s an important rule – let’s not exaggerate with the cold. When it’s over 30 degrees Celsius outside, 22-23 degrees in the car will be completely sufficient. We do not have to cool it down to 19 degrees. However, our health does not require us to keep the temperature in the vehicle at 28 degrees.
Regardless of the set air conditioning temperature, it is worth turning it off five minutes before reaching your destination. This will allow you to gradually adjust the temperature inside the car to the conditions outside the window and will make you experience less shock when getting out.
SECONDLY, LET’S TAKE CARE OF AIR CONDITIONING
Turning off the air conditioning a few minutes before reaching your destination will also allow the car’s air conditioning system to get rid of the remaining moisture and reduce the risk of the appearance of fungi and mold that are dangerous to your health.
Just as important as proper use of air conditioning is taking care of it and regularly ozonating it or replacing filters. The frequency of these treatments depends, of course, on how intensively we use the car and the air conditioning itself. However, it is worth taking care of it, as a moldy air conditioning may cause problems with the upper respiratory tract or promote allergies.
To sum up: air conditioning in a car is a very practical device that makes traveling easier. If we use it carefully, it will certainly not have a negative impact on our health, on the contrary – it will allow us to survive the heat while traveling without excessive fatigue.
However, if we approach it recklessly… we will have to visit the pharmacy quickly.
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