Six-person office, everyone gets headaches and irritated eyes after lunch – could it be the AC?
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We have an office in a converted flat in Pipera, near Băneasa, 6 colleagues, two Gree units of 18,000 and 12,000 BTU, 4 years old, never washed (the landlord says he 'checked them'). After 1 pm headaches and dry eyes appear, one colleague sneezes constantly. At the weekend we are all fine. Is it the units or the monitors?
What is really happening
Finding microorganisms in a study of air conditioners does not show that this particular unit caused an infection or symptoms. The condition of the unit, moisture, ventilation and other indoor sources need to be assessed separately. Cleaning is maintenance, not a medical treatment or a guarantee of sterile air.
- A typical split recirculates room air.
- Ventilation introduces outdoor air through a suitable solution.
- Sick building syndrome symptom prevalence is 30–200% higher in air-conditioned offices than in naturally ventilated ones. [LBNL Indoor Air Quality Scientific Findi, 2023]
- No scheduled HVAC inspections was associated with 2.2 times more eye symptoms and 60% more cough in offices in the EPA BASE study. [Indoor Air / OSTI (LBNL-61870), 2008]
- UV disinfection of cooling coils and drain pans in offices cut surface microbes by about 99% and workers' symptoms by about 20–40%. [The Lancet, 2003]
- The 'dirty sock' or musty smell from an air conditioner comes from volatile organic compounds produced by microbial biofilm on the evaporator and blower. [Current Microbiology, 2000]
What we do on site
- We come after hours or on Saturday so we do not block the office.
- Each unit: collection cover, cleaning solution, pressure wash in place of evaporator, roller and pan, then sanitising solution.
- Outdoor units, washed in place.
- We issue an intervention document with photos, useful for the landlord and the health-and-safety file.
- See current rates on the Prices page.
What you can do yourself
- Window open 10 minutes every 2 hours – real fresh air, not recirculated.
- Filters washed every two weeks (assign someone).
- Units on 'Fan' for the last 30 minutes of the day.
- Keep a simple symptom log one week before and one after sanitising – you will see the difference.
What NOT to do
- Do not plug in electric air fresheners 'to cover the smell' – they add VOCs to already loaded air.
- Do not accept 'checked' from the landlord without photos of dirty water.
- Do not set 21 °C – you force condensate and biofilm.
Prevention
Plan maintenance according to the appliance manual and what is found during inspection. Keep any medical follow-up separate; cleaning does not guarantee that symptoms will resolve.
When to call us
For offices we schedule outside working hours: 0764 012 943, Monday–Saturday 08:00–20:00.
Maintenance does not replace medical care. CDC: mold and health · EPA: moisture and mould
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Read also
Sources (11)
- iaqscience.lbl.gov/increased-use-air-conditioning-and-potential
- pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1539998/
- pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37303987/
- www.osti.gov/biblio/902452
- www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673603148970/abstract
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143940/
- iaqscience.lbl.gov/using-uv-germicidal-lights-air-cleaning
- link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s002840010120
- link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s002849900435
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6968652/
- www.ashrae.org/file%20library/technical%20resources/standards%20and%20guidelines/standards
The information on this page is educational and based on cited sources; it does not replace medical advice. We do not do repairs, installation or refrigerant circuit work.