You can catch pneumonia while cooling off with poorly maintained air conditioners.

Chest Diseases Department Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Şebnem Yosunkaya, who stated that poorly cleaned air conditioners can lead to pneumonia, warned that air conditioners regulate the temperature and humidity in the environment, and when exposed to the same area closely for a long time, they can invite many diseases. During hot summer days, air conditioners are heavily used to spend time comfortably in enclosed spaces. Air conditioners used in every environment from shopping malls to vehicles can also cause many discomforts. Experts warn against the disease known as ‘pneumonia’ among the public. Describing that air conditioning systems regulate air, heat, and humidity to provide comfort during hot weather, Prof. Dr. Şebnem Yosunkaya, a faculty member of the Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Internal Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University Medical Faculty, stated, ‘Due to climate crisis and excessive heat, we need more air conditioners. Air conditioners also create an air flow to circulate the indoor air and clean it from particles, they are also crucial in preventing mold formation. In fact, they are beneficial for our patients with sensitive airways such as asthma patients in terms of preventing mold formation. Neglected maintenance of air conditioners can make them harmful.’ Prof. Dr. Şebnem Yosunkaya emphasized that when the filters of air conditioners are not cleaned, they can become harmful by harboring dust and microorganisms inside. She stated, ‘If proper cleaning is not done and the filters are not replaced, they can become harmful by harboring dust and microorganisms inside. Instead of cleaning the environment, they can spread microorganisms into the air, causing coughing and shortness of breath in asthma patients with sensitive airways. Furthermore, by cooling the environment and creating a high temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor environments, asthma patients with sensitive airways can be affected by sudden changes in air temperature, leading to coughing and shortness of breath. If not cleaned properly, certain microorganisms can form and live in the water of the air conditioner, and when used, these microorganisms can spread around. This can cause lung diseases and pneumonia in the lungs of the users of that environment, leading to epidemic-like pneumonias.’ Prof. Dr. Yosunkaya also mentioned that prolonged exposure of cold air generated by air conditioners to a specific part of the body can cause muscle spasms and pain. She said, ‘Prolonged exposure of cold air generated by air conditioners to a specific part of the body can cause muscle spasms and pain. Excessive dryness, that is, running air conditioners for a large part of the day in indoor environments, can create dryness and predispose to eye and upper respiratory infections. Poorly designed air conditioners create noise pollution by making loud noises. This can disrupt people’s sleep and increase stress levels. Let’s be balanced and not overuse air conditioners, and pay attention to their cleanliness in all aspects.’