The first modern air conditioning device was developed over 100 years ago, in 1902, by a young electrical engineer named Willis Haviland Carrier and it was not designed to keep people cool, but rather, to solve the humidity problem for a company located in Brooklyn, New York. Fast-forward over 100 years and here we are, using these devices to keep us cool from the scorching heat outside.

The reality is that air conditioners aren't anything special, they use a similar technology as our refrigerators, but instead of using a casing to keep the cold air inside, they rely on our home's walls.

How does an air conditioner work

Air conditioning systems work by pulling the warm air in the room and using a refrigerant gas to cool it down, while a dehumidifier removes excess moisture before releasing the cool air back in the room.

The hot air resulted from the process is then pumped outside, while the cool air recirculates around the room and back in the AC, reducing the overall temperature and humidity in that specific area. That's the brief and simple explanation and it gives us an idea of how recycling might occur.

Of course, when we want to recycle an old air conditioner, we have to send it to the proper company for that, which usually are specialized electronics and appliance recyclers. It's important to send air conditioners for recycling, due to the fact that they contain important materials that we can use to make new products, but more importantly, because the refrigerant gases they use to cool the air can be very polluting if they reach the environment.

Older air conditioners, generally those manufactured before 2010 use an older type of coolant gas that is particularly dangerous for the ozone layer and it is recommended to simply recycle these units, instead of reusing them, for that particular reason.

How an air conditioner is recycled

The most important step and usually the first technicians go through is removing any refrigerant gas (freon) from the old AC unit, before storing it. This is the most crucial step, as handling these gases properly cuts most of the emissions that make up an air conditioning unit.

Next comes the disassembly of the air conditioning system into all of its different components to process them separately. Inside any AC unit we can find materials such as plastic, aluminum, copper and stainless steel.

When the unit is dismantled into all its core components, these are being recycled accordingly, with metals usually being grinded and melted based on their type and the plastic, grinded and melted to be moulded into new shapes.

What you may not know is that freon is recyclable, as well. It needs to be removed from the air conditioner by an authorized technician and kept away from any contaminants to keep its properties.

Why an air conditioner can be beneficial for your health

Air conditioning systems can have multiple benefits for our health, assuming we don't abuse them. It's easy to set the temperature too low and get a cold with air conditioners. Generally, you should set the temperature at around 25 degrees Celsius, while during a heatwave, you should turn it up to 26-27 Celsius. This is because you don't want the temperature difference to be too dramatic between outdoor and indoor.

Also, make sure to clean your air conditioner filters at least once per year, as bacteria can grow there, affecting your health. Because they need to be cleaned frequently, you can deduce that they clean up the air inside the room they are installed in.

An air conditioner will give you better comfort and will help you breathe easier, due to the fact that it can dehumidify the ambient air. Air conditioners, despite being used mostly during the summer, work great for heating during winter.

During summer, air conditioners reduce the risk of stroke and dehydration, while helping you sleep and work more efficiently. Additionally, if you keep the filter clean, the air conditioner will reduce the risk of asthma attacks.

Other small benefits from using an AC include reducing noise pollution, as you don't leave windows open and you have fewer bugs to worry about indoors. Your electricity bill might rise a bit, but the benefits of using such a device greatly outweigh the cost involved.