It won't be too long until the scorching days of summer arrive in Australia. February 2016, was the world's hottest recorded month, and there is plenty of sunshine forecast in the days ahead to give that record a run for its money. Multiple sclerosis patients know they need to be careful in the heat, and now is the most critical time to make sure their air conditioning systems are functioning efficiently and correctly. As someone who has a parent inflicted with MS, here are two reasons why you should arrange for an air conditioning service at their home.

Multiple Sclerosis makes body temperature difficult

The recent death of a New Zealand MS patient on a hot summer's day is a timely reminder that multiple sclerosis sufferers need to be kept cool at the height of summer. Air conditioning is one way for your MS parent to maintain lower body temperature. An unserviced air conditioner, however, is not overly effective at keeping the body as cool as it could.

An air conditioner which is dirty has to work harder to move the air through the system. A dirty condenser coil, for example, is inefficient because it cannot pull hot air out of a home. This inefficiency occurs because the air in the home must pass out of the house quickly, so the heat inside does not have a chance to rise. The warmer the inside house temperature, the harder an MS patient struggles to keep cool. Another issue is a blocked filter within the air conditioning system. A dirty air conditioner filter not only restricts the amount of hot air moving out of your home, but it also has a secondary impact on multiple sclerosis patients.

Air conditioner filter effect on MS sufferers

One of the jobs of an air conditioning filter is to trap airborne allergens and dust particles moving through the air in the home. People who have multiple sclerosis need to be especially careful about seasonal allergies. Continual sneezing, for example, could aggravate existing muscle contraction and twitching symptoms already experienced by MS patients. However, by removing a dirty air conditioner filter, and replacing it with one rated to catch minute airborne particles, you can quickly reduce the number of allergens in the home.

Some people do not invest in regular air conditioner servicing because of the cost. However, your MS parent's health could be needlessly impaired by a dirty air conditioning unit. If they cannot afford to have the unit serviced, then take on this cost yourself before the super hot days of summer arrived. Your parent will feel much better after this essential maintenance is complete.