I Have Asthma, Need Good Air Conditioner

[crabstix]

I am staying in am apartment now. The air conditioner I have now is really old (maybe 10 years or so). The dust particles in it irritate my asthma. My landlady promised 9 months ago to replace it. Water drips out of it regularly. The housekeeper gets the technician to fix it every month (that's how often the problem re-occurs!) so it seems that her solution is only temporary.

I think I will be forced to buy my own air conditioner. Perhaps I will try to negotiate a deal with the owner whereby I will buy an A/C machine myself and she can give me so many months of free rent until the cost of the AC is covered. I think she is reluctant to fork out a large sum of money for a good air con machine (although it would be an investment!)

Does anyone know which air conditioner brand is good? I want one which will not irritate my asthma. One with low power consumption will be good to keep electricity bills down.

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated as I have absolutely no knowledge about a/c nor have I ever bought one.

[h90]

we are happy with a panasonic and unhappy with a "no-brand" one.

Some ideas:

for the old one, beside cleaning the filters (if there are any). it might be possible to clean the inside with high water pressure (I did it once), if you are luck it gets close to new again.

If there is fungi inside you have a big problem, fungi sporus can direct cause Asthma.

new one. There are some with pollen filters, I am not an expert, but I would ask about it (if you have someone in your home-country, try to find some info there first, as I never got something usefull here beside, "this one is super good, this one is super better, good the best, that is very cold, blablabla" never any real info.

I am staying in am apartment now. The air conditioner I have now is really old (maybe 10 years or so). The dust particles in it irritate my asthma. My landlady promised 9 months ago to replace it. Water drips out of it regularly. The housekeeper gets the technician to fix it every month (that's how often the problem re-occurs!) so it seems that her solution is only temporary.

I think I will be forced to buy my own air conditioner. Perhaps I will try to negotiate a deal with the owner whereby I will buy an A/C machine myself and she can give me so many months of free rent until the cost of the AC is covered. I think she is reluctant to fork out a large sum of money for a good air con machine (although it would be an investment!)

Does anyone know which air conditioner brand is good? I want one which will not irritate my asthma. One with low power consumption will be good to keep electricity bills down.

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated as I have absolutely no knowledge about a/c nor have I ever bought one.

[crabstix]

Thanks a lot h90. I really appreciate your advice as I know absolutely nothing about air conditioners. I am glad to hear about the possibility of cleaing the A/C with high water pressure.

Do I need any special equipment to clean it with high water pressure? Or can i take it to a car wash and tell them to blast it with water? The jets they use in car washes look pretty powerful. Just wondered if that's what you did. Thanks in advance. I think this is worth a try (that should buy some time until the landlady finally gets round to changing the a/c altogether!).

[lopburi3]

No. You do not take it to the car wash. What has to be cleaned is the fin area that provide the cooling as they become covered with dirt. That is done in place by a decent air conditioner repair guy. They will use rubber sheets to direct the water flow into a paint can or some other contained and it will only take an hour or two. Believe we pay 500 or 600 baht and do every year. They will do both inside and outside units. After that I would use an extra filter of the 3M Flitrete type sold in hardware or Lotus type places (in a red package in tools section) that filter much better than normal air conditioner filters.

[Noel]

Does anyone know which air conditioner brand is good? I want one which will not irritate my asthma. One with low power consumption will be good to keep electricity bills down.

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated as I have absolutely no knowledge about a/c nor have I ever bought one.

You would be hard pressed to beat Daikin, but they may appear comparatively expensive.

A big plus is not just how well they work etc, their efficiency in terms of electricity consumption is significant in my experience.

[Tywais]

No. You do not take it to the car wash. What has to be cleaned is the fin area that provide the cooling as they become covered with dirt. That is done in place by a decent air conditioner repair guy. They will use rubber sheets to direct the water flow into a paint can or some other contained and it will only take an hour or two. Believe we pay 500 or 600 baht and do every year. They will do both inside and outside units. After that I would use an extra filter of the 3M Flitrete type sold in hardware or Lotus type places (in a red package in tools section) that filter much better than normal air conditioner filters.

Also make sure they purge the drain tubes/pipes. Over a long period they could be accumulating crud and is why the water drips out. A good cleaning with proper solvents from a repair guy would be the best thing to do before spending lots of money you may not be able to reclaim.

[crabstix]

Cheers guys for all your useful advice. You don't know how much it means to me to get good advice. I will no doubt seek a professional to clean out my a/c. I think much better than the barbaric 'blast it with jets at the car wash' approach!!!

No. You do not take it to the car wash. What has to be cleaned is the fin area that provide the cooling as they become covered with dirt. That is done in place by a decent air conditioner repair guy. They will use rubber sheets to direct the water flow into a paint can or some other contained and it will only take an hour or two. Believe we pay 500 or 600 baht and do every year. They will do both inside and outside units. After that I would use an extra filter of the 3M Flitrete type sold in hardware or Lotus type places (in a red package in tools section) that filter much better than normal air conditioner filters.

Also make sure they purge the drain tubes/pipes. Over a long period they could be accumulating crud and is why the water drips out. A good cleaning with proper solvents from a repair guy would be the best thing to do before spending lots of money you may not be able to reclaim.

[h90]

sorry a bit lack of english on my side!

It keep beeing installed.

I saw two ways of doing it:

with a "dust sucker" (sorry to tired for good english). what might help on little bit dirt.

Or with high water pressure. The same "Kercher" like you use for car.

Often the cheap guys don't want to do that because makes a mess.

to clean the water tupe is also an good idea and reviewing what else is in there, dead gecko, a birds nest, what ever lol.

Might be a lot cheaper than a new unit.

cleaning the outside (never saw a shop doing it, only I did it myself).

By the way if you have Asthma don't do it yourself.

I am allergic against house dust. just iching nose.....

I opend the aircon, removed the filter (I was under it) and did not get much air anymore. I was 15 min. outside till I thought I get enough air for living, again......

So if you are allergic against it, don't go near....

Or with

No. You do not take it to the car wash. What has to be cleaned is the fin area that provide the cooling as they become covered with dirt. That is done in place by a decent air conditioner repair guy. They will use rubber sheets to direct the water flow into a paint can or some other contained and it will only take an hour or two. Believe we pay 500 or 600 baht and do every year. They will do both inside and outside units. After that I would use an extra filter of the 3M Flitrete type sold in hardware or Lotus type places (in a red package in tools section) that filter much better than normal air conditioner filters.

[lopburi3]

If they did not clean the outside unit by taking off the cover and using high pressure spray they did not do there job. That should always be done or your system will never be economical to run. With the dirt in the air here that outside units really gets a bunch. The cleaning inside should not make much of a mess if done right. There may be a few drops of water that hit the wall or floor but nothing major if person knows there job. High pressure air blower is also used after the water flush.

[h90]

Normaly on old aircons they never clean the outside, because the screws got rusty and are difficult to remove.

I did two here, told I never want to see any aircon guy here again, I even considered to buy the filling tools myself.....

Neighbours arround told me that never anyone cleaned that at their Aircons and offered work for me

So at least you must tell them before AND watch them doing so they do not forget it.

Or maybe I just thouched the wrong guys?

I would like to know if they make the filling right or if they also do it with "experience" without knowing anything....

If they did not clean the outside unit by taking off the cover and using high pressure spray they did not do there job. That should always be done or your system will never be economical to run. With the dirt in the air here that outside units really gets a bunch. The cleaning inside should not make much of a mess if done right. There may be a few drops of water that hit the wall or floor but nothing major if person knows there job. High pressure air blower is also used after the water flush.

[lopburi3]

The person we use has the pump down (vac) equipment and proper meters and always uses them when a change (such as recent replacement of compressor) is required. Guess we were lucky but have had not issue with this private repair guy. Have had lousy work done by professionals on the other hand.

[LindsayBKK]

I had a Daikin in Australia that was the best. I am buying a new one and Daikin it will be. Wall mounted units are best cause you can clean the filters often, most have a little red light that tells you it needs cleaning. Ceiling units need a long arm and cans of air conditioner cleaner @ 200-400bht each to clean. But 10 years is enough I would think.

I have 2 air purifiers that I bought from Big C for 4400bht each and the filters are 500-600bht each. You would not believe how quickly the filters get charcoal and I am back from main road at Victory Monument and I never open my windows accept bathroom. I hang my clothes indoors for that reason. Putting an air purifier in ever room will help you alot.

I tried to buy a Panasonic from a company called Modern Air but they just came out and said "solly mister can not install is 2 hard" "but we can do if you pay more" I am not one to be blackmailed so I sent him on his way and called company for a refund.

Daikin / Panasonic are the best.

[steveromagnino]

I had a Daikin in Australia that was the best. I am buying a new one and Daikin it will be. Wall mounted units are best cause you can clean the filters often, most have a little red light that tells you it needs cleaning. Ceiling units need a long arm and cans of air conditioner cleaner @ 200-400bht each to clean. But 10 years is enough I would think.

I have 2 air purifiers that I bought from Big C for 4400bht each and the filters are 500-600bht each. You would not believe how quickly the filters get charcoal and I am back from main road at Victory Monument and I never open my windows accept bathroom. I hang my clothes indoors for that reason. Putting an air purifier in ever room will help you alot.

I tried to buy a Panasonic from a company called Modern Air but they just came out and said "solly mister can not install is 2 hard" "but we can do if you pay more" I am not one to be blackmailed so I sent him on his way and called company for a refund.

Daikin / Panasonic are the best.

A fair few of the parts within aircon machines are the same from machine to machine. Better to look at the features of each, then decide.

The ones with samsung style nano technology anti allergy/bacteria may help. A 10 year old machine is basicaly junk compared to the modern ones; it is noisy, guzzles electricity and is probably best given to someone else.

If it is a studio, your current power bill might drop (depending on usage) from 2000b to 1000b a month just by using a decent modern system. Take a decent look at the efficiency calculation.

Get a wall mounted, and the noise level drops. A lot.

A new one is not that much; and simply better and cleaner. I would not waste time trying to clean the old one.

Panasonic, Samsung, Daikin, all fine. The newer ones are much better designed for cleaning too.

Also...when you buy try to get the new style with the air intake on the top and out the bottom; the 2-3 years ago ones have the vents in the front, so some of the cold air goes straight back into the air con unit as it gets pumped out.

Also. ... you might consider also trying to be as efficient with the system as you can; switch off when not in the room, minimising the temperature (e.g. 20 instead of 15) and so on, if you are not already doing so. Get a fan too, and try to use that when possible.

Everyone running aircon means somewhere a whole bunch of coal and muck is being burned to keep us cool.

What you breathe is important. ... I would be willing to pay for the aircon myself if it meant better health.

[h90]

really a bit off topic, but for me and my old mother, it brings wounders, if we on the beach best on a boat in clean air (not pattaya air). But the effect needs time.

Its really off topic but maybe an idea...

I am staying in am apartment now. The air conditioner I have now is really old (maybe 10 years or so). The dust particles in it irritate my asthma. My landlady promised 9 months ago to replace it. Water drips out of it regularly. The housekeeper gets the technician to fix it every month (that's how often the problem re-occurs!) so it seems that her solution is only temporary.

I think I will be forced to buy my own air conditioner. Perhaps I will try to negotiate a deal with the owner whereby I will buy an A/C machine myself and she can give me so many months of free rent until the cost of the AC is covered. I think she is reluctant to fork out a large sum of money for a good air con machine (although it would be an investment!)

Does anyone know which air conditioner brand is good? I want one which will not irritate my asthma. One with low power consumption will be good to keep electricity bills down.

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated as I have absolutely no knowledge about a/c nor have I ever bought one.

[tjo o tjim]

One thing to look for is a unit with an UV lamp to kill bacteria. I haven't found any, but in the tropics this is the best approach! If your only option is cleaning, do it as often as possible. The high humidity really invites mold problems!

[CymruAmByth]

Good post. Take a look at a new Expat-ran Bangkok company www.prestigeozone.com. Maybe of help?

I understand they also have a new very powerful dust mite extraction machine.

Hope this is of assistance?

[lopburi3]

Just a warning on Ozone cleaning from the United States EPA

Can Ozone be Used in Unoccupied Spaces?

Ozone has been extensively used for water purification, but ozone chemistry in water is not the same as ozone chemistry in air. High concentrations of ozone in air, when people are not present, are sometimes used to help decontaminate an unoccupied space from certain chemical or biological contaminants or odors (e.g., fire restoration). However, little is known about the chemical by-products left behind by these processes (Dunston and Spivak, 1997). While high concentrations of ozone in air may sometimes be appropriate in these circumstances, conditions should be sufficiently controlled to insure that no person or pet becomes exposed. Ozone can adversely affect indoor plants, and damage materials such as rubber, electrical wire coatings, and fabrics and art work containing susceptible dyes and pigments (U.S. EPA, 1996a).

Recommendation

The public is advised to use proven methods of controlling indoor air pollution. These methods include eliminating or controlling pollutant sources, increasing outdoor air ventilation, and using proven methods of air cleaning.