Do the air conditioners here make your throats hurt?

[candels]

My throat feels swollen and uncomfortable after 5 days, I suspect, the hotel's air conditioner.

What's your experience?

[NickJ]

I think alot of it is coming from the outside where the humidity is high and then sleeping in a cold dry room. Ac will lower the humidity....Try and sleep with it around 26......

[Boycie]

I used to suffer from a dry throat in the morning after sleeping with AC.

Glass of water by the side of the bed does the trick for me now.

PS. The water is not for drinking.

[ataloss]

The problem is the room aircon filters most likely need cleaning, same problem with air buses.

When traveling I always carry rubber gloves, a small container of liquid detergent and another of chlorine (Heiter). Upon renting a room remove the air filter upon which you will realize why you must wear gloves, as the filter is usually a clogged mess of strange colored muck. Rinse the filter in the toilet using the shower house; not the shower-bath as you will stand there eventually. Soak the rinsed filter in a soap-chlorine mix in the sink or trash bucket, for at least 20 minutes while you take your shower. Afterwards rinse off the filter, shake and let dry near the window. Go out on the town and upon return replace the filter if you haven't already.

Awake the next day without throat problems!

Do try this at home and office....

Only solution to bus aircons is to wear a proper mask, not the basic 'few Baht' one but a 3M Respirator Mask 9211N95. Don't leave home without one...really.

The above solutions may well prevent bacterial lung infection and save your life. FWIW...

[Berkshire]

Not sure how you can attribute your condition to hotel AC. Sounds like you might have caught something from someone.

[Stradavarius37]

No

[thai3]

yes

[lostinisaan]

These thingy should be serviced and cleaned every 6 months. but they just don't do that. yes, it could be from the unit.

[lostinisaan]

yes

Maybe

[Myran]

If I run the AC all night for a few nights in a row, yes. This is regardless if it is at home with my newly cleaned AC unit or in a hotel where it's likely less clean. Drinking alcohol also seems to be a factor in how fast/severe the throat and nasal passage problems are. Doubt it has anything to do with bacteria or dirt in the units, but rather the air being too dry for mucous membranes and the like.

[Torrens54]

See a Doctor and check you have not contracted LEGIONNAIRE'S Disease. It can be deadly, so don't take any chances.

[phetphet]

Place a saucer of water , or some other container with a large surface area somewhere in the room, and try not to turn the thermostat down too low.. This should help reduce the dryness.

[thailand49]

All the above might be the problem?

Here is my opinion and suggestion. The A/C if it is one of those mounted on the wall, the flap is pointed down right in front of the bed? Mostly likely you are sleeping with your mouth open and the cold air is blowing into it. I usually get a chair and push up the flap at bit and that does the trick.

[rethaier]

No but the smoke does.

[little mary sunshine]

All A/C's, everywhere dehumidify the air...try

Sips of water of keeping a hard candy with you.

[monkey4u]

The problem is the room aircon filters most likely need cleaning, same problem with air buses.

When traveling I always carry rubber gloves, a small container of liquid detergent and another of chlorine (Heiter). Upon renting a room remove the air filter upon which you will realize why you must wear gloves, as the filter is usually a clogged mess of strange colored muck. Rinse the filter in the toilet using the shower house; not the shower-bath as you will stand there eventually. Soak the rinsed filter in a soap-chlorine mix in the sink or trash bucket, for at least 20 minutes while you take your shower. Afterwards rinse off the filter, shake and let dry near the window. Go out on the town and upon return replace the filter if you haven't already.

Awake the next day without throat problems!

Do try this at home and office....

Only solution to bus aircons is to wear a proper mask, not the basic 'few Baht' one but a 3M Respirator Mask 9211N95. Don't leave home without one...really.

The above solutions may well prevent bacterial lung infection and save your life. FWIW...

What are you going to do if the paint in the room isn't the right shade of drap

Paint It

[candels]

I used to suffer from a dry throat in the morning after sleeping with AC.

Glass of water by the side of the bed does the trick for me now.

PS. The water is not for drinking.

Not for drinking?

[DDbkh]

The problem is the room aircon filters most likely need cleaning, same problem with air buses.

When traveling I always carry rubber gloves, a small container of liquid detergent and another of chlorine (Heiter). Upon renting a room remove the air filter upon which you will realize why you must wear gloves, as the filter is usually a clogged mess of strange colored muck. Rinse the filter in the toilet using the shower house; not the shower-bath as you will stand there eventually. Soak the rinsed filter in a soap-chlorine mix in the sink or trash bucket, for at least 20 minutes while you take your shower. Afterwards rinse off the filter, shake and let dry near the window. Go out on the town and upon return replace the filter if you haven't already.

Awake the next day without throat problems!

Do try this at home and office....

Only solution to bus aircons is to wear a proper mask, not the basic 'few Baht' one but a 3M Respirator Mask 9211N95. Don't leave home without one...really.

The above solutions may well prevent bacterial lung infection and save your life. FWIW...

Its not just the filters that need cleaning, they are there to catch dust etc going back into the fancoil from recycled air. The real problem is that mold, brought in with outside air, collects and grows on the condenser coil, this not only spews allergenic mold spores into the room but also acts as insulation to prevent the cooling process working properly. Your sore throat is one of the symptoms of an allergic reaction to mold.

Very few hotels bother to clean the fan coils or the main air handling units, which is why so many rooms stink of mold and the atmosphere is clammy despite turning the temperature way down.

There is a very effective way of solving this problem using Ultra Violet C, which is why the US Government installs it in all Government property. Unfortunately hotel owners in Thailand (and around the world) are more concerned with short-term revenue than the long-term benefits of energy savings and the well being of staff and guests.

[joeyg]

I have felt much better not having run AC since last August. I lived in BKK for a year and don't think I could have done without it but did seem to have sore throats often.

Here on the beach in Naklua seem to be doing great without AC. The breezes are like living on the bow of a ship.

Another plus is I don't seem to suffer outside like both Thai and non Thai friends do on hot days.

Something to do with the internal thermostat adjusting.

[joeyg]

The problem is the room aircon filters most likely need cleaning, same problem with air buses.

When traveling I always carry rubber gloves, a small container of liquid detergent and another of chlorine (Heiter). Upon renting a room remove the air filter upon which you will realize why you must wear gloves, as the filter is usually a clogged mess of strange colored muck. Rinse the filter in the toilet using the shower house; not the shower-bath as you will stand there eventually. Soak the rinsed filter in a soap-chlorine mix in the sink or trash bucket, for at least 20 minutes while you take your shower. Afterwards rinse off the filter, shake and let dry near the window. Go out on the town and upon return replace the filter if you haven't already.

Awake the next day without throat problems!

Do try this at home and office....

Only solution to bus aircons is to wear a proper mask, not the basic 'few Baht' one but a 3M Respirator Mask 9211N95. Don't leave home without one...really.

The above solutions may well prevent bacterial lung infection and save your life. FWIW...

sounds like good advice...

[joeyg]

See a Doctor and check you have not contracted LEGIONNAIRE'S Disease. It can be deadly, so don't take any chances.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/legionnaires-disease/basics/symptoms/con-20028867

[joeyg]

Jumping in and out of ice cold cabs and walking around in freezing malls doesn't seem to agree with me either. Don't get me wrong, when it's blazing out it feels good to get in AC. However it seems there's often a trade off in my case at least...

[laislica]

The problem is the room aircon filters most likely need cleaning, same problem with air buses.

When traveling I always carry rubber gloves, a small container of liquid detergent and another of chlorine (Heiter). Upon renting a room remove the air filter upon which you will realize why you must wear gloves, as the filter is usually a clogged mess of strange colored muck. Rinse the filter in the toilet using the shower house; not the shower-bath as you will stand there eventually. Soak the rinsed filter in a soap-chlorine mix in the sink or trash bucket, for at least 20 minutes while you take your shower. Afterwards rinse off the filter, shake and let dry near the window. Go out on the town and upon return replace the filter if you haven't already.

Awake the next day without throat problems!

Do try this at home and office....

Only solution to bus aircons is to wear a proper mask, not the basic 'few Baht' one but a 3M Respirator Mask 9211N95. Don't leave home without one...really.

The above solutions may well prevent bacterial lung infection and save your life. FWIW...

Its not just the filters that need cleaning, they are there to catch dust etc going back into the fancoil from recycled air. The real problem is that mold, brought in with outside air, collects and grows on the condenser coil, this not only spews allergenic mold spores into the room but also acts as insulation to prevent the cooling process working properly. Your sore throat is one of the symptoms of an allergic reaction to mold.

Very few hotels bother to clean the fan coils or the main air handling units, which is why so many rooms stink of mold and the atmosphere is clammy despite turning the temperature way down.

There is a very effective way of solving this problem using Ultra Violet C, which is why the US Government installs it in all Government property. Unfortunately hotel owners in Thailand (and around the world) are more concerned with short-term revenue than the long-term benefits of energy savings and the well being of staff and guests.

Not to mention the jinjock's that hide in the aircon and shit all over the place.

At night we have the aircon set to 26 or 27C

If set lower then we both have problems due to the air being too dry.

During the day in the lounge, we usually set the temperature to 28 or 29C, but only if we really need it.

In our house we have the aircon units professionally serviced every 6 months.

Two men come with a vacuum cleaner and water sprayer, brushes and other tools.

They wash and clean all the internal parts of both the compressor unit outside and the condenser unit inside.

After servicing the aircons maybe use a little less electricity?.....

Well the monthly electricity bills seem to indicate that.

The idea of a glass or a bowl of water helping is a new one on me.

I would have thought that the aircon would suck up such a tiny amount of vaporised water very quickly.

Each person breaths out about a pint of water every night.

To get an idea of how much water is removed from the room, have a look at the water drain at the invertor.

If it drips into the open air, it's a surprising amount.

A proper room humidifier vaporises quite a lot of water.

Tabletop humidifiers are usually available in 1- to 4-gallon capacities.

We live half our time in Spain.

There we use the aircon in the winter to warm the room.

We never have health problems when they are used in heating mode.

Only if set too cold in the summer and the air is too dry.

[siamcrut]

Clean the Aircon filters as stated in post #4 and make sure the airflow goes the opposite direction of your bed.

[spidermike007]

The filters need to be thoroughly cleaned weekly. Do you do that? And the entire AC unit needs to be taken apart, and cleaned once a year. Do you also engage in that service?

[Shatian]

In almost all AC's, my nostrils are always dry and painful all nights. I have very little sore throat but dry and painful nostrils all nights in AC rooms. What can I do in this situation please. I have tried sleeping not allowing my nose to directly face the air from the AC but still helps just a little. Really dry nostrils and painful too.

[ozyjon]

The problem is the room aircon filters most likely need cleaning

[owenm]

See a Doctor and check you have not contracted LEGIONNAIRE'S Disease. It can be deadly, so don't take any chances.

In June 2014 I stayed at a boutique hotel off Sukhumvit for 4 days, very stuffy aircond and 4 days after leaving BKK was in Intensive Care Unit at a Melbourne hospital for 5 days, diagnosed with Legionnaires Disease and Pneumonia.

Erratic heart beat, on oxygen. Off work for 6 weeks. Yes the aircond, probably had mould and fungi in the intakes, and dirty contaminated filters. What made my situation worse, was the fact that I had a suppressed immune system due to my meds for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

It almost killed me, and took 4 months before back to almost normal.

As an Expat in Thailand now, I am very concious of dirty poorly serviced aircond units, and the first thing I check for are clean filters. If they're dirty, I'll insist that it's cleaned asap.

Google Legionnaires Disease and Pneumonia in Thailand and you'll see that there's 1000s of cases annually and hundreds of deaths.

[wow64]

You need to stop taking those tall ladies with big hands back to your room.. will fix your swollen throat.

[JHolmesJr]

The problem is the room aircon filters most likely need cleaning, same problem with air buses.

When traveling I always carry rubber gloves, a small container of liquid detergent and another of chlorine (Heiter). Upon renting a room remove the air filter upon which you will realize why you must wear gloves, as the filter is usually a clogged mess of strange colored muck. Rinse the filter in the toilet using the shower house; not the shower-bath as you will stand there eventually. Soak the rinsed filter in a soap-chlorine mix in the sink or trash bucket, for at least 20 minutes while you take your shower. Afterwards rinse off the filter, shake and let dry near the window. Go out on the town and upon return replace the filter if you haven't already.

Awake the next day without throat problems!

Do try this at home and office....

Only solution to bus aircons is to wear a proper mask, not the basic 'few Baht' one but a 3M Respirator Mask 9211N95. Don't leave home without one...really.

The above solutions may well prevent bacterial lung infection and save your life. FWIW...

Many older hotels have central air-conditioning that can't be cleaned by a novice.

When staying at the older ones, I have occasionally contracted some sort of nasty chest infection that I had to use Clarithromycin to get rid off.

But I recently stayed at a new hotel and there were no problems…so yes, it could well be the age and poor maintenance of the aircon.

The mask solution is intriguing…but would scare the fillies away...