Summer has arrived, and for many parts of the country, it has felt like summer for weeks. With excessive heat warnings and record-breaking temperatures hitting as early as mid-May, air conditioners are likely working overtime to keep homes cool. However, this raises an important question: what impact does heavy air conditioner use have on air quality? And overall, is air quality better or worse during the summer months?

Summer Pollution: Why Air Quality Deteriorates in Hot Weather

Summertime is synonymous with fun and relaxation, but it’s not all about ice cream and beach days. From an air quality perspective, summer can be quite hazardous. The combination of intense heat and wildfires exacerbates air pollution, creating a range of health risks. The summer heat not only intensifies pollutants but also contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone, making the air we breathe more harmful.

Pollutants like ground-level ozone are generated more efficiently in hot, sunny environments. Sunlight is a crucial factor for the chemical reactions that produce harmful ozone, making summer—and especially extreme heat waves—ideal conditions for ozone pollution. The dry summer air further exacerbates this issue, causing ozone levels to rise to dangerous levels in cities and surrounding areas.

Heat waves significantly degrade air quality. Often considered the deadliest weather phenomenon—even surpassing floods and hurricanes—heat waves were linked to 190 deaths in 2021. These fatalities were partly due to high temperatures causing air to become more stagnant, which traps pollutants like fine particulate matter (PM2.5), smoke, and ozone, leading to dangerously poor air quality.

Even the activities we commonly enjoy in the summer can negatively impact air quality. Bonfires, barbecues, fireworks, and air travel all contribute to increased pollution levels. While Fourth of July celebrations wouldn't be the same without fireworks, a 2015 study found that Independence Day festivities result in a 42% spike in air pollutants compared to normal days. This increase is mainly due to the smoke and particulate matter released into the air, highlighting the environmental cost of these beloved summer activities.

Don’t assume that these factors only affect outdoor air quality; they can significantly impact indoor air quality as well. Unfortunately, using an air conditioner can exacerbate the problem by circulating outdoor pollutants inside and contributing to poor indoor air quality.

An A/C Will Keep You Cool… While Circulating Indoor Air Contaminants

That refreshing blast of cool air after a hot day may feel revitalizing, but the air from your A/C isn't as fresh as it seems. Air conditioners only recirculate the existing air in your home without introducing new, fresh air or purifying it. As a result, indoor air contaminants are continuously cycled through your living space, potentially exacerbating air quality issues.

Window air conditioners, as well as central air systems and A/C units, operate by utilizing refrigerant, evaporator coils, and fans to recirculate the existing air within your home. However, this process can worsen the effects of common indoor pollutants such as VOCs, dust, and allergens. Without proper ventilation, these impurities remain within your home, continuously exposing you and your family to a variety of contaminants.

It's essential to operate an air purifier alongside your air conditioner. Despite a widespread belief that one can suffice without the other, employing both is vital for maintaining a cool, pollutant-free environment at home. Particularly in spaces where additional pollutants may be present, such as smoke or VOCs from candles and cooking, having an air purifier is crucial for filtering the circulated air.

Using your AC? It's a good idea to also run your air purifier.

If you're running your AC during the summer, it's wise to have your air purifier running alongside it. While air purifiers offer benefits throughout the year, they become especially valuable in the summer months. Hot, sunny weather tends to trap pollutants like ozone and PM2.5, and while air conditioners help beat the heat, they do little to enhance indoor air quality. That's where an air purifier, like Lifubide, becomes as essential as a cool glass of lemonade. Equipped with an air quality sensor and auto-mode, you can unwind in your refreshing home while the unit efficiently tackles any summer pollutants that may linger in the air.