Readers’ Voice

Why AC explosions are increasing?

The use of popular Air Conditioner (AC) is increasing very rapidly in Bangladesh. The local made air conditioners market is getting bigger and bigger. Rapid urbanisation, changes in weather, an increase in per capita income, affordable AC prices are the reasons behind this increasing. Besides, acceptance of the air conditioning system as a utility rather than a luxury item is also one of the reasons for this market growth.
Though air conditioners are not made to explode, yet on 24 July 2022, two people were killed in an AC compressor explosion in a generator room in a garment factory in Gazipur. The explosion happened while two technicians were repairing the ac compressor. Both died after getting seriously injured by the explosion. In January 2020, Swapnil Ahmed Pias, the son of journalist Moazzem Hossain Nannu, died after another an explosion in his room triggered a fire. The alarming thing is these types of ac explosions are just increasing day by day which might cause more deaths in the coming days.
There are so many reasons behind these explosions. The consumers are partly responsible for the blasts as many of them do not care about the routine maintenance of the ACs, according to experts. The manufacturers also lack monitoring in quality control, which sometimes lead to accidents. The users are also responsible as they keep the ACs off for a long time in winter, but do not check for issues before turning them on when spring arrives. Dirty coils, low refrigerant charge, electrical problems, too much refrigerant and many other reasons are responsible.
To prevent such explosions, from the ac manufacturers to the common users have to do repairing and maintaining the air conditioners properly. Such preventions need checking high temperature and high pressure in compressor, keeping the AC condenser clean regularly. Consumers must use trusted and reliable brand AC, compressor and refrigerant, and also the correct rated circuit breaker.

Engineer Ali Abdullah Tanvir Sarker
Dhaka