Despite the quality of the condensate, it's not safe for human or animal consumption unless it is properly filtered and treated first. It is, however, a perfectly reliable source of grey water that can be used for a number of applications, such as: washing cars, clothes and outdoor paving.
Cold water is fine for most clothes and other items that you can safely put in the washing machine. It can remove many stains from clothing, including grass on your kid's jeans or makeup smudges on a sweater. Delicate fabrics (lace and silk) and dark, colorful fabrics actually do best in cold water.
Sure, you could take a bath in the discharge from a standard AC. But, it would take you a long time to come up with enough water and it would probably not do much to get you clean. Though this water is mostly just condensation, There is no care taken towards human consumption or use.
There is nothing wrong with using the water from your air conditioner to clean your verandah or even the inside of your home. In a bucket you can add bleach or soap and with a mop you can go off and start cleaning your home, knowing that the water you're using is 'recycled'. You can even use it to clean your cars.
Water collected from an air conditioner is condensation pulled from the air inside your home. It should never be ingested and is not safe to drink, as it contains traces of impurities found in the air in your home, including chemicals and heavy metals.
Despite the quality of the condensate, it's not safe for human or animal consumption unless it is properly filtered and treated first. It is, however, a perfectly reliable source of grey water that can be used for a number of applications, such as: washing cars, clothes and outdoor paving.
You can use the water to wash off windows outside or to clean any out-of-door yard furnishings. You can indeed collect the water and use it clean your vehicles on a sunny day. Whatever you have outside that may be in need of cleaning can be done with the water removed from condensation of your AC system.
A one tonne air conditioner operating for about 7 - 8 hours generates up to 10 L of pure water which if collected aseptically, can be considered as distilled or demineralized water. This depends on the relative humidity.
Condensate from air conditioners or A/C is essentially distilled water, and is low in mineral content, but it may contain bacteria. Air conditioning cwater can amplify Legionella bacteria and other airborne bacteria, and it has been shown to be the source of outbreaks in hospitals, motels, and cruise ships.
The water produced form the air conditioner is purely condensate water like that from a cold glass of ice tea on a hot summer day and is totally safe to use and harvest in a bucket outside of your home to water your plants.
During our tests condensate from air conditioning was found to have a pH of 6.6, which is classed as being in the 'neutral' and 'normal' range in the pH scale alongside other liquids such as milk. This is completely safe to use for flushing toilets, unlike condensate from condensing boilers, which is acidic in nature.
If you choose to bathe with RO waste water, remember to dilute it to prevent potential skin irritation and hair fall. It's all about making an informed decision that suits your preferences and needs.
Scientific studies have shown that condensates generated by air conditioning units have a pH value of between 6 and 8, even in polluted urban environments. Since a pH value of 7 is neutral, these condensates can sometimes range from slightly acidic (pH 6 to 6.9) to slightly alkaline (pH 7.1 to 8).
Eichholz agrees, and states that hot water is actually not good for your towels, as it damages the fibers over time. “We recommend washing your towels in cold water—we promise it kills just as much bacteria as the hot water,” she says.
When to Use Warm Water – For man-made fibers, knits and jeans, use warm water (90°F). Most of your clothes can be washed in warm water. It offers good cleaning without significant fading or shrinking. When to Use Cold Water – For dark or bright colors that bleed or delicate fabrics, use cold water (80°F).
Wash jeans in warm water: Most of the time when you have something that you want to wash gently you wash it in cold water. But that's not the case when you are washing denim jeans. Warm water will help the color stay in the jeans and help keep the jeans from shrinking. Hot water is too hot and can destroy the fabric.
Condensate water from air conditioners has excellent quality. Condensate water from air conditioners can be used for non-potable purposes such as garden irrigation and floor washing.
Water leaking from your AC unit isn't dangerous, but refrigerant leaks are. Exposure to refrigerant leaks for extended periods is poisonous to your body. Air conditioners use refrigerant to turn warm air into cool air.
Sometimes, even heavy metals, such as copper or aluminum, in the coils and pipes of the AC unit can dissolve into the water, making it toxic when ingested. Applying this water directly on the skin could cause irritation or allergic reactions.
As your unit ages/rusts, it experiences a buildup of mold, mildew, bacteria, and microorganisms. The water expelled becomes less and less pure. Legionnaires disease often thrives in stagnant water putting pets at risk. The water can also cause skin irritations, upset your pet's digestive tract, or trigger allergies.
Unlike your tap water, the AC water contains no chlorine or other chemicals. It forms when the unit cools warm air, which creates condensation. This condensation is directed outside the unit and can be redirected safely into plants.
Although this water is generally clean and free from harmful chemicals, it can collect bacteria, mold, and other pollutants if the air conditioning system is not properly maintained.
AC water can easily be collected and this is a very unique way of collecting it in a very smart and controlled manner. This way you can store 100 litres of AC water in a pipe. You can use it in many ways, especially moping, for your potted plants, for your car wash, for flushing.
Condensate. Frequently, the water that is “leaking” out of an air conditioning system is actually the water that is removed from the air in the house during the cooling process. As heat is removed, water condenses. This condensation collects on the evaporator coil, before dripping into the condensate drain pan.
The TDS concentration of cooling tower water and the pH values depend on its original sources and on the cycle number of circulations inside the building. The TDS values change from 300 to 1,200 ppm.