[Anchor]

Many people are trying to cool off with fans instead of air conditioning in this scorching heat.

However, it is said that using a fan when the temperature is above 35 degrees can actually be dangerous.

Why is that, and what should we be cautious about? Medical reporter Park Kwang-sik has the details.

[Report]

Citizens use handheld fans to escape the heat.

In this sweltering heat, they don't seem to be very effective.

[Seo Ji-young/Mapo-gu, Seoul: "The weather is so hot these days that even using a handheld fan doesn't seem to cool me down much, and I find myself drinking a lot of water."]

In particular, using only a fan indoors without air conditioning can be even more dangerous.

[Lim Ji-yong/Professor of Emergency Medicine at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital: "If the outside air is hot and you have to close the door, turning on the fan can increase the risk of suffocation..."]

If the surrounding temperature is higher than body temperature, the fan can actually become harmful.

According to government guidelines from various countries, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends not using fans when the temperature is above 35 degrees.

The same standard is suggested by the UK and Canada.

When the temperature is too high, even with a fan, moisture is lost through sweat without effectively lowering body temperature.

[Ham Seung-heon/Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Gachon University Gil Medical Center: "Hot air accumulates in our bodies through the fan. If the temperature doesn't decrease and only sweat is expelled, dehydration symptoms can accelerate."]

The World Health Organization recommends using air conditioning and fans together.

This is because it can lower the perceived temperature by 4 degrees and save up to 70% on electricity bills.

Experts advise that if you only have a fan indoors during a heatwave, you should seek out public places with air conditioning or cooling centers, or take a shower to cool down.

This is KBS News, Park Kwang-sik reporting.

▣ KBS 기사 원문보기 : http://news.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?ncd=8315766

▣ 제보 하기
◇ 카카오톡 : 'KBS제보' 검색
◇ 전화 : 02-781-1234
◇ 홈페이지 : https://goo.gl/4bWbkG
◇ 이메일 : kbs1234@kbs.co.kr

Copyright ⓒ KBS. All rights reserved. 무단 전재, 재배포 및 이용(AI 학습 포함) 금지

• 페이스북 공유
• 트위터 공유
• 

•