Home HVAC Care Tips For Pet Owners
Cats and dogs are beloved by family members and found in homes around the world. If you live with a furry or feathered friend, here are some things that you’ll want to keep in mind to keep your home’s HVAC system running smoothly and to ensure that your home’s air quality is not compromised.
Control Pet Dander
Most people who suffer from allergies to cats and dogs aren’t allergic to the actual pet’s hair, but rather the pet’s dander.
This dander can seriously affect your home’s air quality, which will only further aggravate allergies. This can occur as the dander accumulates and is distributed throughout your home by way of your HVAC system.
The most important step in reducing pet dander in your home is prevention. Regular grooming of your pet is essential to their health and wellbeing. It can also make a huge difference in the amount of dander they produce. Make sure to bathe your dog or cat using a gentle, moisturizing soap and brush your pet’s fur regularly.
Replace Your Air Filter On a Regular Basis
All of that pet hair and dander floating around your home and being sucked up into your HVAC system is mot likely getting captured and trapped by the air filter. This will cause it to become clogged much faster than a filter in a home without pets.
We usually recommend replacing your furnace filter every 3 months or so. For pet owners, however, you’ll most likely need to replace the filter every month.
Upgrade to a Higher Quality Furnace Filter
Even better than simply changing your air filter more frequently is to upgrade to a higher quality air filter. Some filters are made of densely packed layers of fibres which can capture ultrafine dust and dirt particles.
Pet owners should greatly consider higher rated air filters to better clean the air as it passes through the filter. This is an investment in your home’s air quality you won’t regret!
Clean Your Air Ducts
Having your home’s air ducts cleaned can go a long way in dealing with pet dander, along with other dirt particles. These particles can easily get trapped within your ductwork, which is a breeding ground for bacteria and mould.
Since your home’s air passes through this ductwork, the trapped dirt, bacteria and mould will get discharged throughout your home each time your HVAC system is turned on. Having your ducts cleaned can eliminate recirculating all of that dirt and dander.
Adjust Your Thermostat
You might like to keep the thermostat set at 72 degrees year-round, but your pets can remain safe and comfortable with a much wider temperature range. You could save energy and money by setting your temperature as low as 65 degrees in the winter and as high as 80 degrees in the summer when only your pets are at home. Bonus: ceiling fans can stay off too.
Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat so you can make adjustments to the temperature even when you’re not at home with your furry friends.
Fence Off Your Outdoor A/C Unit
If your outdoor unit is located in an area that your pets could access, you should block it off or put a fence around it.
This will help provide a barrier to keep curious pets away and prevent them from chewing on any parts, urinating on the unit or laying close to the unit, where their hair can build up in it. The fence also provides a barrier to other outdoor debris such as dirt.
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Using these tips as part of your routine will help you save energy, extend the life of your home’s heating and cooling system and keep your pets safe and comfortable.
If you’re considering air duct cleaning, upgrading your HVAC filter or switching to a smart thermostat to help you save energy and money, contact Crystal Heating & Cooling in Brantford today.
