When it comes to the air quality in your home, your furry family members might be causing more problems than you realize. We all know that pets are the best. They’re always there to celebrate you on your best days and comfort you on your worst days. However, they can wreak havoc on an HVAC system if it’s not well-maintained. Most of our companions come with a lot of extra clean-up as pet fur and dandruff can cover surfaces all around the home. It is safe to say that if you have pets, your system may require extra rounds of upkeep. While your pet is affecting the air quality of your home, here are some steps you can take to mitigate this:
Change Your Filters
If you haven’t checked your filter since the beginning of the year, then now is a good time to replace and check for blockage. Replace filters with the change of the seasons, even if you haven’t been using your HVAC system as much. This is especially true for pet owners because your pet is affecting the air quality of your home. A filter rating scale goes from 1 to 20 for efficiency at sorting what gets cycled through a system. A high filter will catch even the smallest of particles and rates between 14 to 17. This will ensure even the pet owner with highest amount of shedding or dandruff, will be able to rest easy.
Check Your Ducts
Any time that you might be cleaning the opening to your air ducts, would be a good time to check for leaks. A leak can let in higher than normal amounts of pet hair and clog your filters faster. To avoid the problem, check the openings of your vents and seal as needed. You can use a basic duct sealant or duct metal tape to repair any holes.
Groom Your Pet Regularly
Most pets get summer coats which can help reduce a lot of shedding. For those breeds of dogs as well as cats where that doesn’t happen, be sure to brush and groom as much as you can. This will have an impact on the amount of shedding that happens, which can also count down on your cleaning time. If a dog or cat goes ungroomed for too long, the excess hair may build up enough to block a vent. This will lead to more expensive repairs in the future.
As much as we love our pets, we cannot deny that your pet is affecting the air quality of your home. However, use these as a guide to help you. If you have any questions about your HVAC and pets, call Beam HVAC today. We are happy to help!