Having a pet means having a live-in furry best friend, but it also means taking on extra responsibilities as a homeowner. One easily overlooked area related to your home’s health is your HVAC system. Here are five simple tips to ensure your HVAC is working efficiently for you and your pet.
Groom Your Pet Regularly
Have you noticed how much hair your pet sheds? Those loose hairs make for a great vessel for pollen and dirt particles to enter your home. They can also easily clog your air ducts and vents which makes your HVAC system work harder to do its job. Taking your pet for its regular grooming can help minimize these issues and keep your pet clean and brushed.
Evaluate Your Air Filter
In addition to fighting off pet hairs, your air filter is also being covered with pet dander and other pet-related particles. Most air filters are not designed to handle this excess debris and can become less effective if they are not replaced often enough. Air filters should typically be replaced every two to three months, so if you are doing this more frequently than that it may be time to consider investing in more powerful filters.
Clean Your Air Ducts
Regardless how strong your air filter is, there is no stopping airborne contaminants, pet dander, and pet hair from entering your air ducts. When this occurs, your HVAC system will recirculate these particulates throughout your home which can cause respiratory problems or become clogged which provides an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. Air ducts should be professionally cleaned every three to five years.
Protect Your Outdoor Unit
Your outdoor unit is designed to withstand normal wear and tear due to the weather, but this does not include damage caused by your pets. Fencing off your outdoor unit can protect it from damage from clawing and biting as well as early erosion caused by urination. A small fence can do the trick of keeping your pet and outdoor unit separate without restricting airflow to your unit.
Call a Professional for Regular Maintenance
While all these measures will help keep your HVAC system and air cleaner, nothing beats having a professional provide the necessary maintenance and tune-up of your AC unit. This should happen at least twice a year – once in the spring and once in the fall – to keep your HVAC system protected and running smoothly. For more information on the services Canady’s can provide, contact us today.