Pets are among the best family members we could have: They love us unconditionally, they’re always happy to see us, they make us laugh, they give us comfort. In short, they make our lives infinitely better.
Having furry babies also means having pet hair and dander all over your home. The vacuum cleaner becomes your best friend. Lint rollers become indispensable. Every time you look at yourself in the mirror, you have a couple of stray hairs from your puppy or kitty stuck somewhere on your clothes.
6 HVAC Tips for Pet Owners
All in all, it’s accurate to say that when we have pets, we need to be mindful of ways to keep our HVAC systems at home working efficiently. For this reason, we’ve compiled a list of HVAC maintenance tips for you.
1. Groom Your Pets Regularly
Grooming your pets regularly reduces the amount of shedding, which is great news for cutting your cleaning time and for your AC air filters. Not only does pet hair rapidly cover your filters’ surface, it can also clog your air ducts. Nip the problem in the bud by taking Fido to the groomer now and then.
2. Change Your AC Air Filters Often
Let us tell you this lovely piece of information: Besides the massive amounts of hair that dogs and cats shed all over your home, you also have to worry about pet dander. These are tiny particles of dead skin that become airborne once they come off your pets. This gets caught in your air conditioner’s air filters.
With time, the filters will become caked with dust, pet hair, and pet dander. This blocks airflow, which means your AC will keep running, trying to cool your home, to no avail. And because the cycle keeps working without cooling the air down, it’ll be reflected on your power bill.
To optimize the way your air conditioner cools your home (and to save money on electricity bills) make it a priority to change your air filters regularly. The more pets you have, the more often you have to change them. And if you have any family members who suffer from allergies, take it up a notch and change them even more frequently.
If tailoring your monthly schedule to include changing your air filters isn’t your cup of tea, buy higher-quality filters. At the end of the day, the less expensive filters need to be changed more often, costing you more money in the long run.
It’s always a good idea to look for HEPA air filters. The acronym stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air, which is the best type for catching pet dander particles.
3. Clear the Air Vents
Both hair and dander can easily clog air vents too. When you’re vacuuming your home, don’t forget to switch to hose mode and suck up the hair and dust on and around your air vents.
For more information on cleaning your air vents, check out how blog: How to Clean Your Air Vents in 4 Simple Steps
4. Clean the Air Ducts
Even if you groom your pets regularly, some of their hair is still going to end up in your home’s air ducts. Clogged air ducts can result in a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria.
If you decide to clean them yourself, remember to turn off the AC first to prevent hazards and from breathing more dirty air than necessary. However, we recommend having a professional perform an AC duct cleaning service for you.
5. Get an Air Purifier
Having an air purifier will ease some of the burden placed on your air filters. Having a HEPA purifier ensures that up to 99.97% of pet dander is removed from the air in your home before it ever reaches your air filters.
Not only do air purifiers help reduce the amount of pet hair and dander that ends up in your filter and home ventilation system, but they also reduce other types of airborne allergens. For any family members who are prone to a runny nose and itchy eyes, this is great news.
Related blog: The Top 5 Benefits of Home Air Purifiers
6. Call an HVAC Professional for Regular Maintenance
The truth is that there’s only so much you can do yourself, to keep your vents and filters in good condition. By having regular maintenance on your AC system, you can ensure that (a) everything will be cleaned thoroughly, (b) it will help prevent additional damage by identifying potential risks, and (c) it will keep your air conditioning unit working efficiently which will help to prolong the life of your unit.
AC Maintenance in Broward, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie
Sansone Air Conditioner Electrical and Plumbing can make your life easier by providing thorough AC maintenance ensuring maximum AC efficiency and longevity, as well as saving money on utility bills.
Contact us today and let us take care of your AC system.
Broward: (954) 800-2858
Palm Beach: (561) 701-8274
St. Lucie: (772) 879-5656