Owning a pet is one of life’s purest pleasures. They bring you joy and unconditional love and companionship. However, they can also bring a lot of dander and fur, which affects your Allison Park, PA, home’s indoor air quality and your heating and cooling system. Follow these three HVAC maintenance tips for pet owners to keep you, your pet and your home comfortable and healthy.
Change the Air Filter
Pets do a lot of shedding. Dog and cat dander and fur will get trapped in your heating and cooling system’s air filter. If you have a dog or cat with an especially thick or long coat, the hair could fill up the filter’s pores in just a few weeks. In addition to daily vacuuming with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, check your heating and cooling system’s filter monthly. Replace it when it’s dirty or full. For most homes with pets, this will be every month.
Use an Air Purifier
Regular shampooing of your dog or cat will reduce the amount of dander it produces. If possible, brush your pet outdoors. Less of the hair will get into your home’s air. If this isn’t possible, brush your pet on a hard surface, such as tile. It will be easier to sweep or vacuum their shed hair. A whole-home air purifier will deactivate dander and cat spit. Its electrostatic filters will also capture some of the fur.
Schedule Air Duct Cleaning
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, you should schedule duct cleaning if you can see dust or debris buildup on your home’s register covers or in your vents. Pet dander and fur can get into the ducts if the air filter is dirty or if there are gaps between duct segments. Consider duct cleaning every one to two years.
To receive more HVAC maintenance tips for pet owners, take a look at Titan HVAC Inc.’s heating maintenance services, or call us today for additional details.
