While we love our furry friends, their hair can significantly impact your home’s air quality – especially if there’s someone allergic in the home. Pet fur and their natural dander get into the air and no amount of vacuuming can fully get it out. HVAC maintenance is essential to keep both your system and your air quality in good condition while your furry best friend is shedding. Here are a few practical maintenance tips to take care of your HVAC, your pet and your air quality all at once.
1) Brush Your Pet Regularly
This is probably obvious, but your pets should be brushed regularly. This is definitely the most enjoyable HVAC maintenance activity. Brushing your dog, cat, rabbit or other furry companion picks hair up into the brush and drops it on the ground, meaning less fur can float into the air and gum up the filter. Weather-permitting, it’s even better to brush them outside because loose fur can fly away on the wind instead of becoming part of your home air system.
2) Change Air Filters More Frequently
If you know there’s a source of filter-clogging material in the house (pet hair and dander), then the smart assumption is that your filters will fill up faster than in a standard fur-free home, so shorten that assumed filter change timespan. If your filters or HVAC are rated for one new filter every three months, try every two months or two and a half and keep an eye on your filters for signs that they are topped up with pet hair and it’s time for a change.
3) Increase Your Air Filter Quality
Pet dander is one of the most well-known allergens in the world. While there are hundreds of pollen varieties, a pet in the house is a sure source of allergens for about 20% of the population who are allergic. This is a good reason to increase the quality of the filters you buy. Air filters are measured in MERV ratings, which stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. It measures the efficiency of a filter. Lower MERV ratings filter less while higher MERV ratings enter the clean-room levels of filtration. MERV 5-8 filters are standard for modern homes. If you’d like to reduce allergies, look for filters with MERV of 10-12. These trap smaller particles – like pet dander – and prevent the allergens from filling your HVAC unit as dust or coming back into your home air through the vents.
4) Build a Fence Around Your Outdoor Air Conditioner
If your pets spend time in the backyard, be sure to protect your outdoor air conditioner unit. The condenser is a giant suction unit. Its vents actually pull outdoor air in as part of cycling the air indoors. If your pet rubs on the condenser as dogs and cats sometimes do, they are sending their fur and dander directly into the unit. This can clog your outdoor unit and can send dander into your HVAC system from outdoors. If you have an animal that pees on upright objects like trees, then the condenser is also at risk. Urine is acidic and in yards where a dog has been regularly peeing on the condenser, you will find the fins completely etched away by the acid.
5) Vacuum the House Regularly
Your indoor air intake is also a suction for hair and dander. You want it to be, because it pulls all the dust and allergens into the filter so that home air quality is improved by the HVAC cycle. You can make each filter last longer by picking up as much pet hair as you can with the vacuum instead. In addition to brushing your pet regularly, be sure to vacuum twice or more a week to pick up all the shedding that has settled into the carpet and furniture.
6) Twice Annual HVAC Maintenance
Finally, keep up with your HVAC maintenance. A house with pets is full of love, but it’s also full of fur, which puts extra stress on your HVAC system. A HVAC maintenance schedule includes an inspection and tune-up once to twice a year. On the first inspection, mention that you have a pet (or pets) and want to make sure pet fur isn’t choking the system. Your technician will take a close look at the indoor and outdoor units, provide maintenance services and make suggestions on how to best take care of your unit and protect it from excessive pet hair issues.
If you have any questions or need a repair, give us a call at 1-800-989-0299. We’re here 24/7 for all your HVAC and plumbing needs.