Pets are a great addition to any home and are often considered part of the family. Austin, Texas is one of the most pet-friendly cities in the U.S., and Champion AC & Plumbing knows how much you they are loved. Unfortunately, many people may not realize the effect pet hair and dander have on home HVAC systems and your family’s health.
Our team has compiled six simple steps for pet owners to improve your system’s life, efficiency and indoor air quality.
Clean Everywhere – Often
Hair and dander, major allergens, from indoor pets settle on surfaces around the house. Establishing and sticking to a regular cleaning schedule is one way to keep these allergens from reaching your HVAC system. This is very important during winter when homes are ventilated as little as possible. Dusting, mopping and vacuuming are typical ways to improve air quality in any home, but pet owners need to go the extra mile.
With that being said, carpets trap all kinds of debris, including pet dander, which get stirred up as they are walked on. Floor vents, popular lounge spots, collect pet hair and send it directly into your system. Depending on how much your pet sheds, vacuuming carpets and floor vents at least once a week is a good way to remove debris. You can remove your vent covers for extra cleaning or invest in a vacuum with a HEPA filter as these are most effective at clearing dust and allergens from the air.
Air ducts can also collect pet hair, dander, viruses and bacteria. Getting them professionally cleaned every three years can ensure nothing harmful recirculates or builds up, causing more problems.
Change Your Air Filters Regularly
Air filters get dirty more frequently when pet hair and dander are in the air, so it is important to know how often yours should be changed. Dirty air filters recirculate airborne contaminants and force your HVAC system to work harder due to restricted airflow.
Pet owners should change filters every 30-90 days, depending on how much your pet is shedding that season. You may also consider upgrading to filters designed for homes with pets to help even more.
Groom Your Pet
Another great way to control the amount of pet hair floating in your home is to groom your animal often. Bathe and brush them (regularly) outdoors, if possible, to limit the amount of dander spread in your home and to make for minimal cleanup. If going outside isn’t an option, groom them on a hard surface and vacuum or sweep the area afterward.
Reducing the amount of hair your animal freely sheds around your home keeps it from reaching your HVAC system, reduces the frequency of necessary filter changes, may extend the life of your system and keeps your furry friend looking and feeling great!
Regular HVAC Maintenance Helps You Breathe Easy
Routine HVAC and heater tune-ups are the best way to track and control the toll your pets have on your system. The more furry pets you have, the more likely it is that your system will be affected by them. Fortunately, our team knows what to look for to keep the stress off your system!
Schedule maintenance with our experts at Champion AC & Plumbing Austin twice a year to keep your system in working order year-round.
Invest in a Whole-Home Air Purification System
Air purifiers can neutralize many airborne pollutants like:
- Pet dander
- Bacteria
- Pollen
- Mold spores
- Viruses
- Smoke
- Other odor-causing contaminants
Systems that purify your entire home, rather than a specific room, are a great way to improve your home’s indoor air quality, your family’s health and get the most from your unit’s useful life.
If you are interested in learning more about air purifiers or would like to have a Dust Free® Active Air Purifier installed in your home, contact us today!
Protect Your Unit
Whether your unit is housed indoors or outdoors, it is important to keep pets away from it. Pets with access to HVAC units may mark it, which can corrode fins and coils, rub against its high-suction areas, which can send fur directly into the unit and clog it, or paw and chew on exposed wires.
Creating barriers to separate your pet from your HVAC unit is a great way to ensure their safety and your unit’s function. Even the most trained pets are curious, and it never hurts to be mindful of the hazards they pose to your pet.
Close doors to furnace rooms, install pet gates, build a picket fence or use metal mesh to keep pets away from the area. HVAC units need unobstructed access to air to operate, so place barriers at least three feet around your unit. This ensures air can circulate freely around it.
Champion AC & Plumbing Austin is Here for You and Your Furry Friends!
Having been serving the Austin area with over 40 years of experience, Champion AC & Plumbing is dedicated to providing reliable, energy-efficient services at competitive rates. We can help you develop a custom solution to improve your indoor air quality and live a healthy life with your pets by your side. Champion AC & Plumbing Austin is here for you liek you are for your furry friends!
Contact us today for more tips on how to enjoy a happy, healthy life with your family and pets!
