Pets and Your HVAC System: What You Need to Know
No matter how much you love your pets, the truth is they can negatively impact your indoor air quality. This is because shedding animals, namely cats and dogs, produce a lot of fur and dead skin cells that can reduce your IAQ, irritate your nasal passages and produce lingering odors. These odors are often difficult to remove without proper ventilation and routine cleaning. But there’s good news! Some practical tips in this guide will help you improve your indoor air quality so you can enjoy fresh, clean air with your pet.
Effects of Pets on Indoor Air
Before we delve into the tips, here’s a quick breakdown of how pets can impact indoor air:
- Excessive allergens and irritants in the air from fur
- Dander settling on surfaces and creating more dust
- Outdoor pollutants brought in on pets’ fur
- Unpleasant odors from excessive fur and dander build-up
- Clogged air filters faster due to more pollutants in the air
Keep a Regular Grooming Schedule
Long-haired pets need to be brushed just as frequently as short-haired ones. No matter the length of fur, pets that shed produce a lot of dander. It’s best to groom them outdoors or close to a window, so you can gather the hair, stop it from flying around the house and dispose of it properly.
Routine brushing and washing are the easiest way to reduce the amount of pet allergens and irritants in your air. You can even invest in professional grooming to remove undercoats more thoroughly than you might be able to at home.
Clean or Replace Your Air Filter Regularly
You might have to swap out your air filter more often if you have pets. A filter meant to last 90 days may only last 60 or 30 days in a home with animals, especially if they shed heavily. If you notice signs of poor indoor air quality, like a runny nose, watery eyes, a musty smell and reduced AC performance, check your filter.
Some filters can be cleaned rather than disposed of every few months; pet owners might find switching to a cleanable model more practical and eco-friendlier than a regular filter.
Add an Air Purifier
Air purifiers remove particles from the air, like pet dander, and give you a fresher, cleaner-smelling home. There are standing models you can place in individual rooms or whole-house air purification systems that a professional can install. Speak with an HVAC technician about your options, so you can improve your IAQ effectively.
Keep your air clean with professional indoor air quality services in Panama City, FL; contact the team at Ridge AC to schedule an IAQ test!
