We all love our furry friends, but they can wreak havoc on your HVAC systems. Lucky for you The AIR Company of GA has tips that will keep your HVAC system in tip top shape while being a pet owner… the best of both worlds!
Groom Your Pets Regularly
One of the most important tips! Some of our furry friends are known for shedding. Grooming your pets regularly reduces the amount of shedding, which is great news for cutting your cleaning time and for your AC air filters. If you haven't looked at your air filter recently and your pet is known for shedding, it's surely covered in hair. Not only does pet hair rapidly cover your filters' surface, they can also clog your air ducts. This can be solved easily by taking your little pal to the groomers regularly or by grooming them at home.
Change Your AC Air Filters Often
We have said this, and we'll say it again! Change those AC air filters often! From hair to dust those pesky filters grab on to every particle.
In addition to 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, constantly trying to cool your home. Because the cycle keeps working without actually cooling the air down, it can and will drastically increase your bill without you receiving any real benefit from it.
To optimize the way your air conditioner cools your home, 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, then take it up a notch and change them even more frequently.
Clear the Air Vents
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. When hair and dander begin to clog the air vents, it can prevent the cool hair from efficiently making it inside your house and cooling down the temperature. Aside from being a pet owner, air vents can also get clogged with your hair and other dust particles, so it is beneficial to clean them up daily regardless of your pet owner title.
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, it is recommend to have a professional perform an AC duct cleaning service for you.
Check for exposed wires
Exposed wires to your HVAC system can be an alluring chew toy for many pets. This is obviously most common in puppies and kittens, but you can never be too safe even with your grown pets. To keep the wires and your pet safe, keep wires hidden and out of reach.
Enclose outside condenser units
If your pet has free reign of the yard, they can pose a threat to your outside unit as well. If your pet claws the fins on the condenser coils, they could injure themselves and damage your unit. Also, dogs mark their territory by urinating. Your condenser could be a target. Urine can cause the fins to erode over time and even cause costly refrigerant leaks. This can be avoided by putting up a fence or some type of barrier around your condenser unit.
We know how much pet owners love their pets and you know how much we love HVAC system maintenance. For more help on maintain you HVAC systems while having a pet, give us a call at 404-583-7788! We are here!
