Our furry friends are our best friends, loved unconditionally and cared for day in and day out. It is essential to not only their well being, but ours as well, that we consider all things when it comes to giving them and our families a safe, healthy, loving and comfortable home. With this being said, let’s explore one factor of our daily lives that will help achieve perfect living conditions for everyone – especially our pets!

Owning a pet, whether it be a cat, dog or even a little critter like a ferret, will impact a home’s HVAC systems. It is important to stay mindful of this in order to keep the HVAC systems continuously operating efficiently. Especially for our animals with hair, the following information will be paramount to those who do not know what could be happening within your heating and cooling units.

Every aspect of our systems must be cared for in order to maintain functionality. If you have no idea where to begin or what to look for, here are our tips to keep your systems clean and operational so you can keep your home and all of its inhabitants safe and comfortable:

  • Clean Air Filters on a Regular Basis – As we know, with owning a pet comes endless hair, somehow attaching itself to every piece of clothing we own. This hair can find itself in parts of our home that sometimes we can’t even reach!

The dander and hair that floats around your home will accumulate in our vents, building up over time. When this happens, the HVAC systems will begin to work much harder than they should be to provide the best heating or cooling possible.

The same fur or dander that is causing your systems to strain their power is also corrupting the air that the systems dispense into your home. The quality of the air decreases significantly which could be harmful to those in the home with allergies. Cleaning the filters regularly will ultimately prevent this from occurring as well as extending the lifespan of your systems.

While it is recommended to clean the air filters in your home every 3 months, if you have pets, it is suggested to clean them monthly. While cleaning the filters is helpful, it is only a temporary solution. Be sure to replace your filters every 3 months. This will also keep the cost down and consistent rather than spiking when your system has to work harder to keep you comfortable.

A great filter to look into investing in is a HEPA air filter. A HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter is the best for catching pet dander particles. The higher quality the filter, the more debris in the air will be filtered out.

  • Consider a HRV or ERV System – A great way to help filter the air in your home to benefit your own health as well as your pets’ is by looking into some ventilation systems. These systems are also built with a filter that removes particles in the air that are likely to harm you and your pets!

A great ventilation system to consider is a HRV system (Heat Recovery Ventilation). HRV systems are designed to take the stale air out of the home to heat up the fresh air being pumped into the home.

While a HRV uses polluted air to heat up fresh air, an ERV system performs an alike process. ERV systems, standing for Energy Recovery Ventilation, meant to be connected to the air ducts of your home, ventilates humidity to draw clean, fresh air in.

HRV and ERV systems are known as exchangers, replacing tainted air with fresh air. It is also essential to note that air purifiers will not perform the same function that these ventilation systems will. These systems benefit the entire household, especially our four-legged friends, and prevent harmful air to lay waste in your home.

  • Frequent Grooming – Maintaining a regular grooming regimen can assist you in reducing the amount of shedding which leads to the build up in your filters and vents. Though regularly cleaning the filters helps immensely, grooming will make the process a whole lot easier.

Not to mention less time vacuuming and less lint rollers hanging around your house, but grooming your pets will make them happier and more comfortable! For those with long-haired or double-coated pets, frequently grooming them during the summer will help keep them cool.

  • Seek Out Professional HVAC Maintenance – While everyone wants to be able to maintain the systems in their home, HVAC systems should be serviced twice a year. It is recommended that service should take place before the winter season and prior to the summer months. By doing so, your systems will be readily prepared and will operate at an optimal level.

Professional maintenance can help identify specific concerns within your system due to the weight pets put on the system. Professionals can also help you distinguish when your system will need to be replaced.

On top of the seasonal inspections, setting up a preventive maintenance plan will not only extend the life of your system but prevent any future emergencies from occurring. We want to do all we can to take care of our families and our furry friends, so taking these measures will ensure just that.

The longevity of your home HVAC system will always benefit you at the end of the day. To maintain a comfortable and healthy home for your animals is something everyone wants to give. Afterall, you have given them their forever home so why not do the best you can to prolong that?

By considering and acting on these maintenance tips, you will be able to significantly make a change to the cleanliness and safety of your home! Cleaning your ducts and vents, changing and cleaning your filters, grooming your animals, staying up to date on HVAC inspections as well as investing in ventilation systems will all save you time, money and stress. Such simple tasks will keep your pet and your HVAC system safe and healthy for years to come.

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