天美传媒

1.聽Swap Out or Clean Your Air Filter Consistently

Indoor air quality聽depends聽on the聽working condition of your air filter聽because聽it聽removes聽dust, dander and聽other pollutants聽from the air.聽When you have pets,聽you聽might聽need to replace it sooner.

“It starts with聽checking the filter more regularly,” said Jim Hughes, Director of Field Training with聽天美传媒, one of the nation’s largest HVAC service and repair companies. “For example, if you聽have a filter that’s聽expected to last 90 days, you聽might聽want to聽consider replacing it each month.聽Filters get clogged more quickly with pets,聽especially聽during heavy-use seasons.”

2.聽Think About Upgrading Your Air Filter

You聽may聽also聽look into getting a better air filter.聽Find聽the聽Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV)聽to聽learn聽the smallest聽particles your filter can capture. For residential use,聽you'll see filters rated from five to 13,聽where higher numbers mean better filtration.聽Consider at least a nine or higher聽to聽effectively filter out dander, Hughes added.聽A few聽pet owners聽also choose聽a high-efficiency聽whole home ventilation and air purification system.

3.聽Keep the AC's Condenser in the Best Possible Shape

Your air conditioning system,聽particularly聽the聽outdoor cabinet, should be cleaned as part of a comprehensive聽HVAC tune-up.聽These systems聽have聽coils/heat exchangers聽that聽gather dirt and other yard debris聽throughout the year. 聽Unfortunately,聽pets may use the outdoor unit as a place to urinate, and if they are聽near it on a regular basis,聽hair or fur can collect on the coils.

“The聽acid from pet urine聽can actually聽cause the coils to corrode聽and聽may even cause聽a refrigerant leak,” he said. “And聽if there's a lot of hair in the condenser, it聽will聽reduce system efficiency.” If聽needed,聽place a fence or other barrier around the unit, but聽make sure airflow isn't blocked, Hughes聽suggested.

4.聽Maintain a Regular Grooming Schedule for Your Pet

By brushing your cat or dog regularly,聽you'll reduce the amount of hair clogging your vents. “I聽tend to suggest pet owners use聽a vacuum brush to from their pets.聽This聽way聽you avoid spreading the hair and dander聽you’re brushing off into the home,” Hughes聽added.

5.聽Increase How Often You Vacuum and Clean Return Vents

Increasing how many times you vacuum each month聽will聽limit the amount of hair and dander聽being pulled into your system.聽As long as聽you're already vacuuming,聽don't forget to clean out what you can in the return air vents as well. The聽location of return air vents varies聽according to your home's layout.聽Regardless,聽you'll always find聽return聽air vents and supply air聽vents. Return air vents聽pull in air聽and then聽filter and recirculate it聽back into every room聽using the supply air vents, so聽some extra聽vacuuming is聽added defense against聽unwanted dust,聽hair and animal dander.

6.聽Get an HVAC Checkup Biannually

Your HVAC system should be聽serviced by a professional technician聽every six months聽for peace of mind that all components are operating properly and safely,聽and this is doubly so for homes with pets.聽When聽the聽HVAC specialist arrives,聽it's a good idea to ask them about聽any extra precautions you can take聽to maintain your system's overall efficiency.

“The聽technician is聽an extra set of eyes for you聽to聽monitor how pets affect your system,” Hughes said. “A tune-up聽is聽an opportunity聽to聽establish a beneficial relationship聽that聽promotes your HVAC system's long-term health.”

7.聽Consider Air Duct Cleaning

When your HVAC system's air filters become clogged,聽dust and common allergens聽can聽make it to the ventilation system, causing聽additional long-term air quality problems.聽If you're worried about pet hair and dander, you might want to consider professional聽duct cleaning services.

“I know some pet owners who聽schedule duct cleanings聽every聽few聽years.聽It can be well worth the investment whenever pets are involved,” Hughes said.

To聽get all the details聽about聽how to maintain indoor air quality when you own pets,聽schedule your HVAC maintenance call today.