As much as you love your pets, they can cause trouble for you. In addition to chewing up your favorite shirt or peeing on your carpet, pets can make problems for your HVAC system in Severna Park. It's essential to understand how pets can impact your heating and cooling system and to know what measures you can take to protect your system and reduce the need for an emergency HVAC service in MD.
Groom Your Pets
Your pets feel and look great when you groom them, but this isn't why you should groom your pets regularly. If you keep your pets groomed, you reduce their shedding. And less shedding means less hair in your HVAC system. Your filters won't clog up as frequently, and your HVAC system won't need to work as hard to pull air through.
Overall, regular grooming gives you the benefit of better air quality and a more efficient heating and cooling system. Even if you don't cut your pet's hair, be sure to brush it as frequently as you can.
Schedule a Duct Cleaning
Even if you groom your pets and use a good filter, you can be sure pet hair will end up in your air ducts. Over time, the hair accumulates and collects other particles, like bacteria and viruses. Your indoor air quality could suffer because of all the hair in your ducts, and people with allergies are particularly vulnerable.
Once every few years, schedule a professional air duct cleaning. It's the only way to get all of the hair out of your ducts. As part of your HVAC preventative maintenance, you should receive a duct cleaning every three to five years. Pet owners need to be particularly diligent with this.
Change Your Filters
Whether or not you're a pet owner, you need to change your AC filters. However, the frequency at which you need to change your filters depends on your home's number of pets. Someone with no pets may need to change their filters every three months, while someone with two dogs might need to change them every two months.
To decide how frequently you should replace your filters, install a new filter and check it every month. After the first month, look closely at the filter. Does it seem very dirty? If so, you should replace it with a new one and continue to replace it every month going forward.
Keep Your Thermostat at the Appropriate Temperature
Your pets don't need to be as warm or cold as you do. If you're not home, keep your thermostat set in a way that limits the amount of work your AC or heater needs to do. For instance, you can keep it at 80 degrees in the summer. In the winter, 65 might be appropriate for your pets.
Install a Fence Around Your Condenser
Even the most well-behaved pet has its moments. Your dog might not be a digger, but they could decide to inspect your condenser unit. The result could be disastrous for your HVAC system as well as your wallet.
Before your dog ruins your AC, install a small fence around your AC unit. Just be sure that your fence is far enough away from the condenser to allow for air flow. If you don't have a breathable fence or you place it too close to the unit, you could cause your system to work harder than it needs to.
Skip the Pet Door
Giving your favorite furry friend outside access is great, but it could be hurting your air conditioner or heater. If you have a pet door, you're allowing air to escape and enter your home. No matter how hard your HVAC system works, it may not be able to keep up with the demand.
If you do insist on having a pet door, take measures to make it less of an air exchange. You can caulk around the outside of your door and make sure the flaps remain closed. Before you buy a pet door, research it and make sure there are no complaints about the seal.
Look for Dangers
If your pets have access to any components of your HVAC system, look for any dangers. Are there exposed wires that your pets might chew on? If so, come up with ways to limit the dangers. You need to worry about both the functionality of your HVAC system as well as the safety of your pets.
You can also ask your HVAC technician for advice on making the system safer for pets. They may have a few recommendations that keep your system working well and your pets safe.
Use an Air Purifier
Whether or not you have allergies, you should care about the air quality of your home. Pets decrease the air quality, which is one reason you should consider installing an air purification system. You can use a standalone unit or speak with an HVAC professional about an in-home system.
Either way, your [purifier can remove pet hair, dander, and other particles from the air. You're likely to notice a change in the air and a reduction of allergy-related symptoms.
Get Regular Maintenance
Pet owners should make HVAC maintenance a top priority. Every season, you should have an expert come out and inspect your HVAC system. They can go through a checklist and make sure your system is running smoothly. After a tune-up, your heating and cooling system should be able to handle the pet dander and high demands of your household.
Even if you don't have pets, regular maintenance is an essential part of HVAC ownership. You need a professional to lubricate bearings, check motors, and much more. Without maintenance, your HVAC system is likely to fail.
Call Our HVAC Service in MD
Do you want to start receiving regular HVAC maintenance in Severna Park? If so, it's time to call the professionals. Here at Bayside Heating and Cooling, we're ready to help you. Our team of experts provides ongoing maintenance that keeps you, your pets, and your HVAC system healthy. If you'd like to get started, call us today.
