When it comes to heating and air concerns in the home, those with pets might have a few different basic processes on their hands than the standard homeowner. Basic pet hair, dander and other elements can infiltrate the HVAC system if they’re heavy enough, and if you aren’t diligent, this can lead to losses in efficiency for your system and a rise in your utility bill.
At AirNow Home Services, we’re here to help. Here are some basic HVAC considerations to keep in mind if you have a pet in the home.
Furnace Filters
Likely the most important single factor for pet owners and their HVAC system is being diligent on furnace filters. If you have more than one shedding pet in the home, you should be checking and changing furnace filters even more often than their manufacturer recommendations, which generally are not meant to incorporate the presence of a pet.
For some homeowners, changing to a reusable filter works wonders when they bring a pet home. These filters can be cleaned with a garden hose whenever they clog up, then re-attached.
Ducts
Down similar lines, make sure your ducts are cleaned regularly by our pros. They’re prone to collect small particles from pets – this only needs to be done once every couple years, but make sure it’s done regardless.
Cleaning
Another key way to prevent filter clogs from happening too early is simply be cleaning the home regularly. You’d be surprised just how far a simple vacuuming once or twice a week can go toward preventing that sort of thing.
In addition, take time to regularly clean the pet or pets themselves. Regularly brush shedding pets with brushes designed for pet hair removal – or if you don’t have time or want even more detailed services, consider a pet groomer.
Thermostat Adjustments
We all want our pets to be comfortable, but many don’t realize that a pet’s range of comfort is much wider than a human’s. During hours when only your pets are home, feel free to save some energy and money on your utility bill by lowering the thermostat to 65 degrees in winter and as high as 80 degrees in summer.