Your furry friend may greet you at the door every time you arrive home. You might enjoy snuggles and playtime with him or her. However, your furry friend probably leaves a trail of fur and dander behind, which can, unfortunately, cause issues with your HVAC unit and require heating and cooling repair in Denver.
Your fluffy pet sheds all day and seems to get everywhere, right? It really does get everywhere, including the supply vents that send fresh air to your furnace. Enough of a build up in your ducts can block the free flow of air, especially when it reaches the filter and clogs that up. This means components like your blower motor need to work harder and longer to heat or cool your home. Parts wear out faster, and then you could be looking at a call to your friendly neighborhood HVAC company in Denver.
Routine pet care, house cleaning, and HVAC cleaning can help, though.
1. Sweep Regularly
You may see the pet fur on your sofa, carpeting, and every other surface in your home and not feel it’s an issue. However, all this fur may accumulate in your HVAC system’s ducts as well as in your HVAC unit.
One way to minimize the dander and fur that circulate in your home and wind up in your unit is to sweep regularly. If you don’t already have a vacuum with attachments to clean upholstery, you may want to invest in one.
2. Create an Animal-Only Spot
Additionally, if you have too much to sweep and too little time, you might want to consider the option of a designated spot for your furry friend, whether that’s a bed on the floor or a blanket carefully placed on a sofa. When your pet has a spot just for him or her, you keep some of the fur contained to one area.
3. Bathe Your Pet Regularly
While a pet bath isn’t always an easy task, this chore can reduce some of the fur your pet loses throughout your home.
You also decrease the amount of dander that circulates throughout your home, which could benefit your family’s health and your HVAC unit. Dander can stir up allergies. If you feel a little wheezy from excessive pet dander, consider investing in an active air purifier for your home. It attaches to your HVAC unit, and helps filter the air as it passes through.
4. Groom Your Pet Frequently
Another way to limit the pet fur in your home is to brush your canine or feline on a regular basis. A routine brushing removes the dead hair and skin flakes that end up in your home. Regularly grooming your pet is essential to the pet’s health as well. Regular brushing helps distribute your pet’s natural oils so his or her coat looks healthier and feels silkier.
If you can’t find the time to do a full grooming for your furry friends, consider looking up a local groomer and starting a regular schedule with them. Not only will your pet get pampered, but they can often provide you with the best tips to keep your pet well cared for in between visits, specific to your breed.
5. Clean Your HVAC Filter Often
Unfortunately, no matter how well you take care of your pets, you can’t stop the shedders from shedding. However, you can take proactive steps to keep fur from the inside of your HVAC unit. One way to accomplish this is with routine furnace filter cleanings or changes. Generally, you would want to clean or change your furnace filter at least once every 90 days.
However, pet owners need to change their furnace filters more often. You also want to evaluate when your pet sheds the most because these high-shedding times are when you want to clean or change your furnace filter even more frequently. The more pets you have, the more frequently you should change your filter. A home with a heavy shedder may want to swap out the filter every 30 days.This may help you avoid needing air conditioning repair in Denver!
6. Clean Your Vents and Ducts
Besides your furnace filter, pet fur also collects in your vents, which prohibits how much air flows into your home. Ultimately, you should check your vents on a regular basis and clean them as necessary. Some vents require a screwdriver to remove, but it’s a simple enough operation that anyone should be able to do it.
The fur may also end up in the ducts of your HVAC system, which restricts the amount of air that flows into your home. Additionally, this issue affects the air quality of your home. Since duct cleaning is a major task, you may want to hire a professional company to assist you. This company can inform you about the ideal schedule for duct cleaning for your home. Remember that your unique circumstances will dictate how often a cleaning should occur. If you have a couple of Labrador retrievers, you can expect heavy shedding year round and conduct your home maintenance accordingly.
Routine pet care decreases the amount of pet hair in the air and throughout your home. This care isn’t enough to fully reduce your pet’s impact on your HVAC system though, so you’ll also need to take care of your unit. Regular tune-ups twice per year will ensure that your system operates at peak performance through tough weather. There’s nothing worse than needing furnace repair in Denver during a cold snap!
Schedule an appointment if you notice any issues with your HVAC unit, whether from your pet or not, by contacting Lakeside Heating & Air Conditioning today.
