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Paws and Airflow: Essential HVAC Maintenance Tips for Pet Owners

All pet owners want to do right by their pets, and a big part of this is making sure they’re comfortable at home. Maintaining your HVAC system and improving your indoor air quality can allow you to do that. Many irritants that bother humans can also affect pets. There are several easy HVAC maintenance tips that can help you create a safer, cleaner, and more comfortable environment for all of you.

Change or Clean Your Air Filter

Cleaning or changing your air filter is important for both your indoor air quality and your HVAC system. When the filter gets clogged, your unit doesn’t work efficiently. This could strain it, increasing the risk of problems and decreasing its lifespan. Additionally, a clogged air filter traps fewer contaminants, allowing them to recirculate into the air, where you and your pets breathe them in.

Some units have a reusable filter while others have a disposable one. Before cleaning or replacing the filter, start by turning off the system. If your system has a reusable filter, remove it, wash it carefully, let it dry completely, and put it back in. It’s best to do this at least every few weeks.

For disposable filters, take out the dirty one, and put the new one back in. You should ideally do this every few months. However, homes with immune-compromised individuals, children, smokers, or seniors should do it more frequently. If you want to use the best possible filters for you and your pets, consider upgrading to HEPA filters. They trap at least 99.97% of airborne particles, allowing for cleaner, fresher, and healthier air.

Schedule a Professional Tune-Up

Booking a professional HVAC tune-up helps keep your system in good condition. During the appointment, our technicians perform a wide range of tasks, such as cleaning components. They’ll also perform a comprehensive inspection, including safety checks, to ensure your system is functioning safely, efficiently, and optimally. At the end of the appointment, we’ll let you know whether your system needs any repairs or a replacement. Contact us in early spring so that we can prepare your system for the hot temperatures. Call Hoff Heating & AC again in the fall to get it ready for winter.

Schedule Air Duct Cleaning

Air duct cleaning offers many benefits, including improving indoor air quality and helping your system operate more efficiently. In addition to eliminating allergens like dead insects, dust, and mold, it reduces odors. The service can lead to a cleaner environment with a reduced need to dust as frequently.

We recommend scheduling air duct cleaning every 3 to 5 years. Although HVAC technicians visually inspect the ducts during every tune-up appointment, cleanings aren’t included. However, for convenience, you could request that we perform both services at the same time.

Vacuum and Dust Regularly

Even if your dog doesn’t like the vacuum, it’s still important to suction up as much of the pet fur, human hair, and dust as possible. Do it regularly, ideally on a daily basis, to prevent debris from accumulating. Consider using a vacuum with a HEPA filter to help improve indoor air quality.

In addition to vacuuming carpeting, use an attachment to vacuum upholstered couches and chairs, as dust and debris can settle into soft furnishings. Make sure you’re also washing anything that can go in a washing machine, including blankets, bath mats, and curtains.

Dusting is usually easy by simply wiping hard surfaces with a microfiber cloth. However, don’t forget hard-to-reach spots, such as upper bookshelves and ceiling fan blades.

Install a Dehumidifier and a Humidifier

O’Fallon experiences a varied climate. Summers can be humid, and the average July high is about 88 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter air is cold and dry, with an average January low of 21 degrees. The large swings in humidity can cause problems for you, your home, and your pets.

Ideally, indoor humidity levels should be between 30% and 50%, although outdoor conditions can make this difficult. Low indoor humidity could lead to problems like dry skin and dry eyes for both you and your pets, as well as damage to wood furniture. If humidity is too high, issues range from an increase in dust mites to mold growth. A whole-home dehumidifier and whole-home humidifier can help maintain balanced indoor humidity.

Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air, while humidifiers add moisture to it. Whole-home systems work with your HVAC system, targeting every area in which there’s a supply vent. They require much less maintenance than portable options, which only adjust humidity levels in the area they’re currently in. We can inspect whole-home systems as part of a seasonal tune-up, ensuring they’re working properly and keeping humidity levels balanced.

Clean Pet Spots Frequently

Homeowners should make sure to regularly clean spots where their pets often lie, not just their pet beds. For example, you should wash any blankets or sheets to remove pet dander and fur. Another spot many pet owners miss, if they have cats, is the cat trees. Vacuum them and wipe them down according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cleaning these spots regularly prevents debris from circulating through the air and going into the HVAC system.

Groom Your Pets Regularly

Brushing your pets regularly is one of the easiest ways to reduce pet dander and fur in your home. The less fur and dander floating in the air, the less strain on your air filter, HVAC unit, and air ducts. Consider brushing them outdoors to prevent loose debris from spreading inside. If that’s not an option, make sure to vacuum your floor after grooming. You may also want to bathe your pets, which helps to minimize dander and fur.

Install a Whole-Home Air Purification System

A whole-home air purification system pairs with your HVAC system to improve indoor air quality within your house. Depending on the type of system installed, it can help reduce airborne allergens, including pollen, dust, and pet fur and dander. This can create cleaner, healthier air for you and your pets. They also usually help reduce odors, which many pet owners will appreciate.

These systems can offer several benefits for your HVAC system by decreasing the amount of dust and debris that builds up within the unit. This helps reduce strain on the system and extend its lifespan. You’ll also get to enjoy dusting less, as there are fewer pollutants circulating throughout your indoor air.

Schedule Quality HVAC Services

Keep your HVAC system in top shape for both you and your pets. Hoff Heating & AC in O’Fallon, MO, provides maintenance, installations, ventilation solutions, and other high-quality HVAC services. Call today to schedule an appointment or book one online through our website.