Making Your Heating and Cooling System More Pet-Friendly
The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that as of 2017, 68% of U.S. households have pets. This encompasses a variety of animals, but dogs and cats are the most common. To many, pets are practically parts of the family, often making the necessary changes to their homes in order to accommodate the needs of their furry friends.
What many don’t realize, is that your home’s HVAC system can also be affected by your pets. That’s why we asked a few HVAC service professionals about how you can make your home safer and more comfortable for pets while maintaining the efficiency and performance of your heating and cooling system.
Filter Changes
Many HVAC service technicians admit that changing the filter of your furnace or air conditioning is possibly the most overlooked maintenance measure. It’s important to change your filter every quarter because dust, dirt, and debris often find their way to block airflow, lowering capacity, and increasing costs for your system.
With pets, this becomes even more important. The addition of fur and dander in your home increases the frequency of filters being completely blocked out. The experts recommend changing filters at least five or six times a year.
Pet-Proofing
If you’re having a brand new system installed, discuss with your HVAC service contractor pet-proofing wires, cords, and other parts of the system that may be damaged by pets. These measures often include placing all electrical components in either hard to reach areas or covering them with a protective barrier. If you already have your heating and cooling up and running, call the professionals to make sure your beloved pets don’t accidentally cause any lasting damage.
Watch the Condenser
For dog owners, your outdoor condenser is at risk of being urinated on. Most HVAC service experts recommend placing a fence or any suitable protection around the condenser to discourage dogs from marking it as their territory. Dog urine is actually corrosive to copper and aluminum and can cause a lot of damage if it finds its way to the evaporator coils inside your air conditioning unit. If this happens, call your service technicians immediately to help avoid a much bigger problem.
Love Your Pets and Your HVAC Too!
Learn more about how to maintain HVAC systems with pets around the house with the experts from Countryside Plumbing and Heating, Inc. Call us today at (715) 245-5393 to schedule an appointment and get a free estimate.
