Pets provide companionship for many homeowners in Harahan, LA. Unfortunately, your cute furry friend could interfere with your HVAC system’s performance. Let’s discuss HVAC maintenance tips pet owners should keep in mind.
1. Use High-Efficiency Filters
Pet dander is a common pollutant that affects indoor air quality. It may trigger asthma attacks and could cause watery eyes, sneezing and throat irritations. Without a highly-efficient air filter, contaminants can make their way into your HVAC system, causing your system to run longer and increasing its energy consumption.
When buying a new air filter, always check its Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating, which indicates the filter’s success rate in capturing tiny particles. The higher the rating, the better, but make sure not to exceed the manufacturer’s recommendations for your particular HVAC system. Some filters may restrict airflow too much and may actually do more harm than good.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a filter with a rating of 1 to 4 captures less than 20% of particles that are 3.0 to 10.0 microns. Those with a rating of 16 capture up to 95% of particles that are 0.30 to 10 microns in size.
2. Put Fencing Around the Outdoor Unit
Pets like to rub themselves against objects while enjoying their time outdoors. If your pet rubs against your outdoor HVAC component, the fur might get on the condenser coils, which can reduce the efficiency of the system. A fence around this unit will help keep your pets at a good distance.
3. Change Your Air Filter Often
When pets shake themselves, play or run around, they release fur into the air. This fur clogs your HVAC filter, making it difficult for the system to draw air through it, so it runs continuously to heat your home. Changing the filter often eases the stress on the system’s components, which may reduce the frequency of repairs.
Contact Caribbean Breeze Heating & Cooling for professional HVAC maintenance and services if your system isn’t working properly this winter. We’ll check the problem and come up with a viable solution.
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