7 HVAC Maintenance Tips Every Pet Owner Should Know

You might love your pets in Frisco more than anything else in the world, but this doesn’t mean that they’re perfect. While having pets brings you joy, it causes problems for your HVAC system. Follow these seven HVAC maintenance tips to minimize the impact your pets have on your heating and cooling system. 

1. Groom Your Pets

Unless you only have hairless animals in your home, your pets have hair that can get trapped in your HVAC system. The hair also traps dust and dander, which has the potential to clog up your filters and ducts. To reduce the amount of hair, dander, and dust in your HVAC, you should groom your pets on a regular basis. Grooming your pets limits the amount of shed hair and particles in your air. However, make sure you do your grooming outside. This prevents the particles from circulating around your home and damaging your HVAC. 

2. Change Filters Frequently

If you look online for advice on changing your HVAC filters, you’ll find a variety of answers. Some people recommend changing out your filters every season, while others tell you that every four months is the magic number. In reality, you may need to change your filters much more frequently than that.You change your filters to allow air to flow more freely through your system. If you have pets in your home, your filters will clog sooner than they would in a home with no pets. Therefore, you may need to replace your filters every month. You should check your filters once a month and change them as needed. Keep in mind that you may need to replace your filters more frequently at certain times of the year. If your pet sheds more in the summer, then you’ll need to change your filters more frequently in the summer.

3. Vacuum the Carpets

By vacuuming your carpets, you can limit the amount of hair and debris that makes its way into your HVAC system. Cleaning out your HVAC ducts is no easy task, and neither is fixing a broken AC. However, pulling out a vacuum and cleaning the carpet doesn’t take much effort.There’s an added benefit to vacuuming frequently. When you vacuum up the particles, you improve the air quality in your home. If anyone in your home has allergies or asthma, the cleaner air could alleviate their symptoms. 

4. Protect Your Outdoor Unit

If you keep your pets outside, you should protect your exterior HVAC unit from them. Just think of all the damage that could occur to it. A dog who digs next to the unit could get dirt into the system, which might affect the fan and air flow. Meanwhile, a dog who uses the outdoor unit as a bathroom may also cause problems. The best way to protect your outdoor unit is to put a fence around it. When you plan your fence out, make sure you don’t limit the ventilation. You should avoid putting a fence too close to the unit and never cover the top of the unit. As a general rule, keep any fencing materials about ten feet from the unit. 

5. Check for Exposed Wires

Both inside and outside of your home, look for exposed wires. A gnawing puppy or playing cat could chew on the wires and damage your HVAC system. If you notice any exposed wires on the floor, talk to an HVAC technician about covering them up.Chewing on the wires could do more than damage your heating and cooling system. For one, this action puts your pet at a risk of electrocution. It also creates a fire hazard, making your home vulnerable to a house fire. Every year, more than 1000house firesare started by pets. You can keep your household safe by covering up exposed wires.

6. Use a Programmable Thermostat

People often think of the ideal temperature for themselves, but did you know that your pets have an ideal home temperature as well? Even when you are at work, your home should be a comfortable place for your pets. But this doesn’t mean you need to crank up the AC all day long.You can install a programmable thermostat and set the temperature to be comfortable for your pets when you’re not home. Typically, have slightly lower heating and cooling needs than their owners do. Instead of keeping your AC set to 68 degrees all day, raise it to 76 degrees when you’re at work. Your HVAC system won’t need to work as hard, and you won’t need to remember to change the thermostat every time you leave home.

7. Receive Routine Maintenance

The best way to care for your HVAC system is to rely on routine maintenance from an experienced professional. For the best results, have someone come out at least twice a year. They will look for problems and make sure your pets don’t take too much of a toll on your heating and cooling system. 

Call Us for Affordable and Reliable Maintenance

If you’re ready to protect your heating and cooling system in Frisco, call us at Strittmatter. We’ll provide HVAC maintenance that keeps your system working well, even if you have a menagerie of pets in your home. 940-246-2075