Do Pets Necessitate More Heating And AC Repair Services? | New Orleans, LA
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We love our New Orleans, LA, pets, but could yours be necessitating more heating and repair services at your home? Actually, it’s possible. Our furry friends–dogs, cats, and rabbits–provide unconditional love and unlimited pet hair. That hair can cause numerous problems for your HVAC system. Pet hair and dander can also impact your interior air quality. If you’re finding that you need to schedule more heating and AC repair service than you should, talk to your service provider. The problem could be your pets; however, there are solutions you can take!
Change Your Filters More Often
To combat the excessive pet hair and dander in your home, you should be prepared to change your HVAC filters more frequently. While this is a service you can request from your heating and AC repair service, you can also learn to perform this type of task yourself. Many homeowners are comfortable changing their furnace and AC filters.
In homes where pets aren’t present, the filters won’t become loaded with debris as quickly as homes with furry friends. Make a point to check your filters periodically and change them once they become filled with dirt, debris, and visible pet hair. Filters play an important role in your HVAC system. They help prevent pet dander and other contaminants from dirtying your HVAC components. That’s crucial. Over time, dirt buildup can cause parts to work less efficiently or even to fail.
In some cases, your pet may only shed seasonally. If that’s the case, simply speed up your filter changes when your pet is shedding. Huskies, for example, are notorious shedders. You should definitely change the filter after and, possibly, even during their major shedding periods.
Your HVAC filters also help you maintain cleaner air quality for your home. Once the filter becomes loaded with debris and pet hair, it doesn’t work efficiently; in other words, it won’t block additional contaminants from getting into your HVAC system and ductwork. Don’t allow this to happen. Filters are relatively inexpensive. Keep several on hand so that you can change your filters as needed.
Buy Better Air Filters
Yes, some filters are better than others. If you have furry friends, you might want to start investing in better air filters for your HVAC system. Our heating and AC repair technicians can tell you–these better and more expensive air filters aren’t a gimmick; they do work better to capture particulates, including pet dander, and prevent them from harming your system and reducing your home’s interior air quality.
When shopping for air filters for your HVAC system, remember that the filers are measured by MERV ratings. MERV stands for: minimum efficiency reporting value. The rating refers to how efficient the filter will work, in other words. If you are concerned about pet dander or anyone who suffers from allergies in your household, you’ll want to purchase filters with a MERV rating of 10-12. These are the most efficient filters for trapping smaller particles like pet dander.
Standard filters are usually listed with a MERV rating of 5-8. If these aren’t reducing sneezes around your home or helping to clear up the air quality, you should use better filters. The extra cost is worth the investment because it will reduce the risk of allergens and other particles from entering your HVAC system and detracting from your home’s air quality.
Schedule Routine Maintenance Twice Per Year
As lovable as pets are, they will put some extra stress on your HVAC system. The best way to combat this stress is to schedule HVAC maintenance twice per year. bluefrog Home Services of New Orleans, LA, can send a licensed heating and AC repair technician to your home to efficiently inspect and maintain your system. Routine tune-ups and inspections from your heating and AC repair professional can prevent major problems from occurring.
Knowing that the household contains pets, our technician will ensure that pet hair isn’t caught in the system. They can also make suggestions to help you reduce the amount of pet hair getting trapped in your system and ductwork. Of course, maintenance of your HVAC system is essential whether you have pets or not. Our techs can replace wearing parts before they can cause costly breakdowns or require inconvenient heating and AC repair services.
Brush Your Pet
Another tip you can try to reduce the amount of pet hair in your home is to brush your pets regularly. You can catch the shedding hair and dispose of it. The more fur you can accumulate with your pet’s brush or comb, the less that will wind up around your house where it can get into your vents and clog up your system. If you have kids, you might even invite them to perform this chore on a routine basis. Most pets enjoy being brushed and will happily comply.
Vacuum and Sweep Often
If you have pets that shed, you should try to sweep and vacuum more frequently in order to reduce the pet fur and dander on your floors. These routine cleanings will make it easier for your HVAC filter to do its job. If you have shedding pets, try to vacuum or sweep twice per week–more often when your pet is shedding heavily. Not sure what to do with the clumps of hair after you’ve swept them up? Sure, you can dispose of them, but you can also set them somewhere in your yard. Then, watch for birds to collect the hair and use it to line their nests!
Remember that bluefrog Home Services of New Orleans specializes in heating and AC repair. We can visit your New Orleans, LA, home to provide any type of HVAC service you need. Call us to schedule your maintenance or heating and AC repair service appointment. We can also provide emergency HVAC services when needed.
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