Living Pets Protecting Air Quality Removing Allergens

When you consider how much time you spend indoors, it makes sense that indoor air quality makes a big impact on quality of life. Of course, so do pets! Our furry companions bring endless love and joy into a family home. Unfortunately, they also bring along allergens and other extras that can cause respiratory problems and affect your heating and air conditioning unit. In fact, dander is so small and clingy that 100% of households contain detectable levels of dog and cat dander according to allergy experts.

What can you do to protect your air quality while still welcoming pets home? Below are a few tips that should help you breathe easy.

Keep Filters Clean and Integrate HEPA Filters

Air filters are your best defense against airborne irritants. However, as any owner will tell you, pets can shed a lot of fur. When they do, some of it gets sucked up and starts to clog up the filter. This in turn will make your heating or air conditioning unit work harder and less efficiently, raising your heating bill and lowering the unit’s life expectancy. If you have a dog or a cat, change your air filter every 2 months. If you have allergies, this should become a monthly ritual for you.

While regularly changing your air filters will go a long way to improving your home’s air quality, you may also want to consider integrating a HEPA filter. HEPA filters remove over 99% of air pollutants and come in many different shapes and sizes from stand alone filter to fully integrated. Contact your local HVAC experts for more information.

Air Ducts

Air ducts can get pretty nasty. It’s dark, warm and an ideal breeding ground for mold, viruses, and bacteria. Additionally, pet dander (regularly shed microscopic skin flakes) and other air borne irritants from a pet’s dried saliva and feces can get lodged into the corners of air ducts. Even if you change your air filters as often as you should, all of these unwanted particles get reintroduced every time the air kicks on. Clearly, making sure your air ducts are clean and regularly serviced is well worth the time and effort.

Maintenance

Scheduling regular bath time with your pet is an easy (sometimes) and effective way to improve air quality. Much of what would otherwise have been released into the air can be washed down the drain. Dander and other allergens can also accumulate on furniture, carpets, drapes, and other fabrics— dusting and vacuuming can prevent them from going airborne.

Spring is fast approaching, which means so are allergies. Fortunately, many of these tips to help alleviate respiratory irritation from pets can also help with allergies. This is a perfect time to have your air ducts cleaned and your unit serviced. To schedule an appointment, call: 215-454-0001