Are your furry roommates leaving you with watery eyes and a runny nose? While pets can bring immeasurable benefits in affection and decreased stress levels, their dander, and other allergens can linger in your indoor air, triggering allergy symptoms in certain people. Even if you don’t have allergies, Fido and Fluffy can kick up dust and add fur and other debris to the air at home. Luckily, Ernst Heating & Cooling of Hamel, IL, has air quality solutions to help you peacefully coexist with your family pets. Read on for tips for reducing pet-related allergens at home.
Start with good grooming habits
Have you ever bathed a cat? 😾🛁? We’re not saying you must douse Kitty with water, but you should regularly brush her. That goes for dogs and other furry pets as well. Regular grooming lessens shedding and reduces the number of particulates in the air. Don’t forget to clean your home as well. Use your vacuum attachment on your home’s draperies, and pay careful attention to the areas where the pets like to spend their time.
Take a look inside the ductwork
Your home’s HVAC system continually pulls air through ducts to keep your home comfortable. Pet hair and dander can also be swept through the ductwork, which can take up residence in dark corners and spread around the house when the fan runs. You can remove some of it with your vacuum attachment. Still, only a professional can do a complete job bringing your ductwork back to its original condition. Spring for a professional duct cleaning and Ernst Heating & Cooling will rid your ducts of pet hair, dander, mold, debris, and other irritants.
Look at your air filter
Every HVAC system has an air filter that captures pollutants before they circulate in your home. Air filters have different strengths, known as MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) ratings. A lower-rated filter will grab dust mites, pollen, or roach debris, but higher MERV values can nab pet dander, mold spores, bacteria, and viruses. You probably should grab the highest-rated MERV value filter the next time you replace it, right? Not necessarily. Filters with high MERV values can damage your HVAC system because they force the system to work harder to pull in air. Your Ernst Heating & Cooling HVAC technician can advise you on the proper MERV rating for your home comfort system.
Consider a whole-house air purifier
A whole-house air purifier, like the Lennox PureAir™ purifier, goes beyond grabbing the dog hair and cat dander. Its MERV 16 HEPA filter catches some of the smallest particles trying to move around your home’s indoor air. UV lights kill living pollutants like mold, bacteria, viruses, and other airborne contaminants. So if your family dog tries to bring harmful microorganisms from your backyard, a whole-house purifier with UV lights can neutralize them before they can bother the humans.
We understand that pets are part of the family, and nobody wants to choose between their family members and their beloved animal companions. If you are concerned about your home’s indoor air quality – with or without pets – talk to Ernst Heating & Cooling. We’ll evaluate your home’s indoor air quality strategies and offer solutions that meet your family’s needs and budget. Put down the tissues and call Ernst Heating & Cooling now at 618.217.1836 or schedule an appointment online. Your family – and pets – will thank you.