6 Effective HVAC Maintenance Strategies for Pet Owners

Becoming a pet parent is a delightful experience shared by millions across the globe. From the simple joy of their companionship to the unconditional love they give, pets like dogs and cats make our lives happier.

However, they often contribute an endless supply of pet hair. Whether your dog is shedding or your cat is playfully pouncing, pet hair becomes airborne and inevitably finds its way into your HVAC system.

Pet hair can significantly impact your home’s air quality, especially if any household members suffer from allergies. Pet fur and dander in the air cannot be eliminated, even with frequent vacuuming. Your HVAC system is crucial in combating these airborne particles, but its effectiveness heavily relies on proper maintenance. Here are some practical maintenance tips from NexWaveAir to help you care for your HVAC system, improve your home’s air quality, and manage your pet hair situation.

1. Regular Grooming of Your Pet

The professionals at NexWaveAir recommend that the most effective way to minimize pet hair in your HVAC system is to groom your pet regularly. Brushing your pet not only provides an enjoyable bonding time but also helps control shedding by catching loose fur before it can enter the air circulation. Brushing should be done outdoors or over a hard-floor area for easier cleanup.

2. More Frequent Filter Replacements

Given the added challenge of pet hair and dander, your air filters will likely become clogged more quickly than they would in a pet-free home. Adjust your filter replacement schedule accordingly. For instance, if your HVAC system recommends a new filter every three months, consider replacing it every two months instead. Monitor your filters and adjust your replacement schedule based on their condition.

3. Upgrade Your Air Filter Quality

Pet dander is a notorious allergen, affecting approximately 20% of the population. Considering this, upgrading your air filter quality can significantly improve your home’s air quality. Air filters use Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) ratings to denote filtration efficiency. While MERV 5-8 filters are standard for modern homes, NexWaveAir suggests filters with MERV ratings of 10-12 for homes with pets to capture smaller particles like pet dander better.

4. Protect Your Outdoor Air Conditioning Unit

If your pets enjoy outdoor playtime, it’s crucial to safeguard your outdoor air conditioning unit. This unit can easily attract pet fur and dander or become a target for territorial marking. Erecting a small fence around the unit can provide adequate protection. This barrier prevents pets from rubbing against the unit and discourages territorial marking behaviors that could damage it with acidic urine.

5. Regular Vacuuming

Regular vacuuming is another key strategy in controlling pet hair and dander. By vacuuming your home at least twice a week, you can capture the majority of shedding before it becomes airborne and clogs your air filters. Pay attention to hard-to-reach areas, like corners and under furniture, where pet hair can accumulate unnoticed.

6. Biannual HVAC Maintenance

Finally, it’s essential to maintain a consistent HVAC maintenance schedule. A home with pets strains your HVAC system due to pet hair and dander. Scheduling an inspection and tune-up once or twice a year can ensure that your HVAC system is functioning efficiently. Inform your technician about your pets so they can thoroughly check for any potential issues caused by pet hair.

Regular maintenance will guarantee that your HVAC system is kept clean and optimized despite the challenges of pet ownership.

You might also like: Navigating Your Way to a Cooler Home: 5 Key Questions for Your AC Installer.

The Impact of Air Filters & Air Quality Products on Viruses like COVID-19

This document explains the common indoor air quality products employed in residential homes, focusing particularly on their potential benefits and impacts on the transmission of diseases such as COVID-19.

Can an Air Filtration System Shield Against Covid-19?

It’s important to note that regardless of the air filtration system used, it can only filter out a virus if it’s initially introduced into the home, often by inhabitants. Therefore, it’s crucial to take preventive measures, such as frequent hand washing, wearing a mask, using personal protective equipment, and utilizing sanitizing products. Standard filters may not effectively capture viruses due to their small size and ability to pass through filter gaps. Hence, proper disposal techniques should be employed when handling used filters.

Air Filters Varieties and Their Efficiency Against Viruses Like Covid-19

High-Efficiency Air Filters

These filters can catch particles as small as 2 microns, effectively filtering out allergens, pet dander, and mold. However, their efficacy against viruses could be better due to the tiny size of most viral particles. Even the highly efficient HEPA filters, mainly utilized in hospitals, may not fully filter out viruses as they can only filter particles down to .3 microns at a 99.97% efficiency rate.

Effectiveness of HEPA Filters Against Covid-19

Although the filter may trap some viral particles, it is essential to clarify that these products should not be marketed as a defense against Covid-19.

Electronic Air Filters

These filters capture most particles in a prefilter before charging the remaining ones electrically. An ozone generator component can attach to contaminants like mold spores and bacteria, effectively eliminating them.

Effectiveness of Electronic Air Filters Against Covid-19

According to the Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine, ozone-generating products could be effective against coronaviruses like SARS, with studies showing the potential elimination of up to 99% of virus cells under sufficient ozone exposure. However, the efficacy of ozone against COVID-19 is yet to be established.

UV Lights

UV lights work on the principle of exposing surfaces to UV light for a specific duration, effectively killing viruses like SARS and MERS. However, UV lights’ effectiveness in residential settings may be limited due to the quick air movement in ducting systems, which might not allow adequate exposure time for the light to kill the virus.

Effectiveness of UV Lights Against Covid-19

While there is promising evidence of UV lights’ potential effectiveness against other coronaviruses, their effectiveness against COVID-19 remains to be determined due to the optimal exposure time and distance requirements.

Air Scrubbers

Air scrubbers like Aerus Air use ActivePure Technology to sanitize the air. The technology transforms microscopic oxygen and water molecules into powerful oxidizers that eliminate contaminants in the air and on surfaces.

Effectiveness of Air Scrubbers Against Covid-19

As with the other products, air scrubbers have yet to be specifically tested against Covid-19. Nonetheless, their mechanism, which allows for an airborne response to airborne contaminants, might offer an edge over other systems that depend on the HVAC system to bring contaminants to them.

The Efficacy of Air Filtration Systems in Combating Covid-19

Key Takeaways for Our Customers:

None of the commonly used consumer indoor air quality products has been tested specifically for effectiveness against Covid-19.
Most of these products show some effectiveness against coronavirus-type viruses under certain conditions. However, their reliance on air ducts to bring the virus to them and retain them long enough for elimination makes complete removal unlikely.
Improving indoor air quality is crucial for overall health, and we strongly recommend using these products for that purpose, not necessarily as a COVID-19 prevention method.
Be educated and sensible about the products you’re considering. If a product’s claims sound too good to be true, they probably are.

Remember that using certain products, such as high-efficiency filters, can restrict your airflow and may require modifications to your duct system to maintain optimal operation. Attempting self-installation without sufficient knowledge of the product and your HVAC system could result in premature failure of system components.

For these reasons, we recommend professional installation for most of these products.