HVAC Maintenance: 10 Tips HVAC Technicians Need To Tell Pet-Owning Clients
As an HVAC subcontractor, you will experience a range of jobs in the trade, from residential construction to commercial construction. Sometimes, you’ll take on larger tasks, like managing construction’s HVAC department and creating a construction schedule to keep the project on track. But more often than not, when you aren’t part of the project management for construction, you’ll take on smaller projects, mostly working in residential areas where you’ll meet all sorts of clients, with and without pets.
Maintaining An HVAC System For Pet Owners
Pets have proven to be very beneficial to people for numerous reasons, such as teaching responsibility, alleviates loneliness, and various health reasons. That’s why plenty of homes in the US have pets. According to the American Pet Products Association’s (APPA) 2019–2020 National Pet Owners Survey, around 67% of households own a pet — that’s about 85 million families.
While it’s not uncommon for homeowners to have a few pets in their household, special care needs to go into their HVAC systems’ care and maintenance. When it comes to system maintenance, they’re most likely unaware of the difference between a pet-owning household and a household without one.
With that, it’s your duty as an HVAC professional to inform them of the implications a pet might bring and how to care for their units properly. So, it would help if you were educated on what pets can do to systems and the necessary measures to keep their HVAC systems in tip-top shape.
How Pets Can Impact An HVAC System
- Loose hair can clog up ventilation and filters.
If the client has a pet that sheds, like a dog or cat, there’s a high chance that the house’s ventilation can be clogged. The loose hairs from the pet can enter the vents and block the filters, creating a huge hazard.
2. Pet dander can circulate the home.
Besides fur, pet dander, tiny skin particles that come off them, can get dragged into the vents. But instead of clogging up the filters, the dander can circulate the house via air conditioning. When breathed in, this can be dangerous to those with allergies.
3. Bringing outside dirt indoors
If the client has pets allowed to roam free outside, dirt, dust, debris, and pollen can stick to the pet’s coat. When they enter the house, all of those can get dragged into the vents, blocking ventilation and clogging up air filters.
4. They can damage the units or equipment.
Pets, being animals, are unaware of the purposes of the heating and cooling units. Because of this, they will tend to cause harm to the units, clawing at it, chewing wires, and digging around the outside condenser. Subsequently, these activities are also a danger to the pet.
More than that, pets typically mark their territory by urinating. If they frequently urinate on the outdoor air conditioning unit, corrosion will occur on the coils and aluminum fins. The damage can cause the refrigerant to leak and the unit to work slower, resulting in higher utility costs.
5. Wasted energy
Pets don’t only pose a potential threat to the system, but they can also contribute to a destructive blow to their finances. Aside from the expenses in caring for them, energy can potentially be wasted, specifically through pet doors. Because they can’t be tightly sealed, unlike doors and windows, energy from the air conditioning can leak through.
HVAC Maintenance Tips For Pet Owners
- “Keep your pets well-groomed.”
If the small undercoat of the pet is not properly groomed, the chance of shedding is higher. And as previously said, the fur and dander they shed will clog ventilation and air filters. When filters are clogged, the system will work extra hard, affecting its performance and energy costs. Plus, the dirt and debris they bring from the outdoors can move around the house through the air conditioning.
One way to prevent this is to keep the pet well-groomed. Even though the homeowners can do it themselves, it would be best to take their pets to professional groomers for better results and to lessen the chance of stray hairs entering the system.
When pets are regularly groomed, fewer filter changes for the residents and cleaner air overall.
2. “Also, keep your house clean.”
While grooming does help a lot in keeping loose hair and dander at bay, pets still can’t help but shed — it’s only natural. But the residents can even lower the chances of dirt, hair, dander, and debris entering the system by routinely cleaning their house.
Dusting surfaces and vacuuming carpets are the two most important tasks to do. By keeping the house free of these unwanted particles, their HVAC systems are less likely to suck in allergens and overworking it.
3. “Have your ducts and vents cleaned regularly?”
It’s crucial for any home to regularly maintain its heating and cooling systems. But for pet owners, they’ll need to put in a bit more work. This is because the dander, dust, and hair that enter the vents can settle within the home’s ductwork and circulate through the structure.
As a solution, homeowners with pets must add routine duct cleaning to the maintenance to-do list. Urge them to have a professional HVAC technician inspect and clean their ductwork.
4. “Often change your filters.”
The time filters need to be changed on the filter type, how much work the air conditioner is put through, and if the house has pets or not. For homes with pets, the rule of thumb is to change the air filters every 30 to 60 days.
Tell your clients that they should make it a habit to check on their filters’ condition every two weeks and immediately replace it if needed.
You can also advise them to upgrade their filters. HEPA filters do the job the best but may need professional changes to cater to the larger size. Also, inform them that the higher the MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating, the more efficient its function is. Filters with at least an 8 rating are best for homes with pets. It filters out airborne pollutants, contaminants, and allergen.
5. “If your pets are home alone, adjust the thermostat.”
People will set their thermostat to a temperature that’s comfortable to them, usually leaving it like that year-round. But animals are not that fussy and they can stay comfortable with a broader temperature range. If they leave their pets at home alone, clients can save energy and money by setting the thermostat to at least 65 degrees during colder months and as high as 80 degrees during hotter months.
6. “Place a barrier between the unit and your pets.”
With pets at home, there is a high chance that they could damage equipment. The best thing to prevent that is to put barriers around the units.
Generally, a fence around the equipment can keep the pets at bay, especially for outdoor units. A fence can stop them from chewing on exposed wires, chewing or biting parts, and urinating on the unit.
It’s also a good idea to keep pets away from the indoor equipment. Close the door to the room where the furnace is or but a pet gate if there is no door.
A barrier is meant to secure the equipment from pets and protect the pets from the equipment.
7. “Look around for exposed dangers.”
If there are no barriers between the pet and the unit, tell your clients to do their best to hide wires and clean up and seal leaks. Cats and dogs might play and chew on the wires, leading to a malfunction in the system and possible electrocution on them.
8. “Pay attention to your pet door.”
Like what was said earlier, a lot of energy can seep through pet doors, resulting in high utility bills and strain on the HVAC system. Traditional pet doors are just made of floppy material that makes it easy for pets to enter and leave. But with air conditioning in mind, modifications can be done to reduce energy consumption. Have the pet door caulked so as not to let heat and conditioned air escape the home.
9. “Think about getting an air purifier.”
Even with all the grooming and house cleaning, the air quality of a home with pets is still at risk. Here’s where an air purification system becomes helpful.
An air purifier can help in removing stray loose fur and dander hanging in the air. This machine works great in any home, not just those with pets. It can help people with allergies and overall clean the indoor air, ridding the house of dust, pollen, debris, and even gasses and chemicals. Air purifiers can even remove some bacterias that cause viruses.
10. “Regularly schedule routine check-ups by a professional.”
While homeowners can do some tasks and tactics, it’s always best to have a professional opinion on their side. Encourage them to have a professional routinely check on their HVAC systems and perform tune-ups and other maintenance needs. Ultimately, the goal of regular check-ups is to keep the system performing longer and better.
