When you look at your favorite dog or cat, the last thing you might want to think about is that they could be causing you to cough and sneeze. While you might not have a full-blown pet allergy, it is possible for animal air and dander to trigger some mild allergic symptoms. Animal hair can also carry pollen, mold spores, and other allergens that irritate your breathing. When animal hair makes it into the air ducts of your home, these allergens can then be blown throughout every room whenever the HVAC system comes on. Fortunately, this is an easy fix when you use these three tips to reduce pet dander and hair in the vents and air ducts.
Reduce How Much Dander and Hair Make It to the Vents
You first want to limit how much pet hair makes its way to the vents in the first place. Avoid placing your pet's bed and litter boxes in areas of your home that are close to the vents and registers, since the hair can easily fly into them. You can also do your part to help reduce the amount of pet hair that circulates through the air by bathing your dog or cat regularly and vacuuming any carpeted areas. If possible, use a vacuum with a filter that is designed to reduce allergens to limit how much dander becomes airborne during your regular cleaning sessions.
Change the Air Filters of Your HVAC System Regularly
The air filters of your HVAC system serve as a barrier between the air ducts and the rest of your home. As a general rule, you will be told to change the filters about every one to three months to maintain the air quality in your home and keep the HVAC system functioning properly. However, your system's filters may need more frequent changing if you have a pet with large amounts of hair or have multiple animals living in your home.
Find Out How Often You Should Clean the Ducts
There is no hard and fast rule regarding how often you should arrange for air duct cleaning. On average, you will hear people recommend to do this service about every three to five years. Yet, this also depends upon the amount of pet hair and other contaminants that accumulate in your house. During your next air duct inspection and cleaning, ask how often you need to get them cleaned. This way, you can add this routine task to your home maintenance schedule to improve your home's air quality.
Share
