The Role of HVAC Systems in Managing Pet Hair and Allergens

Your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system does much more than heat and cool. It regulates humidity, exchanges stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air and filters the air that flows through ducts and into your living space. The certified technicians at Zack Hammonds A/C Heating Refrigeration Inc. of Monroe, Georgia, can help you improve the indoor air quality of your home or business. We offer tips to help you reduce pollutants in your living space and products that work with your HVAC equipment to freshen the indoor air and minimize the presence of allergens.

Common Household Allergens and Pollutants

Indoor pollutants often aggravate allergies and asthma or cause respiratory problems. Pets shed dander, hair and other byproducts that affect indoor air quality. Other household pollutants include:

• Household cleaners and personal grooming products
• Biological agents, including bacteria, mold and viruses
• Insect droppings and dust mites
• Carbon monoxide and other dangerous gases
• Tobacco smoke
• Gases emitted by building materials

Pollen, dust and other allergens are brought into the living space from outside. The EPA recommends three ways to keep indoor air fresh. You should remove sources of contamination, improve ventilation, use air cleaners and filters.

Change Filters Regularly

Filters serve as the first line of defense in keeping the air in your home or office clean by preventing allergens and particulates in the air from entering ducts. Filters should be cleaned or changed every three months. However, if you have pets or live in an area with poor air quality, monthly cleaning is recommended.

Upgrade Filters

Filters are rated by Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values. Higher MERV numbers indicate increasing effectiveness at trapping particulates. Standard HVAC filters protect the system’s interior components from dust and pollutants by capturing large particulates such as animal hair, pollen, dust mites and textile fibers. Experts recommend upgrading to MERV 8 or higher for household use. Our technicians can recommend a filter that will work with your system.

Air Cleaners and Ventilation Systems

Whole-home ventilation systems exchange stale indoor air for fresh outdoor air. Other indoor air purification equipment includes ultraviolet lights that eject biological contaminants and humidification devices that stabilize indoor moisture levels. Dust mites, bacteria and viruses thrive in moist environments. Keeping humidity below 60% contributes to a healthy indoor environment.

For more information about controlling allergens and other airborne pollutants in your home or business, contact the experts at Zack Hammonds A/C Heating Refrigeration Inc.