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8 HVAC Tips for Pet Owners

August 21, 2024

We’ve come to rely on the comfort of temperature control so much that it’s synonymous with the shelter our home provides. To ensure the HVAC system you depend on provides reliable climate control for years to come, proper maintenance is essential.

For pet owners, it takes extra vigilance to keep an HVAC system operating at peak performance. In the same way dust and other impurities can affect your home’s air quality, pet hair and dander can be a detriment to your HVAC. They combine with dust, dirt, and other contaminants, compounding the harm they can cause to your HVAC system. 

To help you get as many years of quality use as possible out of your HVAC system, we’ve created this list of eight HVAC tips for pet owners. Follow these best practices to keep your system protected from the elements and running smoothly.

8 Tips for Maintaining Your HVAC as a Pet Owner

The following HVAC tips for pet owners will help improve the quality of the air you and your pets breathe, while also helping you get the best performance out of your HVAC system and avoid unnecessary, costly repairs.   

1. Groom Your Pet Regularly

Your pet’s loose fur is a detriment to your HVAC system. Especially when your furry friend is shedding, airborne pet hair and dander can wreak havoc by clogging up your air filter and blocking the flow of your air vents.

Grooming your pets regularly helps reduce the amount of pet hair that causes airflow problems with your HVAC.

2. Deep Clean Your Ducts

Your ductwork accumulates dust, pet hair, and pet dander. This eventually leads to restricted airflow. When the airflow is limited, your HVAC system has to work harder to produce the same results, which leads to higher utility bills. 

Having a professional deep clean your ducts can help your HVAC operate more efficiently and protect it from getting run down prematurely. You should consider having this done every two to three years.

If it’s time for a duct cleaning, call (402) 509-1052 or schedule an appointment online with Aksarben.

3. Change Your Air Filter

Your HVAC’s air filter is there to trap airborne particles like dust, dirt, and pet hair. It prevents these particles from circulating throughout your home and clogging up your ductwork and vents.

To improve your air quality and HVAC performance, you should change out your air filter every month or two around shedding season and every two to three months the rest of the year.

4. Clean Your Vents

Pet hair combines with house dust to block air vents. This can severely limit your unit’s efficiency, causing it to work harder and raising your utility bills. Use a brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to clear vents and keep the air flowing freely.

5. Protect Your Condenser

If your pets are indoor and outdoor pets, then you need a plan for protecting your condenser unit, which is installed outside. Animals are curious by nature, and chewing through the unit’s wiring is just one of many ways this can be a problem. Fur can block the unit’s airflow, and animals that mark territory with urine can cause the unit’s copper coils and aluminum fins to corrode. 

Building a protective fence around your unit can help alleviate these issues and provide you peace of mind.

6. Vacuum Your House Regularly

Regular, consistent vacuuming helps reduce pet hair that can get sucked into your HVAC system, clogging the air filter and blocking the vents.

7. Use an Air Purifier

Pet dander is a problem for your air filter, vents, and ductwork. An air purifier can help reduce airborne pet hair and dander, greatly improving the overall indoor air quality in your home.

8. Get HVAC Maintenance

Investing in ongoing maintenance for your HVAC system from a qualified professional helps ensure your system is running optimally. An HVAC technician will inspect your system to identify potential problems early, clean your HVAC’s components, and lubricate moving parts in the system.

Preventative maintenance and care help extend the lifespan of your HVAC system while reducing unnecessary energy costs that stem from underperformance. Call (402) 509-1052 to schedule an appointment today.

Why Is HVAC Maintenance Important for Pet Owners?

Pet owners are also homeowners, responsible for doing their best to keep everything in working order. Your HVAC system is a serious investment that you want to keep working as long as possible—and pets in your home are likely to put extra strain on this system.

Professional HVAC maintenance:

  • Lowers your energy bills
  • Extends the lifespan of your HVAC system
  • Catches problems early before they lead to larger repairs
  • Improves your HVAC system’s performance
  • Helps you comply with your HVAC system’s warranty
  • Improves your home’s air quality for you and your pets
  • Helps the environment by lowering your energy use

How Often Should You Get Professional HVAC Maintenance?

You should get professional HVAC maintenance at least once every year. In harsher climates, twice per year is best: once before winter and once before summer. 

As a pet owner, even if you have a professional maintenance plan, it’s good to also check your system’s air filter every month to make sure it isn’t getting clogged by hair.

Talk to the Professionals

We hope these HVAC maintenance tips for pet owners have provided you with valuable insight. Pet owners want what’s best for their pets and their homes alike—and a well-maintained HVAC system helps provide both. 

Make sure your system is in good working order with regular professional maintenance. And if you’re concerned your unit isn’t operating as it should, don’t delay having it checked out. If your unit is making unusual sounds or seems to be taking longer to cool or warm your home, or if you notice a spike in your electric bills, be sure to have it looked at right away.

Talk to one of the HVAC experts at Aksarben today! Call (402) 509-1052 or schedule your appointment online. We look forward to helping you keep your HVAC healthy year-round.

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Last Updated: October 04, 2024

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should You Leave the AC on for Pets?

This can depend on where you live and the severity of temperature shifts. It can also vary from one type of pet to another—for example, pets with flat faces have a harder time cooling themselves by panting and are more susceptible to overheating. 


Generally, in extreme heat, you should make sure the temperature doesn’t reach a level that’s detrimental to your pet’s health under any circumstances. Using a smart thermostat like the Nest Learning Thermostat can make it easier to reliably keep the temperature safe for your pets without having an extra thing to remember.

How Do You Keep Pet Hair Out of Floor Vents?

In addition to regular vacuuming, you can wipe down vent covers with a damp microfiber cloth. If this isn’t enough, consider replacing your vent covers with mesh grate covers, which are easier to clean and also help prevent hair from entering the grates.

Can Dog Hair Ruin an AC Unit?

If you don’t regularly vacuum and change your air filter, dog hair can cause your HVAC unit to work overtime while also being less effective. Dog hair can block airflow both at the unit and at air vents. This will eventually burn the unit out prematurely.