Pet owners don't realize their furry companions severely degrade indoor air quality through shedding and accidents. Airborne dander, hair, and waste clog HVAC ducts rapidly, necessitating professional air duct cleaning for removal.
Here are the reasons homes with pets need more regular and thorough air duct cleaning services than residences without animals exposed to fewer contaminant sources internally.
Accelerated Duct Dust Buildup Rates
Humans naturally shed around 1.5 ounces of dead skin cells daily. But a mid-size indoor dog releases over 1.5 pounds of allergy-inducing dander annually. Cat dander volumes also prove quite substantial when confined chiefly indoors.
Much inevitably enters into the air ducts, circulating extensively throughout connected spaces. Homes without pets inevitably feature cleaner ductwork and living space air compared to pet-owning households.
Increased Allergen Circulation
Dog and cat dander easily get sucked into cold air return vents, moving through HVAC duct systems. Being microscopic particles, allergens inevitably escape downstream supply registers to float freely within occupied zones.
People inhabiting rooms inhale the particles - triggering allergy symptoms or life-threatening asthma attacks for those susceptible.
Greater Shed Pet Hair Accumulation
Whether coated with short and stubby fur or long flowing mane hair, dogs and cats inevitably shed, especially seasonally, when losing winter coats.
Much hair enters ductwork intake vents. Under forced airflow pressures, strands transport through ducts, getting trapped along corners and seam gaps rather than making clean returns.
Over time, thick pet hair clumps clog at duct bottlenecks, accumulating alongside existing dust buildup to increasingly congested passageways, elevating air resistance and operating costs.
Increased Odor Circulation
Air ducts directly connect to occupied zones rather than localize smells in laundry rooms like litter boxes. Consequently, any pet urine or solid waste odors inevitably infuse into heating and cooling ducts, circulating nasty smells into bedrooms, living areas, and even kitchen pantries housing food.
Regular professional duct cleaning services eliminate stuck-on urine crystals and feces particles carrying pungent ammonia scents owners detect long after bathroom accidents.
Handling Pest Infestations
Pet feces and urine residue attract flies. Skin flakes feed fabric pests like carpet beetles. Air ducts containing dander and waste always host similar infestations internally.
Parasites nesting inside contaminated ducts eventually crawl out, seeking more protein-rich sources, be they pantry ingredients or structural framing containing accumulated pet-sourced dust.
Premature HVAC System Failures
Dog and cat hair is coated with natural skin oils to protect fur. But inside ducts, hair-bound oils oxidize, hence becoming sticky gunk and accumulating inside blower assemblies and heat exchangers. The gooey buildup forces motors to work harder, eventually shortening equipment's lifespan through electrical burnouts.
Only professional air duct cleaning entirely removes oily pet hair, dander, and other allergens trapped along fan blades, coils, and exchangers internally.
Restricted Airflows And Skyrocketing Bills
Pet hair and skin flakes clumping inside ducts systematically reduce the available cross-sectional area for conditioned airflows. To compensate, HVAC fans run longer to reach room setpoints, spiking electricity consumption.
Proper duct cleaning removes built-up lint and dander, restoring unobstructed airflow for faster space tempering using less energy, hence saving homeowners money monthly.
Disgusting Ducts Health Hazards
Microscopic particulates shed by dogs and cats provide the perfect feast for mold colonies growing inside poorly maintained ductwork never cleaned after construction. Fungal spores then blow into home interiors, triggering allergic reactions or respiratory issues in occupants.
Regular duct cleaning inhibits mold establishment by removing moist pet dander accumulation and killing existing colonies using EPA-approved biocidal foggers.
Property Value Depreciation
Home buyers recognize the advantages of cleanliness and indoor air quality maintained through professional duct cleaning, especially in pet-occupied homes requiring extra diligence. Visibly dirty ducts, pet odors, or excessive dander are found to scare away prospective purchasers.
Proactive regular duct cleaning makes good financial sense, protecting long-term property valuations from decay should owners choose to sell.
Better Health Through Cleaner Air
Ultimately, proactively cleaning air conditioning ducts more often when owning indoor pets provides huge health dividends for homeowners and families through maintaining cleaner, higher quality air circulating inside living spaces rather than pet dander contaminants.
Breathing comes easier for asthmatics, while allergy sufferers experience fewer symptoms as seasonal triggers get contained through HVAC systems rather than recirculating freely at intensified concentrations long term.
