How Our Pets Contribute to Our Indoor Air Quality
Maintaining indoor air quality may be an ongoing battle if you have pets. Not very many people think about how our pets contribute to our indoor air quality but they most certainly do! Those with pets such as cats or dogs, know all about shedding and how much of a mess it can be. Maintaining healthy indoor air quality is not impossible for those with pets. Amber’s Air Duct Cleaning will share a few methods you can use to create a healthy indoor air environment.
Pet Dander
Many people believe that the hair from pets is what stimulates allergies and general contamination. However, the real instigator is the pet dander. Like humans, our pets shed hair along with their dead skin cells. These dead skin cells contain negative effects on the indoor air quality. Pet dander is inevitable, however, there are some tricks to reduce the amount released into the air. You can start by bathing your pet on a monthly basis. This will remove the old dead skin cells waiting to fall off of your pet. In addition, wiping the surface areas of your home once a week will decrease amounts of dander. You can also use bedding designed to repel dander and dust.
Clean Air Ducts
To help increase your home’s air quality even more, it is highly recommended you have your home’s air ducts cleaned. As a general rule of thumb, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) recommends air duct cleaning every 3 to 5 years. With certain methods, that cleaning recommendation can be extended to 6 to 8 years. Over time, dust, pet dander, pests, mold, bacteria, and other unwanted pollutants accumulate inside your air ducts. These contaminants are easily spread throughout the home when the HVAC system is running. Receiving a proper cleaning will remove everything trapped inside the ducts. This will greatly impact the indoor air quality for you and your family.
Additional Tips
Other ways to help clean your home’s air, is by investing in an electrostatic air filter, which are reusable air filters. These types of filters are proven to capture more of the dander and pet hair left behind. In addition, these filters are washable and allow for more than a one time use. It is common for our pets to have an accident inside your home and when this happens, unwanted bacteria is released from the urine. A couple of ways to handle bad odors is to invest in an ultraviolet lighting system that can kill most microorganisms in the air. If the light doesn’t suit your home, you can also install odor eliminator devices that kill bacteria and purify your home.
