We all love our pets, and want to do everything we can to keep them happy, healthy and comfortable. For more and more homeowners, that means keeping their beloved, fur-shedding cats and dogs indoors with the family. After all, pets kept indoors — with opportunities for exercise, of course — tend to be healthier and live longer than those that must endure the elements.
But what about the effects on you and your family when you live with indoor pets? Here’s some advice that pet owners with indoor canines and felines shouldn’t ignore:
How Pets Affect Your Health
You’re lucky if you can have your pets indoors without ill effect. For many people, the hair and the pet dander that animals shed may cause health problems, such as allergies and bronchial irritation, or even asthma symptoms. What’s more, even if you don’t have a pet allergy, one can develop over time with continued exposure.
Strategy for Coping With Pet Hair
Fortunately, there are ways to control your family’s exposure to dander and shedding hair. Here’s how:
- Bathe your pets as often as the vet recommends, and brush his or her coat — preferably outdoors — regularly. Hand-held vacuum cleaners designed specifically to siphon up pet hair and dander are even on the market now.
- Vacuum the home regularly — at least twice a week, especially in the spring when pets shed more. Use a vacuum with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter.
- Use a good quality air filter in your HVAC system. The filter should be pleated and dense, with a MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) of 8-12. These filters do a great job of trapping pet dander and hair as it is drawn through your return air. Change the filter regularly, and more often than the manufacturer’s recommendations if you have multiple shedding pets. Houses with multiple shedding pets might also benefit from a whole-house air cleaner.
If you’re among those pet owners who could benefit from using your HVAC system to control pet hair and dander, contact Ace Hardware Home Services of Dayton today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “G4889166/Pixabay”
