Pets bring so much joy and positivity into our lives. They inspire us to be kinder people, to take more walks with our dogs, to revel in relaxation with our cats, and they even provide health benefits. Did you know that cats purr at a frequency that promotes physical healing? And simply petting a dog can reduce your levels of the stress hormone cortisol. But we all know that pets can cause trouble, too!
They can chew your shoes, do their business in unexpected places, keep you up at night, and cause you sudden and unexpected veterinary bills. But did you know that pets can damage your air conditioner? They can cause some issues that might surprise you. Here’s what we mean.
Fur
Pets with fur leave fuzz clumps and dust bunnies all over the house. You probably need to vacuum more often than people without pets do. That hair is also making its way into your HVAC system! It can cause major problems for your air conditioner. What can you do about it?
First, check on your AC air filter closer to the one-month mark instead of the tail end of the usual recommendation of 1-3 months. It might clog faster, especially if your furry pets are large or are shedding heavily right now, or if you have several of them. A clogged air filter can cause overheating, short cycling, and excessive energy use, which means rising electric bills.
Second, never skip a year of AC maintenance. Some of the pet fur will make it past the air filter. It will blanket the inside of the air conditioner. It will cover the blower fan motor like a heavy layer of insulation, keeping heat in, and perhaps even causing overheated wiring to fuse. Maintenance will get all that fur cleaned out and prevent this problem.
Teeth
Some pets will only chew on things when they’re very young. Others chew throughout their lifetimes. Biting the wiring of your air conditioner can cause strange electrical issues such as intermittent and unreliable signals from the thermostat. It can also be very dangerous for your pet.
There are many products available to cover your electrical cords. These may be marketed as baby-proofing or pet-proofing supplies. If you can’t keep biting pets away from AC cords entirely, use these covers.
Urine
Marking territory is instinctive for dogs. If they’re allowed to patrol the yard, they’ll mark it, and they may be marking your outdoor AC unit! This can cause devastating corrosion, so you can’t allow it to happen. (This corrosion has even caused metal light posts to collapse in places where a great many dogs are walked!)
Can you keep your dog out of the area where the outdoor unit sits? If not, you’ll need to fence it off. Make sure the fence is of an open construction for plenty of air circulation, and blocks off an area at least three feet from the unit on all sides. If you already have visible corrosion, consult a professional about AC repair in Woburn, MA.
Keep your pets AND your air conditioner safe. And then soak up some of those precious purrs and doggy kisses.
Reach out to Cooling Unlimited, Inc. to speak with qualified AC experts.
