Got Pets? Reasons Your Air Ducts Need More Frequent Cleanings

Do you find yourself dealing with allergy-like symptoms when you spend time indoors? Or perhaps your house smells a bit unpleasant and you’re unsure why? If you’re a pet owner and have a central HVAC system, your animal friends and your ductwork may be to blame. Air ducts trap all manner of airborne particles, including those that cause offensive odors, and without regular duct cleaning appointments, those odors can linger indefinitely.

At Dust Doctors, we know pet owners can benefit greatly from routine duct cleaning. We also know that many pet owners aren’t aware that their ducts need more frequent cleanings or how they can benefit from professional service. We’re here to provide some insight.

If you have indoor pets, read on to learn why you should seriously consider scheduling routine air duct cleanings.  

Pet Dander and Fur Can Decrease HVAC Efficiency

If you own a pet that sheds, your ducts will inevitably accumulate debris faster than a home without pets. Your pet sheds constantly, and if it lives indoors, it’s not just shedding fur all over your house; it’s shedding dead skin particles, too.

Pet fur and dander end up everywhere throughout your house, and often, they become airborne because they’re so lightweight. Once suspended in your home’s ambient air, your HVAC system can easily pull these particles into your ductwork.

As pet debris builds within your ducts, it combines with other particles that can accumulate in any home’s ductwork. This buildup gradually decreases the efficiency of your HVAC system, causing an increase in your monthly heating and cooling bills.

Routine, professional duct cleaning removes all manner of duct buildup, which can significantly improve your HVAC efficiency. Ideally, pet owners should have their ductwork cleaned every two years, but if you have several pets, you may require more frequent service.

Pet Odors Can Get Offensive

Got mysterious indoor odors? Can’t seem to find their source? Chances are your animal friend is a culprit. If you’ve tried steam cleaning your furniture, deep cleaning your carpet, or using air fresheners to no avail, your ductwork may be to blame.

It’s normal for furry pets to develop a distinct odor (does Frito feet sound familiar?) because their skin produces oil daily, and too-frequent bathing can easily dry it out. Pet sweat can smell funky, too. And when your pet perspires — dogs and cats sweat primarily through their paw pads — they’ll inevitably track perspiration throughout your home.

When that residue eventually soaks into upholstery or carpet or evaporates into your home’s ambient air, those odors get pulled into your HVAC system. There, they gradually permeate the debris buildup within your ducts. Every time your heat or air conditioning cycles on, it then distributes that unpleasant odor throughout your home.

If you’ve tried just about everything to rid your home of unpleasant odors, professional duct cleaning may be the solution you’ve been looking for. Removing duct buildup and thoroughly cleaning the interior of smelly air ducts is one of the most effective ways to control indoor odors.        

Pets Can Negatively Affect Indoor Air Quality

Even if you don’t typically experience indoor or outdoor allergy symptoms, your pet’s skin, dander, and fur (or feathers) contain proteins that can irritate your respiratory tract. When your pet sheds, these tiny particles often become airborne and eventually make their way into your home’s HVAC system.

Every time your system cycles on, it propels these tiny particles into the air you breathe, which can repeatedly trigger your bothersome symptoms. Professional duct cleaning dramatically reduces allergy-causing particles within your home, leaving you with fresh, breathable air.

How Does Duct Cleaning Help Control Pet Hair and Dander?

If your air ducts haven’t been cleaned in a while (or ever) chances are your ductwork is housing a significant amount of pet hair, dander, dust, and other particles. A thorough duct cleaning will eliminate all of that buildup, so air circulating through your HVAC system will no longer carry particulate matter into your living areas.

If you’re unfamiliar with air duct cleaning, check out The Tools & Equipment Used for Professional Duct Cleaning to learn what the pros do to get your ducts thoroughly clean.

Why You Should Hire a Professional for Pet Hair Duct Cleaning

As homeowners have become increasingly concerned with improving their indoor air quality, do-it-yourself duct cleaning solutions have become more popular. But if you want your air ducts thoroughly clean, taking the DIY route isn’t in your best interest.

Attempting to clean your own ducts without any training or experience increases the risk of introducing health-harming particulate matter into your living spaces. That’s especially true if you don’t seal off the system properly or have the equipment to create negative air pressure within the duct system.

What’s more, consumer-grade duct cleaning equipment is nowhere near as effective as professional-quality tools. Even if you don’t end up blowing dust and debris into your home, DIY cleaning is unlikely to get your ducts as clean as they should be.

When you hire a reputable duct cleaning company, the pros will ensure that no particulate matter enters your home during the cleaning process. They’ll also ensure your ductwork is thoroughly clean and can alert you to any areas of damage or deterioration that require repairs.

If you’re contemplating the DIY route, take a minute to check out What You Should Know Before Cleaning Your Own Ducts.

Improve Your Indoor Air Quality With Dust Doctors

At Dust Doctors, we specialize in a wide variety of indoor air quality improvement services for Twin Cities residents. Whether or not you have pets, there’s a good chance your air ducts need cleaning, especially if you haven’t had them professionally cleaned in years. If anyone in your household suffers from mysterious indoor allergies, we also offer air purification system installation that can help keep allergy symptoms at bay.

To learn more about our services, schedule an appointment, or get a free quote, give us a call at 651-319-9777 or request a quote online, and we’ll get in touch with more information!