Your furry friends are some of the most important creatures that enter your home. Pet dander, allergens, and the debris they drag into your home can affect your indoor air quality. Protecting your home from the effects of pets can seem impossible, but there are tools to help slow or reduce the impact of pets on your indoor air quality.
This blog will discuss how pets impact your indoor air quality and ways to help make your home healthier. Improving your indoor air quality can also help improve your pet’s health.
Fur And Dander Build Up
Humans and animals shed their dead skin cells which can build up in a home as dust and dander debris. Dander from mammals can negatively impact your air quality because it can trigger allergies like asthma, coughs, or rashes.
The bad thing about dander is that it is microscopic which makes it hard to see and clean. They easily stick to carpets, couches, beds, clothing, shoes, and walls. This is why it is hard to limit the effects of dander as it infiltrates every part of your life.
Pet fur also sticks easily to all surfaces. For people who are allergic to pet fur, completely removing it from the home is almost impossible. Even if you are not allergic to dog or cat hair, it can carry dirt or other pathogens that cause irritation. People with mild allergies can experience heightened symptoms when pet fur is present.
Litter Boxes
While litter boxes make it easier to clean up after pets, they can also lower the air quality in your home. While cat urine and feces can impact your indoor air quality, the composition of the litter can also cause negative effects.
Cat litter is made of clay, silica, and wood to absorb moisture and odors. These materials also release dust and chemical particles into the air when cats are moving around in the litter box. Limiting the litter particles is easier when you have an enclosed box which will only open when your cat enters the box. This will limit particles to only being in the open air during changing or refilling the litter.
Carrying Allergens
Pets carry more allergens than humans, because of their furry coats. Allergens stick easily to pet fur and make their way into your indoor air. Pollen, dust, and mold spores can attach to your pets which can be released into the air in your home. Airborne allergens in your home can cause you to sneeze, cough, or itch more than normal.
Allergens are heavier in the spring, which means you should put extra time into grooming your pets to help limit allergen collection. Shorter hair will lower the chance of allergens attaching to your dog, cat, hamster, or other mammal.
Ways To Improve Your Indoor Air Quality With Pets
Some humans will develop allergies later in life or children will develop an allergy to the family pet after they are born. Getting rid of a pet or putting an animal outside is just not possible for many pet owners. While the negative impacts of pets can lower your health, there are ways to keep your home healthy for everyone. Improving your indoor air quality is possible without the need to remove your furry friend from the home.
Ventilate Your Home
The best way to improve air quality is to increase circulation in the home. Ventilation will help dilute indoor air by bringing in exterior air and cycling stale air out through a window or door. Opening your windows or doors can bring in other particles though, so it is crucial to only utilize this method in seasons where outdoor allergens are lower.
Mechanical ventilation that purifies the outdoor air before putting it into your home is superior. These ventilators will help circulate the air out of your home and replace it with clean air to reduce the number of pathogens.
Install Air Filters
Another way to reduce pathogens is to trap them in an air filter. Installing air filters helps reduce pets’ impact on your air quality by trapping fur, dander, and allergens before they circulate through your ductwork. Checking your filters every month to two months and replacing them frequently will help keep pathogens to a minimum.
Monitor Your Air Quality
An air quality monitor will help you track the dangers in your home. These provide basic climate information that will alert you when indoor air quality is dangerous or what pathogens have been detected in the home. You can take more control of your air quality when you can track patterns and changes based on different factors.
Clean Your Air Ducts With Clear Air Co.
Our team can help you improve your air quality when you have pets. Frequent air duct cleaning is another way to help limit pets impact on your indoor air quality. Removing the debris from your air ducts will help lower allergens in your home and help you breathe easier. Reach out to us to schedule a cleaning today!
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