Safety concerns such as pet’s collar tags caught in the HVAC duct work cover, and pinning down the animal and other things to know. It’s not just dander blowing around, but chemicals, indoor air quality, and other tips to help keep fluffy safe.
Oddly there’s lots to talk about when it comes to our beloved furry friends, and in the land of HVAC, our Toronto technicians (and area) see a variety of situations on a daily basis:
Pets Swat Stuff Down the Vents – toys, twist ties, paper, screws, nuts, bolts, kids toys, keys, jewellery, anything chaseable or swattable.
Pets Poop or urinate down the vents. If you smell something funky, it could be from your pet’s junky.
Pet Hair inevitably ends up down the vents (as much as we clean), it floats around in the air, and gets sucked in by the venting system
Floating Coating – Pet hair gets blown out of the venting system and back in the room’s airflow.
Pet Debris – Not just pet hair – dander, fleas, dirt, anything that can get stuck or fall off your pet can end up down the vents then recirculated around in the air handling system. Particularly and potentially hazardous for those with sensitive breathing conditions.
Pets Trapped in Vents – yes they have actually ended up down the vents, especially with the “help” of children. Not just fluffy if you have other animals such as snakes or lizards, or smaller critters like hamsters if you haven’t located them that day… this is something to watch out for.
Pet Paws and Appendages – Be sure the covers of your vents are smaller than your animal’s paws. Typically with decorative covers and smaller and smaller breeds, animal paws can get stuck in the grates of the vent.
Pet COLLARS – and tags especially are a big culprit of being stuck in the grates, and pinning down the animal with no access now to food, water or bathroom facilities; not to mention the trauma of feeling trapped.
Dead Critters – Pets like to leave their “prizes” of rats, mice, birds and other treasures in hiding places, if you smell something bad… like rotten, gross bad…this is an option to consider.
Fire Hazard – any excess anything down the vents , whether it be drywall dust, or fur can eventually land on the heat exchanger and be a potential cause for a fire.
Changing the furnace filter more often, or having a better filter or system (such as HEPA) can definitely help when having pets as companions; for their air quality as well as the human’s.
Consider too, duct cleaning more often, a typical pet free home is once every 3-5 years, however one may want to consider it more often the more critters one cohabitates with. All that floating coating that’s not swept up goes somewhere, and unfortunately that somewhere is down the vents.
Think of the duct work vents as the last hole in mini-putt… the ball inevitably ends up down the vent.
The flip side…
BONUS TIP:
How is the overall inside air quality affecting our pets?
Pets’ noses and physiology is more sensitive than humans. Pets can be allergic to natural and chemical scents such as certain type of wall electrical scent devices, smoking/vaping, or air sprays from a can. Even floor wipes that contain lavender for example can be harmful to some cats. Indoor air quality is of great importance to animals as well.
Being visually mindful of our cat, dog or furry companion’s well being as pertaining to air quality is important. Is the dog sneezing more than normal? Are a lot of cleaning product being used? Having clean venting as well as air exchangers to bring in fresh air and sending out the old stale air could be of great benefit.
About Us:
Canaduct is industry certified and offers fast efficient appointments for our commercial clients & residential homes for over 20 years. We are a CANADIAN Company!
Types of Services:
Indoor Air Quality Specialists
Commercial duct cleaning
Air vent cleaning
Dryer duct cleaning
Ventilation cleaning
HVAC maintenance
Boiler Systems
Commercial Humidifiers
Odour removal Specialists (powerful yet all natural treatments)
Fire and Flood restoration
Do you have multiple workplace facilities, franchises, homes, offices or retail space?
Service area: Southern Ontario including Aurora and the Greater Toronto Area. No need to deal with multiple companies, technicians and locations – One call will solve it all at 416-410-3777.
Types of Buildings:
Warehouses
Retail stores & Grocery stores
Medical buildings & Hospitals
Offices: high rise, low rise and ground floor
Schools; Elementary, Secondary, Public, Private; Day-cares
Seniors homes, long term care facilities, retirement homes
Real estate buildings & holdings, high rises, rental properties
Townhouses, walk-ups, low rise, homes, condos, lofts, apartments
Call us if your building isn’t listed above, we can make arrangements.
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