According to HVAC experts, up to 75% of phone calls regarding a lack of home heating during the winter is the result of a lack of maintenance. In some cases, this lack of maintenance may not be on your part at all, but rather your pets.

Let’s put a little light on the situation. Even homeowners who contact their HVAC service regularly for furnace repair and HVAC repair may have maintenance problems with their heating if they have pets in the home.

This is because of the following reasons:

• Pet hair can coat your filters
  • The colder months of the year are considered the worst times for those who suffer from allergies and it isn’t only because of the common cold. When the weather outside is frightful, our furry friends want to stay indoors to better keep warm. Unfortunately, your pet’s increased presence alongside seasonal shedding and closed windows means your heating and cooling filters are seeing a lot more hair. When this hair builds up, it can make the air quality of your home as bad as the inside of a vacuum cleaner. Well, maybe not that bad.
  • Still, you’ll want to be sure to change your heating and cooling filters at least once a month if you have more than one pet. Also, be sure to vacuum your carpets regularly to keep any dander and allergens from being sucked up into your HVAC system and fired back out into the air.

• Your heating is consistently running
  • Many American pet owners will keep their heating systems on consistently throughout the day and night even when they’re not home to keep their furry friends warm. This can not only drive up the cost of your utility, but it can also age your HVAC system.

Instead of keeping racking up your energy bills in an attempt to make your pets happy, reduce the temperature in your home by a few degrees while you’re away. Your pets will naturally gravitate to the sunny areas in your home to keep warm. What’s more is that, unlike their human owners, pets have a coat of fur to keep them warm.

So you don’t have to worry about keeping your house at a consistent 70 degrees Fahrenheit all winter long. Your cat or dog will be just as happy with a temperature of 65.

During the winter months, it’s always a good idea to pay special attention to your pets. However, don’t forget that you need to be responsible for them as well.

Here’s what you can do: clean out your heating and cooling filters regularly and trust that they’ll be happy with the home being a couple of degrees cooler while you’re away from the house. This will not only ensure your furry friend is happy during the holidays, but it’ll also guarantee your HVAC system will keep running for many winters to come.