Do Pets Affect Indoor Air Quality in Oak Ridge, TN?

Even the cutest and cuddliest little animal can change indoor air quality (IAQ) levels in your Oak Ridge, TN, home. Since pets generally lower IAQ, one of the keys to living comfortably this summer will be to counteract the threats they pose. Here are a few ways in which your furry friends can impact your IAQ:

Hair and Dander

Many pets constantly shed their dander, and since these bits of dead skin are so tiny, it’s easy for them to fly through the air without attracting attention until you start coughing and sneezing after inhaling them. Tiny strands of loose pet hair can also make the air in your home unpleasant.

Moreover, these things can find their way into your HVAC system, sticking in its filters, clogging its ducts and impeding the functioning of essential parts like the compressor. You should be able to clean or replace the filters on your own, but these other things will demand intervention from professional HVAC maintenance service technicians.

Feces and Urine

Just because you’ve potty trained your pets doesn’t mean that their feces and urine no longer have the ability to cause you trouble. In particular, tiny particles of feces may still get into your air, and feces and urine alike often indicate the presence of bacteria.

Pet Products

Properly grooming, disinfecting and treating your pets requires the use of specialized products, including shampoos, grooming sprays and flea treatment chewables. Unfortunately, many such products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can significantly decrease your IAQ. In particular, some such products may release gases into the air as their constituent parts decompose.

VOCs may cause symptoms like headaches, nausea, vomiting, light-headedness, fainting, nosebleeds and respiratory damage. It’s crucial that you very carefully dispose of anything that might contain VOCs after you’ve finished using it.

Your beloved pets can sometimes do a number on your IAQ. The good news, however, is that homeowners can reduce such effects. For help doing this, call Pol’s Heating and Cooling, LLC and learn more about our IAQ services that we offer in Oak Ridge, TN.

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