Many homeowners consider their pets to be an integral part of their family. Our companion animals give us a great deal of love and comfort. However, as a responsible pet owner who must also look after the health of the entire family, you may have found that your pets tend to shed an excessive amount of fur and hair that leads to allergy symptoms.

For those who want to keep their pets but need to address the issue of allergens, a practical solution will involve using air filters. Read on to learn more about what pet owners need to know about air filters.

Excess Fur and Hair Leads to Air Filters Needing to Be Changed More Frequently

As a busy homeowner with pets, you likely have set up a schedule to look after your animals, such as giving them baths on a regular basis (or having a professional take care of this chore for you). You also would need to dust and vacuum each week to remove animal hair and dander from the dwelling.

When you have family members who suffer from pet allergies, it's important to keep the home environment as clean as possible, which is why so many pet owners will add air filtration to the mix.

However, with pets that tend to shed an excessive amount of fur and hair, you will need to change your air filters more frequently. Follow the manufacturer's instructions about the frequency you need to clean filters or swap out replaceable filters and make sure to mark the schedule on your calendar.

After all, it's pretty easy to get complacent about air filters and forget to change them as often as should if you don't include filter changing in your routine housekeeping chores list. Don't wait until your kids start sneezing to put in new, clean filters!

Types of Filters

If your home does not already have a filter system, you don't need to become an expert on the types of filters available because our knowledgeable professionals will be happy to consult with you on the best options for your home and particular situation. It's a good idea to be somewhat familiar with your options, though. A consultation with your doctor about the most appropriate system for your allergies would be good idea if you have not done so already.

For mild cases, you can start with using disposable filters, typically available at home improvement and hardware stores. Usually you will change them out once per month, according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Some of the most powerful type of air filter systems are known as High Efficiency Particulate Air filters, also referred to as HEPA filters. They are designed to get rid of essentially all particles in the air that are 0.3 micrometers or larger in diameter and are a good choice when you or any of your family members suffers from pet allergies.

You can use an electronic air cleaner. This type of filter cleanses the air of particles as small as 0.1 micrometers and it will tend to cost a bit more than a HEPA filter. One thing to keep in mind is that electronic air filters will tend to make little popping or crackling sounds when they have a piece of hair get caught in them.

Air filters are ranked by their MERV rating or minimum efficiency reporting value), which indicates how easily it can filter airborne contaminants. The higher the rating, the more successfully it will catch allergens. Higher MERV rated filters may make your HVAC system work a bit harder, so it's a good idea to consult with air conditioning and heating professionals to determine the best unit to use in your home.

The professionals at David Gray Heating & Air want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! We are proud to offer a full range of service for installing, inspecting, maintaining and repairing our customers' heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. For more information on using air filters in your home or to set up an appointment for a service call, please contact David Gray Heating & Air today.