For homes with pets, these lovable furbabies are just as much a part of the family as the rest of the members of the household. There are so many advantages to owning a pet including unconditional love, companionship, and even stress relief. However, these perks come with a couple of drawbacks: pet dander and lots (and LOTS) of fur.
Not only can pet dander and excess fur negatively affect the quality of the air in your home, but it can also trigger allergy attacks, asthma attacks, and other respiratory issues. Luckily, you can turn to your HVAC filter to help ease some of the problems caused by our four-legged friends.
Chicago & Air Filters: Choosing The Right One For Your Home
There are several suitable air filter options for households with pets. Some factors to take into consideration when choosing the best HVAC filter for your home include
Budget
The old saying “You get what you pay for” couldn’t be more true with air filters. Inexpensive filters provide the least amount of protection and need to be replaced more often. More expensive filters can block a greater number of particulates from the air with some of them being able to stop bacteria and viruses.
Homes with hairless pets such as Chinese Cresteds or Sphynx may not require as much filtering as homes with longhaired varieties like Persians or Shih Tzus.
Family Members With Respiratory Issues
Households with family members who suffer from severe allergies, asthma, or other respiratory issues would benefit from an air filter with a higher MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating. Ratings of MERV 13-16 are the highest that air filters can achieve, making them ideal for people with respiratory conditions.
Number Of Pets & Amount of Fur
It’s safe to say that households with multiple pets or pets with long or frequently shedding coats should replace their air filter more often to make sure it doesn’t get clogged, reducing its ability to remove particles from the air. You may want to compare the expense of having to excessively change inexpensive filters to the cost of less frequently changing pricier filters to see what works best for your household.
Best Air Filters For Homes With Pets
With the assortment of MERV-rated filters on the market today, these are the best air filters for pet owners to install in their HVAC system:
HEPA Air Filters
These high-efficiency filters can trap as much as 99.7% of harmful air particles that are 0.3 microns in size or larger. Although these are a bit more expensive, it is well worth the high quality and cost, if someone in your home suffers from respiratory issues.
Electronic Air Filters
These cutting-edge filters can remove almost all airborne particles that are 0.1 microns in size or bigger, however, they cost more than the average HEPA filter and can be noisy when encountering pet hair.
Disposable Air Filters
Although these filters are the most budget-friendly, they provide the least amount of protection from airborne particulates. That being said, they are certainly better than nothing at all. Be prepared to replace this type of filter more often than some of the more expensive options.
Deljo Heating & Cooling: A Tradition of HVAC Excellence
Whether you have questions about your HVAC air filters, want to schedule your annual maintenance, or need an emergency repair, the trusted heating and cooling experts at Deljo are here to deliver top-quality HVAC services with unparalleled customer service to every home.
Deljo Heating & Cooling has been keeping the homes of Chicagoland comfortable for over 90 years and looks forward to helping you with all of your HVAC needs. Give us a call to schedule an appointment with one of our NATE-certified technicians today.
