If you frequent the internet like most people do these days, you might've come across a new saying making its rounds that states: plants are the new pets, pets are the new kids and kids are now like exotic animals; you have to be a little bit rich or crazy to have them. This seems to hold some truth as you come across social media pages created by loving pet parents who dedicate accounts and posts to their beloved dogs, cats, hamsters, birds even fish and reptiles! Animals have so much personality, but aside from offering us unconditional love and expensive vet bills, they're also great at spreading dander! Pet dander is made up of tiny pieces of skin that is shed by any animal with fur or feathers. As the season changes to warmer weather, dogs and cats especially begin to shed their coats which can add more dust to round up during your annual spring cleaning routine, as well as aggravate those pesky seasonal allergies. Pet dander can cause itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing and in more serious allergy and asthma cases, wheezing and severe breathing problems. Although there is no perfect solution to getting rid of pet dander, we have some suggestions to hopefully make your air quality within your home a little easier with your furry family member. Change Air Filter More Often It is generally recommended to change your air filter every 90 days, however this does vary depending on the usage of your HVAC system, system age and if you have pets! Try changing out that filter at least once a month to help improve the quality of the air in your home. Most filters can be found at your local home improvement store or try contacting TOTAL 1 AC & HEATING for a quote on your filter type. Whole House Fans The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that indoor air quality may be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air quality. This type of indoor air pollution can be a product of kitchen smoke or odors, bathroom pollution or (you guessed it) pets and their dander! TOTAL 1 AC & HEATING works with Quiet Cool by installing their whole house fans. A whole house fan is a type of fan that vents air into a home's attic. It is designed to circulate air in the home and helps to alleviate the usage of your HVAC system by exhausting hot air from the attic to the outside through an opening in the roof or gable. On top of extending the life of your HVAC system, it expels odors and pollutants in the air such as pet dander. It only takes a few minutes to run in order to notice the change in the quality of air in your home. Give us a call if you'd like more information on the Quiet Cool's installation. Air Purifiers Not everyone is fortunate enough to have an HVAC system in their home, or enough attic space for a whole house fan. There are also those who do not want to continuously run their HVAC systems or whole house fans if they do have them. In these cases, air purifiers can be a pet owners best friend. Air purifiers cleanse the air in an indoor space such as a bedroom, by using a fan to suck air into the purifier and pushing the air back out through multiple filters. You can always check for manufacturer's tips on which are the best air purifiers to purchase for your space size and usage.