Common Pet Damage to HVAC Systems

Pets bring joy and companionship to our lives. They also bring extra dirt, hair, and dander, which can increase your energy bills and decrease your home’s air quality.

If you have a pet (or more!) at home, watch out for these common ways they can damage HVAC systems:

Chances are, you may not even realize your pet is negatively impacting your HVAC system. Check out these common problems—and their super simple solutions!—to keep your HVAC system running in tip-top shape.

Having a pet around adds extra fur, dirt, and dander to your home’s air. And once you run your HVAC system, all of this added pet debris can clog the air filter.

Why does it matter if your air filter is clogged? All the air pulled into your HVAC system is drawn through your air filter. When it’s clogged with dirt and debris, the system has to work harder to pull air in to be heated or cooled. If your AC can't pull in enough air to cool, it won’t be able to cool your home as effectively. Because there isn't enough air being cooled, your unit also has to run longer to try and get your home to the correct temperature.

Both of these situations cause your HVAC system to work harder and use more energy, which increases your energy bills. It also increases the wear and tear on your HVAC components and increases the likelihood of requiring repairs down the road.

A clogged air filter also decreases your home’s air quality because it can't capture as much dander and debris. Instead, these contaminants remain in your home’s air.

The solution: If you have pets, replace your air filter when it’s dirty or every other month.

The condensate drain transfers excess moisture from your HVAC system to the outdoors. However, pet fur and dander can collect on the condensate drain, causing it to become blocked.

When the condensate drain is blocked, moisture can collect around your indoor HVAC unit and cause water damage.

The solution: Keep your house clean to prevent piles of fur from collecting near the condensate drain. Vacuum and dust your home frequently to remove excess pet hair. Frequently bathing and brushing your pets can also help them shed less.

Contact an HVAC professional to clear the condensate drain with a vacuum.

Some pets, particularly puppies, may chew on HVAC wiring. This behavior is not only damaging, but it’s also dangerous since exposed wires can cause an electrical fire or electrocution.

The solution: If wires are tempting to your pet, enclose them in conduits to protect your HVAC system—and your pet!—from this damaging behavior.

Does your pet always go to the bathroom in the same spot? If that spot is on or near your outdoor HVAC unit, urine—or digging or chewing—can damage your unit.

Pet urine can erode HVAC components, particularly the condenser coil. Chewing or scratching at the condenser coil fins can damage them and make them susceptible to refrigerant leaks.

The solution: Barricade your outdoor HVAC components with fencing, shrubbery, or wire to prevent your pet from accessing and damaging them. Be sure to leave enough room for it to still "breathe!" An AC's outdoor unit needs enough room to disperse heat absorbed from your indoor air. Contact an HVAC professional to check how far the barricade should be from your outdoor unit.

The best way to prevent HVAC problems is to schedule regular maintenance. Our VIP maintenance plan makes things easy with two tune-ups per year, priority service, and up to 25% off future repairs.

There’s a reason we have thousands of 5-star reviews—we’re driven by our values of honesty, integrity, and service. With our 100% satisfaction guarantee, we’re the most trusted HVAC company in the Valley! Call us at (602) 842-0009 to schedule an HVAC tune-up, air conditioner repair, or furnace repair.