Taking good care of your Indianapolis home and its HVAC system means that you have to stay vigilante against an array of invading pests. Taking a proactive approach to dealing with home pests can help you avoid costly or downright dangerous situations like:
- Damaged equipment. Mice, squirrels, rats, chipmunks and other small animals all view your outdoor unit as prime real estate. Even if they’re just a short-term tenant, they can cause considerable mess and damage by shredding insulation and chewing through wiring.
- Contaminated air ducts. If insects, rodents and/or snakes set up housekeeping or die inside your HVAC ductwork, your air supply can be contaminated by allergens, bacteria and viruses, leaving you with awful odors and potentially-serious health hazards.
- Furnace flue blockages. If a bird or other critter builds a nest or gets trapped down your furnace flue, the obstruction could send deadly carbon monoxide back into your home come heating season.
Keep Your HVAC System Free From Pests
Here are some strategies you can employ to keep your HVAC system pest-free:
- Put screens on all vents, air intakes and the flue. Securing screens over exterior openings can keep insects and animals out, while letting combustion exhaust vent freely and maintaining adequate system airflow.
- Tidy up around the outdoor unit. To avoid giving pests a snug hiding spot around your outdoor unit, clean up yard debris so it doesn’t accumulate, and regularly trim back grass and other vegetation that’s around the unit.
- Have ductwork flaws fixed. Insects and other smaller pests can easily get into your air circulation system through gaps, cracks and damaged connections in the ductwork. To keep pests out so they don’t degrade your air quality, have any deficiencies fixed, and make sure the ducts are properly sealed.
- Maintain the HVAC system. When you have semi-annual preventive maintenance performed, your technician can alert you to pest problems if they develop, and advise you about any damage so repairs can be made promptly.
If you want to safeguard your HVAC system safe from home pests with regular preventive maintenance, contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
