Time and time again, home and business owners encounter the problem of pesky pests. This problem when ignored for long can have damaging consequences on your home thus undermining its integrity. Termites have been known to destroy building structures, ants invading interiors, wasps creating nests in and out of your home, and racoons tearing attics. This poses additional danger to your home.
With a good pest control strategy, you can protect your home from these unwanted guests one pest at a time. Your heating and air conditioning system is one of those systems that is vulnerable to the damaging effects of pests. Pest-proofing your HVAC components can help in keeping your home pest free and reducing the health hazards associated with pest infestations.
HVAC Systems and Pest Problems
There are a variety of reasons why pests enter your home. One of them is the poor state of your HVAC components. If your home is located in an area prone to certain infestations such as racoons or insects, your cooling and heating system can suffer from a wide range of problems.
Pests can damage your HVAC components thus causing expensive repairs or even system replacements. Extensive damage can also be visited upon your home thus generating an additional and unnecessary repair expense.
Indoor Air Quality Problems
Infestation by pests can affect your indoor air quality through bad odors and pesticides. Bad odors coming from dead pests, droppings, and other debris left in your HVAC system can cause your interiors to smell. Pesticides if used to control the pests can diminish the quality of your indoor air.
Health Problems
Apart from indoor air quality, the exposure to pesticides can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat. Pests are also common allergens which means they can potentially trigger symptoms ranging from minor to severe. Debris left behind by pests can be circulated through your HVAC system thus contaminating areas within your home.
Pest-Proofing Your HVAC Components
You can prevent pest infestations and any other related problems by ensuring your HVAC system is well protected. Some of the measures you ought to take include:
Sealing Your Ducts
Cracks, gaps, and larger disconnections within your duct system can create access points for pests to enter your system. As seen above, these pests can cause considerable damage. Instead of treating the duct infestation with pest poison which may end up circulating within your home, you can opt for live traps for larger pests such as rats and mice. However, the recommended way is to professionally seal your ductwork so as to prevent the entry of pests.
Installation of Flue and Vent Covers
Flue pipes play an important role in expelling combustion by products from your furnace. When pests enter these flue pipes, they may die and their remains can block the flue thus forcing combustion by products to re-enter your home. Pests can also enter through exterior vents or even build nests inside them. The solution for this is to install vent covers on all these pipes to prevent entry.
In addition to the above, ensure you protect your AC condenser because pests can enter this system and damage it by chewing and scratching the components inside. Clearing the area around it and using pest repellents can help deter animals from coming around your home.
