Ways to Safeguard Your HVAC from Pests

It’s hard to believe, but your HVAC system is actually a good year-round environment for home pests like insects, spiders, rodents, and small mammals. It’s an especially inviting place in the summer where the ductwork is cool and comfortable, and the condenser and flue are safe from predators.

It’s possible to protect your HVAC system from insect and animal invasions without spending much money. It’s worth the effort because pests carry or spread diseases, will eat just about anything, and mice will damage your equipment by eating the wiring.

Prevent unwanted critters by:

Having your HVAC pro pressure test your ductwork for leakage.

Insects can crawl through cracks as thin as credit cards, and a small mouse will be able to enter through a hole that’s ¼ inch wide. Once inside, the vermin will have access to every room in your home, including the kitchen and bathrooms where there’s plenty of water. If you have pets, they may also have a 24 hour feeding station.

The waste products from the home pests inside the ducts may trigger allergies or asthma and eventually create unhealthy indoor air. Sealing the air leaks using mastic or metal tape will not only keep the ducts cleaner, it’ll also lower energy bills, since the conditioned air won’t leak out.

Covering the flue with a screen.

Flues are attractive because they provide a good place to nest. You may not notice a problem in the summer, but once you need the furnace, your carbon monoxide detectors could go off for no obvious reason.

Keeping debris away from the outdoor condenser.

The cleaner the area is around it, the better. Mice can chew through the wiring and the refrigerant line’s insulation if they stick around. Mice and bugs won’t have any reason to stay if there’s no nesting material or food.

There’s everything to gain by keeping home pests out of your HVAC system. It will be more energy efficient and the air cleaner. For more information about bug-proofing your system, contact Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning, providing HVAC services for Lorain-area homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.