Pests enter your home through numerous pathways. Some are obvious like leaky windows or doors. Yet, one that’s often overlooked is your home’s HVAC system. Gaps and holes in your HVAC system offer convenient access for pests like stink bugs, silverfish, and rodents. But what can you do to ensure your HVAC is protected?
Fortunately, pest-proofing your HVAC system doesn’t require costly investments. A few minor maintenance tasks, regular inspections, cleaning, and occasional pest prevention will help you avoid a full-blown infestation.
HVAC Pests: Why Prevention Is Best
From foul odors to costly damage, rodents, insects, and small animals can do a lot of damage to your home in a small amount of time. By taking regular abatement measures, you can prevent damage from occurring. What types of problems do they cause? Here are a few of the most common:
- Home and equipment damage: Pests can cause significant damage to your home. Termites, for example, can destroy wood structures, leading to thousands of dollars in repairs. When it comes to your HVAC, damage occurs in a few ways. For one, pests love to move into your outdoor air conditioning unit. An A/C infestation can cause performance issues and even failure. Inside, pests can damage or eat through ductwork and seals.
- Air quality issues: An infestation can affect your health by diminishing interior air quality. Odors, pesticides, allergens, and pest debris can all infect your home’s air quality.
HVAC Pest Prevention Measures
A few specific pest abatement measures can help protect your HVAC system long-term. In particular, keep a close eye on areas where pests can enter your HVAC system: Exterior vents and flues, outside equipment, and your home’s ductwork. Steps you can take to protect them include:
Seal Ducts, Vents and Flues
Exterior vents like an attic vent, soffit or dryer vent all pose potential pathways for pests. Similarly, you want to ensure that the ductwork is properly sealed. Not only will this help prevent pests infestations, but it can also help you save on heating and cooling. Small gaps and cracks within the ductwork can turn into pest highways, which is particularly problematic because odors, debris, and allergens carried by the pests into the ductwork will be distributed around the home.
Regular Duct Cleaning, HVAC Maintenance
Even with the best seals, pests will find ways to enter the home. One strategy to prevent larger issues is proper duct cleaning. By cleaning your ducts, you’ll remove any debris and allergens that have collected, and the HVAC cleaning professional can help you identify potential problem areas. Also, pay particular interest to the dryer vent. Dryer vent inspection or cleaning should be conducted several times per year to prevent lint build-up, which can attract rodents and insects.
Another strategy: HVAC maintenance. A seasonal tune-up for your A/C or heating equipment will ensure that pests like stink bugs haven’t infested the equipment. Bi-yearly cleanings, inspections, and maintenance checks are recommended.
Clear Outdoor Units
Your air conditioning unit is exposed to the elements, and without proper protection, it can become a magnet for pests. One strategy: Ensure that the unit has been properly mounted on a raised slab and that grass and weeds are regularly cut back away from the unit.
Alternatively, you can set traps for pests local to your region. For example, in some areas, stink bugs can infest HVAC units. Setting stink bug traps around your HVAC unit can help to solve the problem. Additionally, setting stink bug traps near vents will help to limit the pest’s ability to enter the home.
An HVAC system that’s not properly maintained can attract problem pests. Prevent damage to your home and health by ensuring your system is properly protected. Regular duct cleaning and maintenance help to clear issues and identify problem areas. Contact us for more information today.
