Halloween can be creepy enough without the thought of little critters invading your HVAC system and your home. Insects like stink bugs, silverfish, roaches, and spiders (technically not insects, but still creepy crawlers) and small animals like rats, mice, and even squirrels and raccoons can get in through gaps and holes in your HVAC system.
These unwelcome guests can actually cause their fair share of damage. Little animals who move into your outdoor unit, especially if there’s a full cover over your air conditioner, can cause performance issues, and even equipment failure because they like to chew through refrigerant lines or get caught in fan blades.
If you get an infestation in your ductwork, it could lead to bad odors, allergens, and pest debris that will compromise your indoor air quality. Cockroaches carry diseases, including diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid fever, and cholera. They can also cause allergic reactions or trigger asthma symptoms. If mice or rats get inside your ductwork, they can cause damage with waste and holes.
Keeping creeping critters out
As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And luckily there are some pretty easy prevention steps you can take to keep your HVAC system pest-free.
Cover vents
Vents to the outside like attic, soffit, or dryer vents are all ways for pests to enter your home. Cover them with completely with a fine metal screen mesh to keep critters out.
Seal ducts
Holes and cracks in your ventilation ducts can provide an entry point for many types of pests. It’s a good idea to inspect your ducts and make sure you don’t need to fix any breaches. If they’re inaccessible, have an HVAC professional do it for you. Not only will it keep pests out, it’ll also help you save on your heating and cooling expenditures by increasing efficiency. While you’re at it, don’t forget to check and clean out your dryer vent. Lint is an especially attractive nesting material.
Keep outdoor units clean
Small pests looking to live some place for the winter like to cuddle up to your outdoor air conditioning equipment. Keep all foliage trimmed away at least 2 feet. Stink bugs typically start seeking shelter in places like your AC unit beginning in the fall. If you have a problem with them, it’s a good idea to set out traps around your equipment.
Need an HVAC pro in South Florida?
Having a seasonal inspection and tune-up for your heating and air conditioning system will keep things clean and in prime working condition, increasing efficiency and prolonging the life of your equipment. Lindstrom Air Conditioning serves South Florida and provides our customers with peace of mind maintenance agreements to help keep “creepy critters” in Halloween and out of their HVAC system.