The days when people kept dogs and cats restricted to the outdoors are long gone. Today, most pet owners consider their four-legged friends to be members of the family, and as such, they get to share our homes with us. But having pets indoors can create some challenges, such as the amount of pet dander and hair they shed.
Felines and most canines seasonally shed hair, just as their wild ancestors did, so that coats are thinner in the warm months and thicker in the winter. That can make for a big mess in your home, as you try to keep the hair under control. After all, pet hair and pet dander are known allergens, and can also trigger asthma symptoms in some individuals.
To forestall any problems, vacuum pet hair regularly. Also, install a good quality air filter in your HVAC to catch hair and pet dander, both to improve indoor air quality and to keep your HVAC clear of pollutants.
But pets may also have an effect on plumbing and could result in an emergency plumbing call. Here’s how:
Pets and Plumbing
1. You should keep pets clean by regular bathing and brushing. But beware of letting dog hair clog your bathtub drain. Catch it with a tub strainer and dispose of it in the garbage. Perhaps a bathroom or mudroom plumbing reno to install a pet shower is next on the wishlist.
2. Some cat litter packaging proclaims that the product can be flushed down the toilet, but that is never advisable. Cat litter, no matter the type, can form a hard clump like a cement plug down the line in your plumbing. Dispose of it in the garbage.
3. Some dogs are prodigious diggers and may even reach plumbing pipes buried in your yard. Keep an eye on your dog’s natural inclination to dig deep, or Fido could damage your pipes.
4. Cats and dogs love to take a drink from the toilet, but the chemicals used to clean toilets make the water unsafe for drinking. Keep the lid down.
For more home system maintenance concerns, contact Arpi’s Industries of Alberta.
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