How to Set Your HVAC to Keep Pets Comfortable

You know how to set your Sarasota, Florida, home’s thermostat to accommodate human comfort needs. Your pets, however, are in the house when you aren’t, and they’re subject to shifts in thermostat settings that the humans are scheduled to miss. Always take into account the animal members of your family during the hottest Florida days.

Typical Thermostat Settings

We recommend setting your thermostat to 78 degrees during warm Florida days while you’re in the house. When you’re not, letting the temperature rise by 6-8 degrees offers additional savings. This makes sense because you’re not home so you don’t need the AC to do as much cooling. But what if you have pets?

Pet Temperature Needs

You shouldn’t turn off the HVAC system completely for several reasons. One, if your home becomes too hot in summer or too cold in winter, the money it takes to readjust the temperature is more than what you would’ve spent maintaining a more neutral interior. Two, your pets might not die, but they’ll be very miserable in a house that’s too hot or cold. An interior temperature tolerable for pets goes up to 80, but not far beyond.

What You Can Do

While your pets may seem like fierce, wild animals (sometimes) the fact is they’re domesticated and have grown used to a nice ambient temperature. You don’t have to leave the AC on high for your cat or dog, but keep your pet’s health in consideration when setting the thermostat. An overweight pet will probably need slightly cooler air. Leave on a fan, or buy a cooling pad so the pet has access to comfortable spaces while you’re away from home. Also, always be sure they have clean, fresh water to drink if they become parched.

Schedule an appointment with Custom Air & Plumbing to have your HVAC system serviced. Common HVAC problems, like IAQ issues, don’t just affect your health, they affect your pets, too. Call us now at (866) 819-0992 .