Stay at Home Pets: Best Temperature Settings for the Fall

The best temperature for pets is the same as yours. While their wild ancestors tolerate a much wider range, domestic cats and dogs have acclimatized to the same conditions we have, unless you have a heat- or cold-tolerant breed, like a Chihuahua or an Alaskan malamute.

The fur that cats and dogs have does help them stay warm to a degree, but they have more control over their comfort through their paws and upper respiratory tract. Both cats and dogs use their noses and mouths to lose or retain heat. During the day, they compensate for chilly indoor air by finding the warmest spots in your home and curling up.

When you’re searching for advice about keeping your energy bills low, the most frequently given is to change the thermostat setting when you’re not home. But with a pet in your household, such advice may not be your best solution.

What to Do Instead

Keeping the temperature for pets comfortable and minimizing energy costs is possible by:

• Keeping your HVAC system maintained. It works hard all summer and before winter comes, having it serviced by an HVAC pro will help it run more efficiently. The HVAC technician cleans and adjusts it, bringing it back to its original condition and efficiency as much as possible.
• Changing the air filters routinely. Check it monthly and if it’s covered with dust and pet hair, change it. A clogged air filter drives up energy bills and contributes to HVAC system breakdowns.
• Sealing the air leaks around the windows and applying fresh weatherstripping around exterior doors. Air infiltration drives up energy costs and they’re easy and inexpensive to fix.
• Avoiding space heaters in your home to supply supplemental heating for the pets. Space heaters use a tremendous amount of energy. It’s safer and more cost effective to put a washable blanket on the floor or their favorite furniture.

There are good ways to lower energy costs and keeping the temperature for pets comfortable. For more information, contact CCAC, providing HVAC services for Coastal Bend homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about your HVAC system, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 361-678-2495.  

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