Keeping Your Pets Happy While Your Air Conditioning Is Out
As a pet owner, the health and happiness of your pet needs to remain a priority at all times. Having a broken air conditioner in the summer can present special challenges to pet owners, as your pets can't clearly communicate whether or not the heat is causing them problems. Instead, it is best to assume that your pets will need some extra care and attention while you wait for the repair person to take care of your air conditioner.
Keep Your Home as Cool As Possible
The longer you can keep your home cool, the happier everyone in the house will be. Remember that while you get to leave and go to work, your pets have to stay in the house all day long. There are several steps you can take to minimize the amount of heat that makes its way into your home during the long, hot summer days.
- Keep your shades drawn during the day. This is a good idea anytime in the summer when you won't be home, but it is especially important now. Light equals heat, so keeping the sunshine out of your house will help to reduce how quickly your home heats up. Keeping as many lights turned off as possible will also contribute in the same way.
- If it does get cool at night, open up all the windows then. While you might let in some extra allergens and dust by opening your windows, it is important at this time to take advantage of the cool air while it lasts. Once it starts to heat up in the morning, close the windows to prevent the heat from getting in that way.
- Take the opportunity to cook outside. The last thing you need to do right now is to heat your house up with the stove or oven. Take this opportunity to eat out or to enjoy a meal out on the grill.
Mitigate the Effects of the Heat
If you have ceiling fans, now is the time to use them. Make sure they are switched so that they rotate counter-clockwise. This will create a pleasant breeze your pets can use to cool off. You can even make use of the fans in your bathroom and kitchen to help vent the hot air. If you have a stand fan, set it somewhere your pets enjoy hanging out. They will certainly appreciate the breeze.
Make sure you are providing your pets with plenty of cool water to drink. This is not the time for your pets to be the littlest bit dehydrated. If you have a dog, it might enjoy some time at a pool or under a sprinkler when you get home in the evening. Regardless of what kind of pet you have, open up the lowest floor of the house for them. Heat rises, so your basement will naturally stay cooler than the rest of the house.
Have a Backup Plan
It may be that you simply can't get your air conditioner repaired within a reasonable time frame, or you may have a pet that is sensitive to temperature changes. In these situations, the best thing may be to find somewhere else for your pet to stay for a while. See if any friends or family members would be willing to take in your pet for a few days. If that doesn't pan out, see if you can find a reputable pet sitter or boarder for your animal for a while. Explain the situation and see if they will allow you to see your friend regularly while you are waiting for the air to come back.
Keeping your pets happy is not always easy, but it is your responsibility. In return, your pet will rewards you with all the love and attention that made you fall in love with it in the first place. Until your air conditioning is back online, be sure to take the proper steps to ensure your pet remains healthy all summer long. Be sure to work with an air conditioning repair professional to get it fixed as soon as you can.