Touchstone Heating & Air Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Indoor Air Quality’ Category

Duct Cleaning and Other Ways to Help With Allergy Season

Monday, March 23rd, 2020

family-in-yard-before-frame-houseSpring brings warm weather, but it’s also the season when people who have allergies to grass and pollen suffer from hay fever the most. The warmer weather causes plant blooms, and the pollen count shoots into the stratosphere. It can even be an uncomfortable time for non-allergy and asthma sufferers.

You can take various medications to help deal with the symptoms that come with allergy season. There are also ways to attack the source of the problem, at least inside your own home. One of the most effective of these services is duct cleaning in Gainesville, FL, particularly if you’ve never arranged for this service before.

Continue Reading

Bettering Winter Indoor Air Quality

Monday, December 2nd, 2019

air-filterMaking it through winter in comfort here in North Central Florida is rarely a problem—at least when it comes to keeping warm. Low temperatures are rare, and heating systems don’t have to stretch hard to get the job done.

But there’s another aspect to comfort that can become trouble during our winters, and that’s the quality of the air in our homes. Because our houses are usually well-sealed against the outdoor air (making it easier to stay warm, even without the heater running), there’s little chance of fresh air currents to sweep out the stale indoor air and its pollutants. Your house may end up with stuffy air filled with dust, lint, germs, chemicals, and other unwelcome particles.

However, you have ways to improve your air quality during winter. Our technicians offer indoor air quality services that can make your air quality as pleasant as your indoor temperatures.

Continue Reading

Is an Air Filter Enough for Healthier Air in My Home?

Monday, October 7th, 2019

air-fliter-cuIf you found your way to this blog, it’s probably because you know your house, like many houses in Florida, has poorer air quality than you would like. Homes today are often built so tightly that there is little chance for the circulation of fresh air, and even less chance in a warm climate like ours.

What’s the best solution to combat low indoor air quality? Air filtration systems are one of the basic solutions for removing the unwanted particles circulating through a house—but is an air filter enough for your house? Let’s take a look.

Continue Reading

High Heating and Cooling Costs? The Ducts May Be the Problem

Monday, February 11th, 2019

inside-corrugated-air-ductWe run our HVAC systems throughout the year in Central Florida, often with the air conditioner running even during winter—and heating systems taking over for a few days here and there. If you keep a close eye on your utility bills (always a good plan!), you should have an idea of what your seasonal heating and cooling costs are, and they should remain steady through the season.

Sudden spikes in the cost of heating and cooling your house when there isn’t an obvious reason for it is often a warning of a malfunction. Your might first think it’s a problem in the AC or the heater. Almost any type of repair need in a cooling or heating system will cause it to drain more money as it runs. But one of the main causes of wasted energy in an HVAC system isn’t located in the AC or heater—it’s in the ductwork. You may not realize it, but the cure for your high utility bills might be professional duct repair in Macclenny, FL from our experts.

Continue Reading

Black Mold and Your HVAC System

Monday, January 14th, 2019

mold-on-wallThe term black mold is one homeowners never want to hear. It’s one of the scariest possibilities for a house in a place like Florida, where the damp and often warm weather makes it easy for mold to start developing in parts of the house. Mold of any kind is unpleasant to look at and creates bad odors. Black mold, however, presents a health threat to the people in a household.

One of the most harmful places where black mold can develop is inside the ventilation system of a house. Not only is it hard to recognize because it is out of easy sight, but the harmful spores from the mold will spread all around the house when the air conditioning and heating system comes on and the blower fan pushes air to the different rooms.

Continue Reading

How a UV Air Purifier Works to Clean Your Home’s Air

Monday, December 17th, 2018

woman-with-allergiesOne of the biggest problems homes in Florida deal with is humidity creating mold and mildew. While mildew is an unpleasant-looking nuisance capable of damaging wood and drywall, mold can present a more serious hazard—toxic mold spores.

But mold spores are only one of several organic pollutants that may be circulating through the rooms of a home. Standard air filtration systems and air purifiers are often ineffective at stopping spores, microbes, bacteria, viruses, and general “icky” stuff.

If your home suffers from organic contaminants that lower the general health of the household, you’ll need a powerful, professional solution. This is where we introduce you to the UV air purifier, aka UV germicidal lights.

Continue Reading

Don’t Let Humidity Ruin Your Spring!

Monday, April 9th, 2018

woman-with-fanHumidity in homes is a problem that can occur almost any place in the country. Even in a desert climate. The reason is that homes generate water moisture inside them, from cooking and showering.

Here in Florida, however, humidity can be an extreme problem from inside and outside a home. As we move deeper into spring, humidity levels will skyrocket. We don’t want you to suffer through a dreadful, soggy, muggy spring—or summer, for that matter—because your home is dealing with high humidity. There are many ways we can help you out, but the best is with the installation of a whole-house dehumidifier in Lake City, FL or wherever you live in our service area.

Continue Reading

4 Things to Know about Humidity and Home Comfort

Monday, October 9th, 2017

man-fan-hat-chairIn Gainesville, we’ve all heard this time and time again… “It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity!” Humidity is responsible for a lot of our discomfort throughout much of the year here. It affects you out doors, but it also has an impact on indoor comfort. And yet, so few people actually make the effort to control humidity in the home. Usually, it takes more than just a good air conditioning system!

Today, we want to focus on four things we think every homeowner in Florida should know about humidity and home comfort. From how it affects your body to how it raises your bills to what you can do to lower your humidity without breaking the bank every month, we’ve got your guide to ultimate whole-house comfort.

Continue Reading

Which Air Purifier is Ideal for Your Home?

Monday, July 31st, 2017

air-filterImproving indoor air quality is a very important part of keeping as healthy and comfortable as possible year-round. It’s especially important during the summer season, though, as people tend to shut themselves in their homes and cut off most fresh air flow. That tends to increase the concentration of various contaminants in the home, including pollen, dander, dust, mold spores, and germs. If you want to improve your air quality by getting rid of these contaminants, the best thing to do is to install a whole-house indoor air purifier. Have a look at some of the most popular air purifier types below.

Continue Reading

Tips to Keep Your Indoor Air Quality High This Summer

Monday, July 3rd, 2017

woman-blowing-noseKeeping cool and comfortable is certainly important during the summer months. However, it’s far from the only thing you need to worry about when it comes to your indoor climate. Indoor air quality has a substantial impact on both health and comfort levels. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most ignored factors by homeowners. If you want to stay and comfortable as healthy as possible during the summer season, make sure that you improve your indoor air quality by following these tips.

Continue Reading