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

What Are the Best Ways to Have Better Indoor Air Quality for My Home?

Monday, July 26th, 2021

family-in-homeIndoor air quality (IAQ) has never been more on the forefront of people’s minds than now. But poor IAQ has troubled homes for the last few decades: as construction creates more airtight houses to boost energy efficiency, indoor contaminants have fewer ways to escape, and less fresh air sweeps through to help keep the air clean. Chances are high that if you’re concerned about the IAQ of your house, you have good reason.

Thankfully, you can find great help to improve your home’s indoor air quality. Our technicians have more than two decades of experience working to help North Central Florida homes enjoy the best IAQ. We’ve listed below a number of ways to improve your home’s air quality. 

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Battling VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in Your House

Monday, April 5th, 2021

clouds-in-skyWhen you think of harmful or irritating particles in your home’s air, what comes to mind first? Probably dust, dander, bacteria, viruses, and mold spores. These are all problems for indoor air quality and we recommend using air filters or a special air purifier in Alachua, FL to combat them.

But one common pollutant may not be on your list: volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It’s a big term, and one worth knowing because VOCs are major problems for indoor air quality. We’ll explain more below.

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Is an Air Purifier Necessary If I Already Have Air Filters?

Monday, January 11th, 2021

air-filterBefore we go further in answering this question, we want to make sure we know what you mean by “air filters.” If you’re referring to the air filter on your HVAC cabinet, the one you’re supposed to change every one to three months, then you don’t have an actual air cleaning system of any kind in place. This filter isn’t in place for better indoor air quality but to protect the interior of the HVAC system from dust and debris. The type of air filters you need for improved indoor air quality are specialized air filtration systems, and that’s something you can call us for. These filters are the best place to start when you’re looking to improve indoor air quality for your house.

If you already have a set of these types of filters, then it does make sense for you to wonder if they’re enough. Maybe you need an air purifier in Alachua, FL for the best IAQ.

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How Phenomenal Aire Can Help Your Home’s Air Quality

Monday, August 24th, 2020

man-relaxing-in-chairThe air quality in your home is probably worse than you would like it to be. We know this because most homes in the US suffer from poor indoor air quality. How bad is it? The air indoors is two to five times worse than the air outside on average. Your home’s air may be filled with bacteria, mold spores, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), allergens such as pollen and dander, odor molecules, and much more that you don’t want.

There are several ways our indoor air quality professionals can help you enjoy fresher and cleaner air in your house. One of our favorite methods is to install Phenomenal Aire in Lake City, FL homes. This is an affordable, safe, effective, and long-lasting air purification system that removes the most harmful pollutants from a house.

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Tips for Controlling High Humidity Indoors

Monday, June 29th, 2020

heat-wave-fanFlorida is notorious for its high humidity, and we can expect to see relative humidity levels over 60% on most days, which is the point where the moisture in the air will have a negative impact on comfort. When you combine relative humidity above 60% with days above 90°F, it can make it difficult to scrape through the day, even with the best and most reliable air conditioning system.

You can improve your indoor air quality in Macclenny, FL with a number of steps and by arranging for service from our IAQ team. Below we have some tips for lowering indoor humidity.

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Indoor Air Quality in Homes Is Worse Than Ever—Here’s Why

Monday, May 18th, 2020

woman-with-allergiesYou’re staying indoors much more these days. Probably much more than you ever expected or ever wanted. So it’s a good time to talk about indoor air quality—starting with the bad news.

Indoor air quality is worse today than ever before. In fact, studies in residential and commercial buildings have discovered that the air quality indoors is often three to four times worse than the air quality outdoors. That sounds like it goes against the basics of the idea of “air pollution,” but it’s a fact. Your own indoor air may be making your comfort and health worse, and that walk outside could do you some good.

But you still have to be indoors much of the time, so learning more about indoor air quality in Gainesville, FL and how to improve it is extremely worthwhile.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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