Old Main Street, the Lost Pines and life after 2011
Bastrop is one of the oldest towns in Texas, and downtown still sits right on the Colorado River, with historic storefronts along Main Street and older homes on the shady blocks nearby. East of town, the Lost Pines wrap around Bastrop State Park: a stand of loblolly pines cut off from the East Texas pine forests, the only one this close to Austin.
Plenty of homes out in the pines were built or rebuilt after the Labor Day 2011 wildfire. Others downtown have stood for a century or more, and new neighborhoods keep going up along Highway 71 and Highway 95. A bungalow off Main Street and a house rebuilt after the fire don't breathe the same way, but the same Bastrop seasons press on both.
What does each season leave inside a Bastrop home?
Spring: pine and oak pollen. When the loblollies and oaks let go, a yellow dust coats cars, porches and patio furniture all over town. Some of it rides inside on shoes, clothes and pets, and some comes through the HVAC return. It settles into carpet and the ductwork and hangs around long after the trees are done.
Summer: months of AC. From May into October the air conditioner runs almost nonstop, pulling the same indoor air through the same ducts over and over. Gulf humidity, plus a river running through the middle of town, gives fabrics and closets plenty of moisture to soak up.
Fall: dry spells and smoke. Burn bans are common in a dry Bastrop County fall, and people here know the smell of smoke better than most. Whether it drifts in from a distant wildfire or a neighbor's burn pile, it creeps into the house and lingers in fabrics.
Winter: closed windows and cedar. The house stays shut, the heat runs, and cedar pollen blows in from the Hill Country to the west. More time indoors means more cooking smells, pet dander and stuffiness.
Season by season, the house builds up a bio-load: the tiny particles that collect in the air, on surfaces and inside the HVAC. Our cedar season guide and Central Texas humidity guide have simple tips for the two hardest stretches of the year.
What does the dry fog do in a pine-country house?
It gives every room, closet and duct run a fresh start in one day. Pure Maintenance Austin uses the patented Pure Maintenance VaPURE system in two steps. First, a very fine dry fog of a hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid solution drifts through the house and the ductwork. It helps control the growth of odor-causing microorganisms on hard, non-porous surfaces, then breaks down into water, oxygen and vinegar. Second, a surface protectant goes on the same way.
The fog floats rather than falls, so it curls around corners and behind furniture without wetting the old wood floors downtown or the new cabinets of a rebuild. The dry fog treatment page walks through each step.
How does the free phone consultation work?
It starts with a call, so nobody has to drive out first. A team member goes over the home with you room by room: which season bothers you most, where smells seem to settle and how the HVAC system has been running.
We'll also ask about the filter, the returns and the space around the air handler. A Comfort Advisor then lays out your options in a written quote based on square footage. On treatment day, the crew comes to you.
Questions from Bastrop homeowners
When is the best time of year for a treatment?
Any time works. Many people like to book once the pine pollen is done in late spring, or just before winter, when the house will be closed up for a while. We'll help you pick a date that fits your home.
Can the treatment help with smoke smell after a nearby fire?
It can help neutralize smoke odors on hard, non-porous surfaces. Heavy smoke may also call for cleaning, new filters and sometimes repainting, and our Odor Treatment adds an ozone step, with the home kept empty up to 48 hours. We'll tell you honestly what to expect on your phone consultation.
Do you treat older historic homes downtown?
Yes. The dry fog doesn't soak wood floors, trim or plaster. Older homes near Main Street often have extra closets, tall ceilings and add-on ductwork, and the fog is made to reach those spots.
Book your free Bastrop consultation
Ready for a fresh start at home? Call 512-904-4646 or email IAQ@goldeagleservices.com. We're available Monday through Saturday, 7am to 7pm.