Porches, rails and the Colorado
Smithville grew up around the railroad, on the banks of the Colorado River in Bastrop County. Its downtown and nearby streets are lined with older homes: wide porches, tall ceilings, wood floors and the kind of details new construction skips. Those good looks have drawn film crews over the years, most famously for Hope Floats.
Living in one of these homes is a joy. Keeping the air fresh inside one takes a little more thought, because an old house breathes differently from a new one.
How does an older Smithville home breathe?
Houses built before central air stayed cool with tall ceilings, big windows and cross breezes. Most have had air conditioning and ductwork added since, sometimes more than once. That can leave:
- Ducts in tight or odd places. Ductwork added years later may snake through attics, soffits or under floors, and some runs may never have been cleaned out.
- Rooms that don't get much air. Back bedrooms, sunrooms and add-ons can sit at the end of a long duct run and feel stuffy.
- Deep closets and built-ins. Old cedar closets, linen cabinets and pantries get very little airflow, so smells settle in.
- Moisture from the river and the climate. Smithville sits low along the Colorado, and Central Texas humidity runs high for much of the year. Old wood and fabric soak up moisture and hold on to odors.
Put together, these add to your home's bio-load: the microscopic particles that build up in the air, on surfaces and inside the HVAC over time. For a deeper look, read What Is Your Home's Bio-Load?
What helps day to day?
A few habits go a long way in an older Smithville home:
- Keep indoor humidity near 50%, using the tips in our Central Texas humidity guide.
- Open closet and pantry doors now and then so air can move through them.
- Change your HVAC filter on schedule, and more often during pollen season.
- Check the spots most people miss, from the washing machine to the top of the fridge. Our list of 10 places your home's air gets stale walks through them.
If the AC or ductwork itself needs attention, have an HVAC company look at that first.
When habits aren't enough
That's when the whole-home dry fog treatment from Pure Maintenance Austin gives the house a fresh start. We use the patented Pure Maintenance VaPURE system in two steps. A very fine dry fog of a hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid solution drifts into every room, closet and the ductwork. It helps control the growth of odor-causing microorganisms on hard, non-porous surfaces. Afterward it breaks down into water, oxygen and vinegar. Then a surface protectant is applied the same way.
The fog is dry, so it won't soak old wood floors, trim or furniture, and it reaches tall ceilings and built-ins that are hard to clean by hand. The treatment takes one day, tall ceilings and all. Our dry fog treatment page walks through the process.
How does the phone consultation work?
The consultation comes first, by phone, on a day and time that fits your week. Smithville is part of our regular service area.
On the call, a team member asks about the whole house, including the back rooms, closets and the area around the HVAC system. We'll ask how the house has changed over the years and where it feels or smells different. A Comfort Advisor then explains your options and follows up with a written quote based on square footage.
Questions about old Smithville houses
We just bought an old house here. Should we treat it before moving in?
It's a great time to do it. An empty house is easy to treat, and you start fresh before your own things go in. Finish any painting, floor work or repairs first.
Can the fog reach an old cedar closet or built-in cabinets?
Yes. Leave the doors open on treatment day, and the fog will drift into shelves, corners and cabinets that are hard to reach by hand.
Our house had a leak years ago. Does that matter?
It's worth knowing about. We don't perform or collect lab testing. If you'd like your air tested, or you've had a leak or visible growth, start with an independent state-licensed professional. Once any repairs are done, a treatment can be a good fresh start.
Book your free Smithville consultation
Call 512-904-4646 or email IAQ@goldeagleservices.com to set up your free phone consultation. We're available Monday through Saturday, 7am to 7pm.