Indoor Air Quality in Boone County, IN
Stuffy bedroom? Musty basement? Dust film on everything 48 hours after cleaning? Indoor air quality problems are solvable — but only if you measure first instead of guessing. We bring a hygrometer, particle counter, and combustion analyzer to every IAQ assessment. Then we recommend what the numbers say, not what's on a poster in our shop.
Symptoms IAQ Solves
- Persistent allergy symptoms indoors — pollen, pet dander, dust mites cycling through the HVAC system
- Mugginess all summer — humidity above 60% RH even with AC running
- Dry air all winter — static shocks, cracked wood furniture, sinus issues, plants struggling
- Mold or mildew smell — typically from basement or crawl space migrating into living areas
- Dust returns within 2 days of cleaning — sign of leaky ducts or inadequate filtration
- Asthma flare-ups coinciding with HVAC runtime
- CO detector alarms — combustion safety issue, urgent
- Cooking smells lingering — bathroom and kitchen ventilation issues
Solutions We Install
Whole-House Media Filtration
4-5 inch deep pleated media filters (Aprilaire, Honeywell) installed into your return-air duct. MERV 11-13 captures particles down to 1 micron — pollen, dust mites, pet dander, smoke. Replace every 12 months instead of every 90 days (5x the surface area = 4x the filter life). Doesn't restrict airflow the way thick 1" filters do.
Installed: $895-$1,495 depending on cabinet size and ductwork access.
Whole-House Dehumidifier
Aprilaire 1830 or 1850 series. Mounts inline with your return duct, runs independently of your AC, pulls 70-95 pints/day. Solves the "AC is running but house feels muggy" problem for good. Critical for older Lebanon downtown homes with stone basements, Zionsville creek-side lots, and any home with crawl space moisture.
Installed: $1,895-$2,695 depending on capacity.
Whole-House Humidifier
Aprilaire 600 or 700 bypass/fan-powered humidifiers add moisture to dry winter air. Target 35-45% RH indoors. Prevents the cracked-wood, static-shock, sinus-pain winter pattern. Auto-controlled by outdoor temperature.
Installed: $545-$895.
UV Light (Coil & Air)
UV-C lamps installed in the air handler kill mold and bacteria on the evaporator coil (where condensation creates a breeding ground) and sterilize air as it passes through. Particularly useful for households with allergies, asthma, or immunocompromised members.
Installed: $495-$795 depending on lamp count and UV type.
Duct Sealing & Cleaning
Leaky ducts pull dust from attics and crawl spaces directly into your supply air. Aerosealing (or manual mastic sealing for accessible runs) closes leaks. Full duct cleaning is recommended when there's visible dust accumulation, after major renovations, or following pest issues. We don't push duct cleaning on every customer — it's overrecommended in the industry. We'll inspect with a borescope first and tell you whether it's actually needed.
Investigated: $129 inspection. Cleaning if needed: $495-$1,495 depending on system size.
ERV / HRV (Energy Recovery Ventilator)
For tightly sealed newer homes (post-2015 construction in Walker Farms, Holliday Farms, etc.), the house can become too airtight. ERVs bring in fresh outdoor air while exchanging heat/humidity with outgoing stale air. Solves the "house feels stuffy" pattern in modern tight construction.
Installed: $1,895-$2,995.
How an IAQ Assessment Works
- Schedule a $129 IAQ assessment. Applied to any IAQ solution you install.
- We measure. Hygrometer (humidity), particle counter (PM2.5 and PM10), CO and combustion gases (combustion analyzer), and visual inspection of ducts, coil, and air handler.
- We diagnose. Numbers tell the story — whether it's a filtration issue, a humidity issue, a leakage issue, or a combustion issue.
- We recommend. Specific solution for the specific problem. Written quote. No "package deal" upsells you don't need.
- We install. Most IAQ solutions are 4-8 hour installs. One day, done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need an air purifier or whole-house filter?
Depends on the measurements. If your particle count is normal and you have no allergy symptoms, no — it's a "nice to have" not a "must have." If you have measurable poor air quality, allergies, or asthma in the household, the upgrade is meaningful. We measure first.
What's the ideal indoor humidity in Indiana?
35-45% in winter (any higher and windows condense), 45-55% in summer (any higher and the house feels muggy and breeds mold). Most untreated Boone County homes swing from 25% in January to 70% in August — both extremes cause problems.
Will an air purifier help with Covid or flu?
MERV-13 filtration captures particles in the size range of respiratory droplets. UV light kills airborne pathogens. Neither is a substitute for hand washing, ventilation, or vaccination — but they're meaningful adjuncts, especially in households with immunocompromised members.
How often should I have my ducts cleaned?
Not on a schedule. The industry recommendation of "every 3-5 years" is largely marketing. Real triggers: visible dust in ducts (borescope inspection), after major renovation, after pest infestation, or moving into a home where the previous owners were heavy smokers. We'll inspect and tell you honestly.
Are UV lights worth it?
For allergy and asthma households — yes, particularly coil UV (keeps the evaporator coil mold-free). For general use — diminishing returns. We sell them because they work; we don't push them on everyone.
What about portable air purifiers?
Good supplemental solution for a specific room (bedroom, home office). Cheaper upfront than whole-house. The downside: only treats the air in that one room and needs filter changes every 4-6 months. For whole-home solutions, integrated HVAC filtration is more cost-effective long-term.
Get an Honest IAQ Diagnosis
$129 assessment. Real measurements. Specific recommendations. No package-deal upsells.