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Gas Furnace vs Electric Furnace: Which is Better for My Home?

November 5, 2025

Whether to get a gas or electric furnace for your home depends upon a number of factors. It also depends on what your priorities are. With that in mind, it’s helpful to know how they differ so you can make the best decision. At Totally Cool Heating & Air, we can help you determine which type of furnace will best suit your needs. Climate Gas furnaces are usually recommended for cold climates. They tend to warm up a home more quickly than electric furnaces. Austin’s relatively mild winters mean that an electric furnace should be suitable for keeping you

What Is the Best Insulation for Attics?

October 21, 2025

Insulating the attic in your Austin, TX home is a great way to lower your carbon footprint and reduce your energy bills. The right attic insulation will create a tight and efficient home envelope. In Austin’s hot, humid climate, it can also decrease indoor moisture and limit your risk of mildew and mold. But which insulation type is the best choice? Types of Insulation There are several popular types of insulation for attics: Blown-in fiberglass insulation Blown-in cellulose insulation Pre-cut rolls High-performance spray foam insulation

How Often Should Ductwork Be Replaced?

September 10, 2025

Replacing the ductwork in your Austin, TX home is a great way to boost your indoor air quality (IAQ) and improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling equipment. The average lifespan of air ducts is 10 to 15 years. This is almost on par with the 15 to 20-year lifespans of furnaces, heat pumps, and ACs. Unfortunately, swapping everything out at once isn’t always feasible. Read on to learn when you should replace your air ducts. Advanced Age Although HVAC ductwork typically lasts 10 to 15 years, quality ducting can last 25 years or longer.

Guide to Choosing the Best Duct Sealants

August 1, 2025

Duct sealants play an important role in keeping the airflow balanced inside your home. They’re normally applied to joints, seams, and connections when setting up ductwork to prevent air leaks. Applying them correctly is paramount to meeting strict building code requirements and helping the HVAC perform better. Your HVAC technician will choose from mastic, foil tape, aerosol, and many other options to create an airtight system. In addition to the installation process, the sealants are frequently used to patch leaks and cracks that develop in the ductwork over time. The following sealants are among the most

Essential HVAC Maintenance Tips for the Summer

July 3, 2025

Your home’s cooling system is crucial to keeping your family healthy and comfortable throughout summer. It can also be the cause of budget-busting electric bills. Let’s explore the essential maintenance you need to relax while minimizing your expenses. Regular Home Energy Audits Your home’s building envelope has a big effect on your comfort, energy costs, and environmental footprint. A tight building envelope leads to better cooling and lower costs. A loose one causes uneven cooling, extended system cycling, and higher costs. A home energy assessment reveals where you should make improvements. Duct Inspection

Determining If You Have Good Indoor Air Quality

June 2, 2025

The quality of the air inside your Austin, TX home greatly impacts your health and well-being. Contaminants such as dust, dust mites, pollen, mold spores, volatile organic compounds, and pet dander all have the potential to increase allergy symptoms, cause headaches, and make you feel unwell. Luckily, you can take to determine the current quality of your indoor air so you can take steps to make improvements. Indoor Air Quality Testing An indoor air quality and environmental assessment performed by our team can determine what kind of contaminants are currently in your indoor air. We will

How HVAC Systems Can Help During Allergy Season

May 2, 2025

Peak allergy season starts in December and runs through February in Austin, TX. The main allergen that you have to worry about during this time is mountain cedar pollen. Another allergy season pops up from March through May due to pollen from oak and other trees. Fortunately, there is a way to combat allergy season at home, starting with your HVAC system. Air Filtration Your HVAC system does more than just heat or cool your home. It also plays a critical role in filtering the air you breathe. A clean, properly maintained HVAC filter helps

Can You Write off HVAC Replacement On Your Texas Taxes?

April 2, 2025

When it comes time to invest in a new heating or cooling system for your home, there are many options out there to choose from. It’s important to understand the potential tax credits that come along with purchasing particular types of HVAC systems. While it isn’t a write-off in the literal sense, because it’s not an expense you can claim that reduces your taxable income, it can still significantly offset the price of your new system. With this guide, you can make a better-informed decision about what system to get for your home. We’ll discuss what

Find the Perfect HVAC System Filter for Your Home

March 6, 2025

Most manufacturers recommend changing your HVAC system’s filter every one to three months. How often you change yours will depend on your heating and cooling system usage and the air quality in your home. The most important part of this task is choosing the right HVAC filter for your system. Consider the following features when deciding which is going to best suit your needs. The MERV Rating The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating is a standard way to measure the efficiency of an HVAC filter. It helps you find the best filter for your needs

A Homeowner’s Guide to the R410A Refrigerant Phase-Out

February 14, 2025

There’s no doubt that the HVAC industry is constantly evolving every single year. As new information comes to light, the industry makes necessary adjustments for the safety of everyone. One of the more recent changes is the government’s mandatory R410A refrigerant phase-out. What Is Refrigerant? Before we dive into what this phase-out means, it’s important to first understand what refrigerant is and how it is used. Refrigerant is a substance inside of air conditioning systems and heat pumps. It’s responsible for absorbing heat energy and transferring it from one location to the next. For example, during

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