Whether you own a vacation home here in Florida, or you’re leaving on vacation for a few weeks elsewhere, a vacant home means a home that is exposed to weather conditions, humidity, and in turn, the development of mold. Of course, if mold growth does occur, you can turn to our team for effective Royal Palm Beach, FL mold remediation. However, in the meantime, we’re happy to share some mold prevention tips with you!
Start With Outdoor Housekeeping
- Check your gutters and downspouts that carry water away from your home. Ensure that they aren’t clogged and that they have extensions to effectively carry the water away from your property so it is not sitting stagnant anywhere.
- Then, fix anything that could invite moisture in. This includes cracked roof shingles, deteriorating sundeck flashing, the loose frame of a door, and anywhere that a window frame or baseboard is coming away from the wall.
Next: Indoor Housekeeping
- You may be tempted to leave your AC off—or if you have a remote thermostat, let your air conditioner come back on a few days before you come home. This can be a huge mistake, especially considering how high our temperatures rise and how high the relative humidity is. Set your thermostat between 78-80 degrees while you’re gone—any higher and you’ll most likely have excessive moisture from the humidity. Having it too low while leaving the home unoccupied can create problems too, so be sure to stick to the 78-80 degree range.
- Before you leave your home unoccupied for an extended period of time, do a walkthrough and ensure that there are no leaks coming from any of your appliances. Areas to check are around your toilets, washing machine, water heater, shower stalls or bathtubs, dishwasher, and refrigerator. Be sure to have any leaks repaired before taking off.
- Have your air conditioner professionally maintained! Although an air conditioner has limited dehumidification properties, it does help some, by removing substantial moisture from the air as it runs. If your air conditioner has any problems, however—say, a clogged condensate line—then not only is it going to be ineffective in preventing mold development but it may actually encourage mold growth.
- Eliminate clutter. Do you have any furniture or heavy drapes blocking your AC vents? While you may want to close your drapes to keep the majority of the heat out while you’re away, if they block your AC vents at all, air will not be able to move freely throughout your home. Furnishing and drapes that block air supply vents create condensation, and the excess moisture creates what are called microclimates in your home, welcoming and feeding mold growth. Push your furniture away from vents and make sure your drapes are positioned in a way that air will continue to circulate while you’re gone.
At Envirotech Air Quality Services, we our one of the very few HVAC companies in south Florida who are also licensed mold assessors, mold remediators, and duct cleaners. Contact us today for more great tips or to schedule mold removal services today.
