As the seasons change, and the snowbirds prepare for flight, how do you protect your seasonal home from mold?

1/29/2018 (Permalink)

Suspected mold on a vent cover in a previously thought to be unaffected room on a mold remediation job discovered during duct cleaning.

Here at SERVPRO of Alachua County West, we receive many calls annually from homeowners that leave their house for an extended period of time and come back to find mold covering areas and contents of their home.  With Florida’s sub-tropic climate it stays warm and humid most of the year.  This can cause a mold problem within homes that are closed up, and if you are leaving your home, it’s important to prepare in advance to thwart any mold growth.

Prepare your home interior by making sure everything is clean and dry!

• Clean each appliance thoroughly. Clean enamel exteriors with sudsy water, rinse, and dry. Apply a coating of appliance or car wax to enamel exteriors to protect scratches from rust. Use an approved cleaner on stainless steel surfaces. Leave appliances unplugged while you are gone, to protect from electrical-current surges during storms.
• Unopened cans and jars of food can be left on shelves. Flour, sugars, and salt should be stored in tightly sealed containers. Dispose of cereals, crackers, and pastas to avoid household pests. Do not store food in a garage or shed.
• Clean cabinet interiors and exteriors.
• Fresh and perishable foods should be eaten or discarded. Give away or discard opened bottles and jars of salad dressings, condiments, and other perishable items. Replacing these items will cost less than paying to keep your refrigerator operating during the 2–3 months you are gone.
• Clean the refrigerator interior. Use a solution of one tablespoon of baking soda in one quart of water, in order to neutralize food soils and prevent odors. Dry thoroughly. Remove and clean the defrost pan at the bottom of your refrigerator. The refrigerator and freezer doors should be left ajar. Make sure the doors cannot accidentally close.
• If you choose to leave the refrigerator plugged in, dispose of all perishable foods. Leave a plastic bag with ice cubes in the freezer. On your return, if the bag contains a solid block of ice, you will know that your power was off long enough for the ice to melt and refreeze. To avoid potential foodborne illness, discard contents of refrigerator and freezer.
• For the dishwasher, remove any food particles from the filter (if present). Run the dishwasher through a short cycle. After a few minutes into the cycle, turn off the dishwasher and open its door. Clean around the door gasket and under the bottom of the door to remove any residual soil that might attract mold in these areas. Then, let the dishwasher complete the cycle. Leave the door closed, but unlatch it to release the pressure on the door seal.
• Clean the garbage disposal by grinding a batch of ice cubes through the disposal. Then rinse a solution of baking soda and water through the disposal. Leave the drain stopper in place to prevent water in the P-trap beneath the disposal from evaporating during your absence from home.
• Clean oven, broiler, and the drip trays under the burners.
• To remove spatters in the microwave, heat a cup of water for two minutes on the high setting. (Do this while the microwave is cool.) Afterwards, the condensation on the walls will loosen the spatters. Wash the inside of the microwave with sudsy water, and then rinse and dry. If possible, leave the microwave unplugged.
• Clean portable appliances thoroughly. Be sure to open the trap door under the toaster to clean it and remove the crumbs.
• Turn off the water supply to the clothes washer to eliminate pressure damage to the hoses. If needed, clean the washer’s lint filter.
• Clean the dryer’s lint filter, and use a leaf blower to blow out the dryer’s vent exhaust tubing.
• Turn off the water heater if you plan to be gone for a month or more. For shorter absences, turn the water heater’s thermostat to its lowest setting.
• Make sure all laundry is clean and dry.
• Cover toilet and tank top with a plastic wrap.
• Put stoppers in drains.

Outdoor Moisture can be an issue if you do not have proper seals on your doors and windows, and if you have a fireplace, close the damper.  Excess Moisture can also be caused by evaporation from drains and toilets.  If you have plants put them outside to be watered by a neighbor, because this can also cause excess moisture.

Not running air conditioning is also another way that people try to save money while they are gone.  This is a mistake most commonly made by people who leave their homes for extended periods of time.  Operate your air conditioner for two hours a day when your house is closed and sealed to reduce potential development of mildew. If you have a programmable thermostat, set it to operate the air conditioning for a two-hour period in the cool, early morning hours. If you do not have a timer, set the thermostat between 80ºF and 85ºF.  If using a humidistat, follow local recommendations and also consider having it professionally calibrated. If set too low or if improperly calibrated, the humidistat will cause the air conditioner to operate inefficiently and result in high electric bills.

There are many more ways you can ready your home for being vacant for extended periods of time, and maintenance is key.  It is also handy to have SERVPRO of Alachua County West’s number handy in case of emergency.