Is it February 2011 already? I can’t believe how time flies.

We get so many questions about Mildew in the hot Florida climate, I thought we'd help out with some tips. Mildew thrives in cool, dark, and humid conditions. It is not only unsightly, but can also be a health hazard to some people. When leaving your Florida home for the summer, the following tips MAY help prevent mildew and insure an easier clean up when you return.

1. Close windows before you leave – (especially the bathroom and kitchen windows) and seal sliding glass doors.
2. Close all South and West facing blinds and curtains.
3. Put saran wrap over toilets (this prevents water from evaporating).
4. Turn your refrigerator and freezer off. To prevent doors from closing, put towels over the doors.
5. Clean or replace your air conditioner filter
6. If you have a garbage disposal, coat it with vegetable oil to prevent rusting and pour a small amount of oil in
sink traps.
7. Open cabinet drawers and closets (especially bathrooms and bedrooms). Keep in mind that you want air to circulate – not to remain stagnant.
8. Put your lanai furniture inside the air conditioned home, (set on a sheet in the living room). This will eliminate
cleaning when you return.
9. Turn all your circuit breakers in your home off except your air conditioning unit breaker.
10. Set the de-humidistat and thermostat properly. The de-humidistat turns the air conditioner on by humidity increase rather than temperature increase. Suggested setting is 60% humidity and 80 degrees temperature – wired in series. This means the temperature must get over 80 degrees and the humidity over 60% before the air conditioner turns on. Your thermostat control should be set to automatic and cool. Never leave unit in the ON position!
11. Always have someone check your house at least once a week, and note if there are any changes in your electric bill.