Homeowners who leave for an extended time whether they are seasonal residents or just leaving for a long vacation should have their home checked by a professional home watch service.

Home watch personnel should be trained to identify moisture intrusion, check humidity levels for each HVAC zone in the home as well as broken doors windows etc.

Home invasion in this area happens less than water/moisture intrusion in our experience.  Leaks from plumbing, roofs, windows are all too common in homes vacant or not.   Water intrusion not identified as soon as possible can become a costly repair problem.   Mold needs food and water to grow, the food is there; you do not want mold growth in your home.

We recommend homeowners turn off their main water supply when leaving for an extended time; always turn off your water heater first.  Your drain traps should be filled periodically to prevent sewer gas from entering the home.

Home watch person can turn water on and fill drain traps, flush toilets and run (short cycle) dishwasher to help prevent dishwasher seals from drying out.

Leaks from an adjacent condo- next door or above often create water damage and mold problems in unchecked condominiums.  You can not prevent this but the sooner the problem is identified the less damage is likely to occur.

Moisture can accumulate in a home when one of the “breakers” for the HVAC system is kicked during one our many Florida summer storms.  Your AC system removes moisture from the interior of the home.

When the AC system is low of Freon or not functioning as intended the humidity level inside the home can rise and create a “humidity bloom” mold growth.  University of Florida tells us that mold can growth when the relative humidity is above 60%.  Best rule of thumb is to keep it below 55%.

Mold spores enter our homes when we open doors and windows but they are seldom a problem until they find food and WATER (moisture).  Humidity levels should be checked during every home watch visit.

 We recommend at least an annual check of your system by a licensed HVAC contractor.

Mold – Mildew

Mildew is often best described as the footprint of mold.

University of Florida

Florida Cooperative Extension Service

Fact Sheet HE3198

http://www.healthgoods.com/education/Healthy_Home_Information/Indoor_Air_Quality/mildew_molds.htm

• Mildew is the most complained about indoor air problem in Florida.
• The parameters of growth for mildew are moisture, nutrients, warmth and oxygen. Light is not necessary.
• Mildew Alert Area is the temperature humidity levels where people are comfortable and mildew thrives. To avoid, the temperature should be kept below 60°F (but too cool and energy costly) or the relative humidity should be kept below 60 percent.

HEALTH EFFECTS

• Mildew/mold spores act as an allergen and trigger sneezing, wheezing, stuffy nose.
• Continued exposure to fungi can lead to sensitizing individuals.
• Health effect of mildew spores can also be increased because of potentially toxic clean-up chemicals and activities.

Condominiums Homeowners should not have to worry about the condition of their Florida home while gone for the summer or on vacation.  Hiring a professional trained to observe small problems before they become very costly repairs.  Your home watch person should be trained to identify mold problems; training such as for home inspections is also helpful.  Most any conscientious person can identify a broken window or door but few have the experience or equipment to spot potential mold or water intrusion problems early.

The educated consumer will hire the best qualified person to check their Bonita Springs, Estero or North Naples Condominium while they are gone for an extend time.