Mold Problems
When you live in Florida, knowing how to deal with mold problems is imperative. In humid climates, knowing how to prevent mold is just as important. And you may already have some of the tools you need.
Operating your air conditioner
The way you run your A/C will in part dictate how humid your home is, and whether or not mold problems will occur. Keeping relative humidity low prevents mold issues, and keeps your home more comfortable, too. The ideal setting for most systems for mold prevention involves using the “auto” setting on your thermostat, not the “on” setting. The “on” mode means the air handler will run continuously. When that happens, the condensation that forms on the A/C coil during the cooling process will be blown into the home, before it has a chance to drain. As a result, this moisture can cause your home to become very humid. Setting the thermostat to “auto,” however, causing the air handler to run as needed. When it shuts off, condensation drains appropriately. Some systems shut the fan down for a period after a cooling cycle to allow condensation still in the coil to drain…then the fan starts again automatically.
Selecting your air conditioner
One of the best tools to use to prevent mold problems is the variable-speed air handler. If you don’t already have one, put it at the top of your wish list when you upgrade your A/C. This type of air handler is ideal for humidity removal, running nearly continuously at a low speed, so that moisture is removed at a manageable level.
Sizing your air conditioner
This is the most important of all mold prevention plans. If mold problems are seemingly insurmountable in your home, one culprit may be your air-conditioning system. Or rather, its size. Over sized air conditioners run very short cycles, stopping and starting frequently. And these short cycles don’t allow the system to properly dehumidify the air.
Contact CoolQuest Air Conditioning and Heat for more information about preventing mold problems in your home. We’ve been serving Florida counties: Pasco, Hernando, Pinellas, and Hillsborough since 2001.
Hernando (352) 277-3027 - Pasco (727) 260-5313
Pinellas (727) 437-0707 - Hillsborough – (813) 775-4132
