Hidden Horrors! The Dreaded "M" Word

"I had toxic mold growing inside of my walls for years". These pictures and video provide a horrifying yet realistic example of what can happen when the dreaded mold has set in. If you're not from Florida, you're likely to be unaware (as we were) of how quickly microbial growths bloom in the sunshine state - approximately 3 days or 72 hours! Imagine having a seasonal home and leaving it unoccupied for an extended period of time, not knowing there's a serious problem of mold developing within the walls of your kitchen or bathroom or laundry room or... you get the picture. In our continuing education courses we have received instruction by water damage remediation professionals who have shared their expertise in warning signs to look for when hidden dangers are present.

We go above and beyond our competition (ie, hobby home watchers or neighbors doing favors) who are likely unprepared and untrained in these critical areas of humidity, water damage, mold, and remediation. As professional home watch reporters, we are trained and certified and have invested in and use appropriate technology (eg, hygrometer, moisture meter, thermal imaging camera) to enable us to perform a thorough check of invisible-to-the-naked-eye issues.

DampRid - NOT in an unoccupied or vacant home!

DampRid is not a bad product; it can be useful in a home that is actually being occupied, but not in an unoccupied home. In speaking with professionals, such has mold remediators, mold inspectors, and HVAC companies, the overall consensus is NO DAMPRID in an unoccupied Florida home! It can give a false sense of protection against mold damage and end up costing you thousands in remediation expenses.

Such words as "prevent" on the label is misleading. DampRid is designed to remove moisture from the air and can help reduce excessive humidity. It is made up of an inorganic mineral salt called calcium chloride that absorbs moisture in the air. Humidity (moisture) has to be present for mold to grow in your home. This is why you may hear people say, "It's not the heat... it's the humidity." The temperature in your home can be 87F and under 50% humidity and it would be just fine. It may feel "hot", but you wouldn't have conditions conducive to humidity blooms (beginnings of mold).

Here's the issue with DampRid in an unoccupied home:

1) The containers are all open at the top. If they were sealed, then the moisture from the air wouldn't be able to enter it. So now you have a container of liquid (moisture) just sitting in your unoccupied home. The same moisture you just removed from the air is now sitting in a container. All you are doing is "relocating" the moisture; it's still there.

2) Hanging DampRid bags: These bags have a very small hole in the corner seam. Once the bags fill up with moisture, it mixes with the DampRid granules and push through the small hole and leak onto the floor. This is an oily mixture and a slippery mess. Imagine if this is inside of a car and this oily substance is now on your carpet.

Fun Fact

During our hot and humid Florida summer, your air conditioning system can remove anywhere from "9 to 22 GALLONS" of moisture from your home in ONE DAY. So, how is a small container of DampRid going to make a difference? Instead, here are some tips if you are concerned about humidity in your unoccupied home:

1. Have your air conditioning system serviced before you leave to be sure it is working properly.

2. If you have a Humidistat, be sure it is set to 50-55%, no higher. Whatever setting you have it set to is how high the humidity has to reach before your A/C system will kick in. Humidity blooms can begin forming if humidity is above 55% for more than 72 hours.

3. If you have an older A/C system and no Humidistat, consider adding a portable de-humidifier in your home with a hose setup to drain the water directly into the kitchen sink or shower floor drain. Set it to 50% to 55% relative humidity.

4. Keep a few of your ceiling fans running on low to help circulate the air.

5. BE SURE to hire a Certified Home Watch Reporter to properly and consistently check your home for any humidity issues. (weekly visits are best)

How do I know who to hire?