LCEC – Lee County Electric Cooperative

Protecting your unoccupied home from mold and mildew

April 6, 2021 – The time is almost here when our winter residents will leave sunny SWFL to reside elsewhere during the hot and humid summer months. It is important to remember that unoccupied homes need a small amount of air conditioning for humidity control. Without A/C, humidity can accumulate indoors and give rise to mold or mildew. Mold and mildew can grow nearly anywhere if the relative humidity is consistently 70 percent or higher. LCEC energy experts recommend following at least one of the following techniques to guard against mold and mildew if you are leaving your home for the summer:

• For the highest level of security against mildew, install a timer on the A/C system, and set it to cycle for two hours every day.
• Install a humidistat on the A/C, and set it to cycle whenever indoor humidity exceeds 65 percent. This technique uses the least power. Please note that on new high-efficiency systems, a humidistat may be incorporated with the thermostat control system.
• Set the thermostat to 83 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the least efficient method and is recommended only for short or infrequent summer trips.

Visit lcec.net for more energy savings and safety tips!