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Hi,
Thinking about moving to the Central Valley…Would like some honest feedback if you have any problems with mold in your paper work and books or on the clothes in closets and dressers? I imagine with all the moisture in the air that could be a problem… What do you do to keep it from happening?
Thanks!
buy a dehumidifier and use it – religiously. mold and mildew form at RH 70% and above. it is almost always 80% and above in Costa Rica, except on rare days in the dry season. i just came back from being gone for 3 months. the person who was staying in my house insisted that 80% humidity didn’t feel that bad, although i told her to keep the dehumidifier on 24/7. when i started pulling clothes out of my closet they were covered in mold, which will eat through all natural fibers, paper, and wood. it is the most destructive thing in costa rica for day to day living. for the last ten days i’ve had the dehumid on and now my house is 69% or less. if you think you can ignore the humidity here, think again. it’s all about managing it and there are things that will make mold worse — dust, dirt, grease, etc. those things cause mold to grow. keep your toilet lids down; ventilate rooms after a shower, leave the washing machine lid up (otherwise the washer will mold). i have an article somewhere which i will try to find that details the effects of mold and mildew and how to mitigate them. i’ll try to find it and post it here.
For things that will be stored in closed containers, such as papers stored in a file cabinet, tools stored in a toolbox, etc, and to prevent the formation of mold in closed containers such as suitcases, we use Zorb-It packs. They absorb moisture and maintain a consistent low humidity in their container. They are much more effective than silica gel packets. You can buy them in sizes to fit the volume of the container.
We’re in the U.S. right now and away from my computer with the bookmarks, but you can do a Google search on Zorb-It and buy them by mail.
this is the best article i’ve found yet on mold and how to mitigate it. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/he633
I have small containers with holes in the top/lid filled with non-clumping cat litter, in the closets, drawers, under the bed, etc. Works like a charm! We don’t use an AC and keep windows and doors open all day.
I have had some success in applying tea tree essential oil to walls with mold. You can buy it in any of the Bio Salud stores.
it’s best to prevent the mold in the first place not try to clean it up after it’s everywhere. mold causes a myriad of health problems, too. keeping you abode below 70% RH will prevent the mold from forming.
I think I will go with the dehumidifier and use it religiously – we will have hydropower from the river so hopefully the electricity use won’t be too much of a problem.
Has anyone heard of a whole house dehumidifier system, as opposed to having individual units being eye-sores in each room?Also, I’m thinking if I close the doors when the fog rolls through the house or when it rains heavily I could keep some moisture out.
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