Vacation home AC settings Southern Florida

[als361]

What is the best way to leave the AC settings in a Condo in Southern Florida for the summer months when no one is living there?
I was told 65% Humidistat and 65 degrees Thermostat.

[Special Ed]

You wanna make sure the humidity doesn't get above 60%. And if you keep the temp. stting on your tstat at 65 don't be surprised if the electric bill is excessively high. I usually recommend keeping your tstat set at around 80 if you're not gonna be there.

[joe8758]

I can't recall the exact setting on ours, but I think you are close. For some reason it seems I set ours at 60% and 75 degrees. Hope this helps.

[t527ed]

don't have a place down there but seems to me controlling by humidity only would be the way to go. who cares what the temp is?

[James 3528]

Set the thermostat at 45F


Best for what? For the furniture not to complain?

[a\c don]

Originally posted by als361
What is the best way to leave the AC settings in a Condo in Southern Florida for the summer months when no one is living there?
I was told 65% Humidistat and 65 degrees Thermostat.

IF the dehumidistat is wired to the thermostat breaking the red wire as most are those settings should prevent any possibility of mold or mildew formation.

I'm located in east central Florida and settings of 60-65% seem to provide adequate protection at minimal cost.

[teddy bear]

Originally posted by als361
What is the best way to leave the AC settings in a Condo in Southern Florida for the summer months when no one is living there?
I was told 65% Humidistat and 65 degrees Thermostat.

Get a good dehumidifier set at 50%RH and set the a/c at 85^F or off. This will save you $300-400 for the season. I got involved in a test on a 3 year old home. Mold problems first year with the tstat set at 80^F. Second year installed a dehumidistat on a/c with the stat set at 80^F. Had less mold but mold in closets/isolated areas. Third year install whole house dehumidifier, set tstat at 85^F, dehumidifier at 50%RH. Recorded %RH all summer. Reduced electric cost $380 for summer and maintained 50%RH- no mold. TB.

[mkchf15]

We have purchased a mobile home in Port Richey, FL for a vacation home. What is a GOOD dehumidifier for use in the HOT Summer season when we're NOT there. Keeping the A/C on while we're not there, even set @ 80 is too expensive!

[madhat]

The only one I'd trust would be a Sante Fe, look them up on the web.

Just a little warning, if you do not have someone checking on your place, your home owners insurance is no good. Know this to be a fact as my dad was an insurance adjuster in Florida before he died. Find out from you carrier, whats required and have a year round Senior citizen check and sign a log, that's in the home, perferably laminated and securily mounted.

Check with your Condo Association as to what's required, to keep you out of a legal bind. 65% 65 F sounds right for your set up as you do not have 'True" dehumidification. The Dehumid stat will allow the unit to come on at anything above 65%, thermostat will shut cooling off below 65 F. Not a very efficient set-up BTW.

[mkchf15]

The only one I'd trust would be a Sante Fe, look them up on the web.

Just a little warning, if you do not have someone checking on your place, your home owners insurance is no good. Know this to be a fact as my dad was an insurance adjuster in Florida before he died. Find out from you carrier, whats required and have a year round Senior citizen check and sign a log, that's in the home, perferably laminated and securily mounted.

Check with your Condo Association as to what's required, to keep you out of a legal bind. 65% 65 F sounds right for your set up as you do not have 'True" dehumidification. The Dehumid stat will allow the unit to come on at anything above 65%, thermostat will shut cooling off below 65 F. Not a very efficient set-up BTW.

Thanks, I will look up Sante Fe, but ours is not a condo. It's a mobile home in a 55 and over mobile home park. We have a thermostat, but no Dehumid Stat. I'm looking for a unit that I can use mostly when we're not there. I guess it will have to drain to the outside. I do have someone who can come by & check on the place from time to time.

[dardin37]

I live and work in the tampa bay area. For all my seasonal customers I recommend between 55-60% humidity and 82 degree temp setting in cool.

[teddy bear]

Thanks, I will look up Sante Fe, but ours is not a condo. It's a mobile home in a 55 and over mobile home park. We have a thermostat, but no Dehumid Stat. I'm looking for a unit that I can use mostly when we're not there. I guess it will have to drain to the outside. I do have someone who can come by & check on the place from time to time.

Check the Santa Fe compact. You can set it on the counter top with drain into the sink. Set the dehumidistat to 50-55%RH with the a/c off. Powerful, reliable, and very energy efficient. thermastor.com Regards TB

[mkchf15]

Check the Santa Fe compact. You can set it on the counter top with drain into the sink. Set the dehumidistat to 50-55%RH with the a/c off. Powerful, reliable, and very energy efficient. thermastor.com Regards TB

THANK YOU very much! I've been researching that unit but I couldn't tell how big it was. Your response puts it in perspective. Tnx, MRK