Southwest Florida is popular for its white-sand beaches and warm climate. But as a homeowner, there are issues you have to deal with. The summer months bring in intense humidity. This has a huge effect on your home if it’s left ignored. For years, a lot of people have been looking for strategies to keep humidity at bay.
One of the most effective dehumidifiers on the market is DampRid. It doesn’t require electricity to work, and it’s designed as a desiccant. Desiccants are drying agents that protect your property. DampRid was released in 1948 but it has gained popularity in recent times owing to the high number of snowbirds and seasonal residents.
DampRid is popular for a good reason. It has proven itself effective in managing humidity and it’s simple to use with its range of products. Though, if we consider the high humidity in the Southwest Florida region encompassing Bonita Springs, Estero, Marco Island, and Naples, it can be an even bigger problem.
The tropical climate in this region tops over 70% and can even peak over 90%, especially in the summertime.
As much as DampRids are proven to extract moisture from the air, can they manage the high humidity level in the tropical area? Or does the depth of the issue make them an inadequate solution?
How DampRid Resolves Humidity
A container filled with calcium chloride crystals allows DampRid to soak up the air’s excess moisture. It then diffuses the moisture in an environmentally safe saline solution. While considered a nontoxic ingredient, it’s best to store it in a place where children can’t reach it as skin and irritation around the eye can occur.
As soon as you open a DampRid product, moisture removal resulting from the chemical process instantly starts.
Measuring the Effectiveness of DampRid
Though we know that DampRids have been proven to get rid of moisture, the question remains if it’s enough to resolve the problem.
When you use a “High Capacity” DampRid, its 4 lbs bucket or 61 Fl oz can support days or weeks of humidity, depending on the intensity level of the humidity in your home. The HVAC system in your home can dispose of more than 20 gallons or 2500 fluid ounces per day during the hottest period of summer.
Knowing that, if a DampRid bucket gets rid of around 50 ounces of water on average for every 10 days, it takes 500 DampRids every 10 days to manifest the same outcome compared to your HVAC units.
Steps in Managing Humidity: Fact vs Fiction
Although we’ve become familiar with using DampRid to reduce moisture and keep mold away, it shouldn’t be the only solution at your disposal especially when you’re staying in humidity-intensive areas such as Naples, Bonita Springs, or Marco Island. Here are more effective steps to dealing with humidity that homeowners can consider:
- Changing your thermostat settings to auto
- Replacing AC filter(s)
- Cleaning the Condensate Line
- Using a dehumidifier
- Leaving doors ajar
- Reducing the temperature in your house
DampRids may not be the most effective in resolving humidity issues, but they help in finding out if there are humidity problems in your home.
DampRid as a Humidity Indicator
Are you a seasonal resident? If you’re someone who periodically leaves your home at regular periods, using DampRids together with a home watch company that supervises your home when you’re away can be effective as a humidity indicator.
Even if a home watch company facilitates humidity readings when they periodically inspect your home, the instrument can still be inaccurate. DampRids are an excellent additional method in controlling the humidity in your home.
When the DampRids placed on your property are filled with moisture, this can alert the home watch professional checking your home that a humidity problem exists. Immediate action is required such as the steps enumerated earlier.
If you’re entertaining the idea of using DampRids, it’s advisable to place them in your living room, master bedroom, and kitchen. The DampRids in these strategic areas will alert you if there’s a humidity issue inside your home.
How DampRids are Monitored and Maintained
If you’re considering making use of DampRids, make sure to inform your Home Watch professional before going away for a season. The home watch professional must be aware of where the DampRids are placed so they can keep track of its state.
In general, DampRid products typically last for 60 days or two months at best. Just remember that as with any product that encounters water, you’re bound to experience leaks and spills. DampRids are expected to show the same effect.
It’s wise never to use DampRids if you’re gone for a long period and don’t have someone watching over your house. The home watch professional can inspect each visit whether the DampRids are due for replacement or need to be disposed of.
Handling a DampRid Spill
It’s essential to manage DampRid spills right away before damage happens. Timing is crucial for proper cleanups when leaks or spills occur. It usually only takes 24 to 48 hours for mold to develop.
Note that DampRids are salt-based and it’s essential to reduce the solution to avoid stains from forming. No matter if you’re using towels to wipe off the spills, they can be washed easily.
Bottom Line: DampRids as Humidity Indicators and Not a Prevention Tool
Though DampRids can be a simple solution to dealing with high humidity, it can be limited in its effectiveness in preventing humidity. It can be maximized as a humidity indicator and must be used with someone constantly monitoring it.
Spills and leaks are probable and come with their own set of damage so it’s best to have a home watch company oversee the DampRids when you plan to use them in your absence.
As a resident, it’s your duty to ensure that your home is properly taken care of even when you’re not around. If you need someone to watch over your property while you’re away, contact Income Realty Home Watch today!
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