[renpan]

Our house is 15 years old. Keepint the temp at 80 degrees during the summer has been fine. No mold or odors

[GoodGuysAir]

Good Guys Air checking in with some info. Before moving to the villages I had a vacation home in the Tampa area that I kept at 80 degrees when I was not there during months at a time. I also had a web connected thermostat to monitor and alert me of problems. Humidity stayed between 40 and 50. My home was built in 1979 with original single pane windows and not built with the higher standards of the homes here in the villages. If A/C is working correctly it will keep humidity under control by simply keeping at one temp and allowing it to run as needed. Some stats also allow a high limit set point in case humidity does go up. The old way of controlling humidity was to install a basic dehumidistat as mentioned many times in this thread. The current and most accurate way is using a modern digital thermostat with a dehumidification mode with web monitoring which will alert you if the humidity gets too high so you can have your contractor respond in an emergency to prevent damage from an inoperative AC system.

Also, keep the fan in the "Auto" setting to help control humidity.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by TNLAKEPANDA

The most important thing is humility not temperature. 80 to 85 should keep the humidity below 60%. I recommend you get a WI-FI thermostat installed. It will allow you to check the humidity and change the temperature setting.

The WIFI thermostat is a great idea, the problem with that is that many homeowners who are not full time don’t pay for year round internet access when they are only at the Villages for less than half the year. For us, when we are lucky enough to be at our Villages home, it is also a very healthy digital de-toxification time. During normal times, there is already too many fun things to do at the Villages than there is time in the day. We get by at the Villages just fine with unlimited data on our phones. We can turn our phones into personal WIFI hotspots and then use our tablets for necessities like making T Times or dinner reservations and check our e-mails.

[DReifinger]

I put my powdered goods, as you mentioned, in the refrigerator. Then they are fresh to use when ready.

[peggyb]

Had a humidistat? Installed. Set it at 60% whenever we leave. Set to 78 to 83, but Munns said temp didn’t matter since the humid controls overrides it.

[mikeritz53]

I recommend that my Owners ( I manage 50+ SnowBirds and 40+ Rentals) that 82 works best and if there is a humidistat set that at 55. This allows the AC to kick on periodically.

[Carene7]

80 to 81 degrees will keep the humidity at a safe level.

[ctmurray]

I installed a thermostat that has a "Florida" mode, which has a preset combination 82F and 60% humidity control. So the AC comes on to keep 82F and will come on at any temperature if the humidity is greater than 60%. But I wanted a slightly lower temp of 80F so I set this manually and there is a humidity setting also, so I set that at 60%. I have been using this for two years, no issues.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by ctmurray

I installed a thermostat that has a "Florida" mode, which has a preset combination 82F and 60% humidity control. So the AC comes on to keep 82F and will come on at any temperature if the humidity is greater than 60%. But I wanted a slightly lower temp of 80F so I set this manually and there is a humidity setting also, so I set that at 60%. I have been using this for two years, no issues.

What brand is it?

[pauld315]

Originally Posted by renpan

Our house is 15 years old. Keepint the temp at 80 degrees during the summer has been fine. No mold or odors

We had laminate flooring put in throughout the house and the installer said you should keep the house at 78 if you aren't there in the summer.

[Spike380]

Before you leave have your furnace checked and think about installing a humidistadt. Worth every penny.

[Oneiric]

We set ours at 85. This is cool enough so the furniture, fabrics, household items don't get damaged.

[DeafDeaf]

I have set to 85 for several years while I was gone up the COOL north. 85 may save you more than either 80 or 82!

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by Jimmay

The temperature is not the important issue it’s the humidity. Have your HVAC guy install a humidistat. It turns the air on based upon humidity not temperature

We’ve all heard this time and again: ‘It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity!’ It could not be more true anywhere than in Florida. We’re full-timers now, but when we were part-timers, we learned the tremendous value of what this poster calls a ‘humidistat,‘ while back when we were newbies it was a ‘dehumidistat.’ Same thing. I think ours, a Honeywell, cost about $50, and I installed it myself; it’s a single wire that goes in series with the thermostat.

Per instructions from our A/C company technician, we had it set at 60% and the thermostat at 82 degrees. The point is that it doesn’t matter what rhe inside temp is; it could go into the 90s—there’s no one there to feel uncomfortable—as long as the humidity stays below 60%. Your A/C will be on a lot less, and the device can pay for itself that first summer season. Remember, in Florida the issue is mold, and that’s caused by humidity, not heat. Have a safe summer, and enjoy the peace of mind that also comes with the use of this little gadget!

And—sorry, off subject—be sure you put a spoonful or two of cooking oil in each drain and close/cover each one—and don’t forget to cover the overflow hole in the washroom sinks. Put some bleach in the toilets and cover them with plastic wrap. To the extent that you can, bring inside your outdoor furniture and anything else loose outside; remember, hurricane season starts June 1. And have a great summer!

[bellringer606]

Installing a dehumidistat the way to go. They override your thermostat so the only time your AC unit comes on is if the humidity reaches a pre determined percent.
I usually set my thermo at 80- 85 and my dehumidistat at 60. Been doing this for 12 years and never had any mold problems.
My wife insist on leaving our frig running so between that and the AC our summertime electric bills are only about 12 to 15 dollars. That being the case if I get a higher bill I know there’s a problem with my AC.