Wanting to learn

[SurfnSun]

Originally Posted by Big bob

Im sorry.

Do you mean you really didn't know what would happen to a house in a humid southern state if you close it up, turn off the power, and let it sit?

Im curious do you live in Nevada, Arizona, or other desert state?

[Big bob]

Originally Posted by SurfnSun

Im sorry.

Do you mean you really didn't know what would happen to a house in a humid southern state if you close it up, turn off the power, and let it sit?

Im curious do you live in Nevada, Arizona, or other desert state?

I understand humidity will cause mold that is why I asked about using the HAVC system. And what can happen if it fails will cause mold. And if it works it will dry up the traps and release sewer gas and critters.

[SurfnSun]

Originally Posted by Big bob

I understand humidity will cause mold that is why I asked about using the HAVC system. And what can happen if it fails will cause mold. And if it works it will dry up the traps and release sewer gas and critters.

All HVAC systems are essentially dehumidifiers right?

I believe you're overthinking it. P-traps will lose water through the natural process of evaporation regardless of an AC running or not. It will not exponentially increase the rate of evaporation as you are not completely eliminating humidity in the air by running an AC.

Here are the facts....

If you don't run an AC in your house = mold
If you don't run water, eventually your traps will dry up = smell & flies
Houses that sit unused are like cars = not healthy.

[AUTOHOLIC]

You guys must have short memory’s. When I was a kid living on the humid Mississippi River we didn’t have any A/C and it didn’t seem to make any problems in vacant houses.

[GTOguy]

Originally Posted by AUTOHOLIC

You guys must have short memory’s. When I was a kid living on the humid Mississippi River we didn’t have any A/C and it didn’t seem to make any problems in vacant houses.

*memories

I grew up in houses with no AC and we didn't have mold issues either. SF Bay Area....both on the coast and inland in the East Bay. Nobody had AC back then. ('60's-'70's)

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by AUTOHOLIC

You guys must have short memory’s. When I was a kid living on the humid Mississippi River we didn’t have any A/C and it didn’t seem to make any problems in vacant houses.

did you always keep windows and doors shut?

[SurfnSun]

Originally Posted by GTOguy

*memories

I grew up in houses with no AC and we didn't have mold issues either. SF Bay Area....both on the coast and inland in the East Bay. Nobody had AC back then. ('60's-'70's)

Houses are built much tighter now. I worked for a major home builder in the early 2000s. We had old people buying condos in florida, then refusing to run the ACs. In a matter of months post close, Id get called out and there would be mold growing up the walls in all rooms. It was disgusting.

[Vette40th]

I have a shed out back, in Low Country S Carolina. It gets a little moldy smell once in a while.
So, I have a window fan that circulates the air. The smell eventually goes away. The door to the shed has a heavy rubber flap for the dogs to go through, and the shed is semi finished, with insulation on sides and ceiling..
14 years here, no evidence of mold.
Moral of story, if you lose AC, get it fixed asap and keep air circulating.

[higgyburners]

Originally Posted by GTOguy

Had a friend who's mother in law passed in her 90's. He was in his 70's. His wife couldn't bear to sell the house, an upscale 3000 SF rancher on a big lot built in the mid '60's, so it sat fully furnished for 3 or 4 years. This was locally, and we have really LOW humidity. Nonetheless, when it came time to think about moving forward, there was mold in all the ductwork and it would need the ducts removed and replaced....about a 10k job. His wife said no and he passed away about a year later and who knows what his 98 year old mother and 70 year old wife ended up doing?
My own mom lived in a condo in Hawaii for 30 years. Cement building, built in '71. She didn't ever use the AC until the last 3 years of her life. I'd stay over and we only needed the AC starting about 2018 due to temps averaging low 90's instead of the low '80's of the past. REALLY humid. When she passed in 2021, cleaning up the place, black mold was all thoughout her duct work. Toxic stuff. My stepbrother got sick from it. It was not a problem when it grew in the ducts as long as the AC was always off, but when we started using it, it stirred it up and caused issues. Mom's and one more condo out of 22 on that floor was the only one with the mold. The other flats had used their AC all along. Mom and stepdad preferred the tradewinds.
So these are two cases I personally know about where static systems went bad.
Contrarily, in my own home, I was in the living room one day prepairing for a vacation the following day when what I thought was a helicopter landing in the street. I went out to look, nothing. The wall to the garage was shaking and it was loud. Turns out, some insulation in my dual pack duct had fallen into my squirrel cage motor, causing it to vibrate. I shut it down and removed the sheet of jute and all was well. Another 5 minutes, and the evaporator would have burst and the motor would have jammed up and I'd have been out a whole system. I now make it habit to leave it off when I'm gone. (But that never exceeds 2 weeks).

I got as far as Had......

[mrvette]

Yawl talk as if it is somehow terminal to any HVAC system when it gets mold in the ducts, and have to replace them????

Come ON, just spray some chemical related to vinegar or out and out bleach.....spray down the ducts with fan to blow the mist around.....and let it soak in for a day or two, then repeat the process......obviously with the house not occupied, or any large quantity of rugs......

[Big bob]

I was hoping LATB would (man-up) and be able to support his opinion. There are other age old ways that are maintenance free. It seems many old ways are being lost to the Gameboy push a button generation.

[SurfnSun]

Originally Posted by Big bob

I was hoping LATB would (man-up) and be able to support his opinion. There are other age old ways that are maintenance free. It seems many old ways are being lost to the Gameboy push a button generation.

Are you talking about this?

You do it your way. But only a fool would leave a home vacant for an extended period without HVAC. IMO
Especially in the south in the summer.

He’s 100% right.

[Big bob]

Originally Posted by SurfnSun

Are you talking about this?



He’s 100% right.

Really what about the other problems I asked about? Isn't there any other way? What was done before HAVC?

[SurfnSun]

Originally Posted by Big bob

Really what about the other problems I asked about? Isn't there any other way? What was done before HAVC?

Use the drain stopper, put some water in the sinks and tub, or grease around the stopper. Poof, no gas or bugs

[Big bob]

Originally Posted by SurfnSun

Use the drain stopper, put some water in the sinks and tub, or grease around the stopper. Poof, no gas or bugs

That would work good idea. Now what about changing the filters on the HAVC or if it fails for any reason.

[SurfnSun]

Originally Posted by Big bob

That would work good idea. Now what about changing the filters on the HAVC or if it fails for any reason.

Good HVAC filters can last 3 months. If you’re not gonna have anyone check the house for months on end, I would put a smart home system together with a nest-type thermostat so that you can check the temperature and humidity of the house remotely.

Most importantly, shut the water off.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by Big bob

I was hoping LATB would (man-up) and be able to support his opinion. There are other age old ways that are maintenance free. It seems many old ways are being lost to the Gameboy push a button generation.

[Big bob]

Originally Posted by SurfnSun

Good HVAC filters can last 3 months. If you’re not gonna have anyone check the house for months on end, I would put a smart home system together with a nest-type thermostat so that you can check the temperature and humidity of the house remotely.

Most importantly, shut the water off.

Personal experience I had someone checking on one of my homes. They knew my wife wasn't doing well so they rented it out for personal gain. Only one of my homes have accessible internet. On all I turn off the well pump and drain everything.

But again what if the system fails. There must be a better way.

[Big bob]

Originally Posted by LATB

[SurfnSun]

Originally Posted by Big bob

Personal experience I had someone checking on one of my homes. They knew my wife wasn't doing well so they rented it out for personal gain. Only one of my homes have accessible internet. On all I turn off the well pump and drain everything.

But again what if the system fails. There must be a better way.

Seriously? I see why everyone here thinks knows you’re a troll.

Pay a property manager to manage the property.

I’m done with this stupidity