What do we need to know or to buy that is somewhat unique to FL?

[dm]

I moved down here in 2014. You may need one of these.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

Realize you will have "bad hair" days.....all the time. I don't have a clue on how to fix that!

Wear a hat.

 

[ransil]

Thank you all for the great tips! Quite a few things I learned from these answers.



We will also have a 22 kw generator and a whole house surge protector. I don’t know much about these surge protectors. Is it necessary to have the individual item ones if we also have the whole house protector?

Individuals couldn't hurt on computers and TV's.
I had whole house protector installed a few years ago, not sure if it worked but no damage in the house from Fridays lightning strike,

The meter base did not make it.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Scuba, thanks for explaining). A good friend of mine retired there because she was always cold no matter where she lived until she moved to Florida.

 

[wearefinishedworking]

We have spent a lot of time vacationing in Florida and the first thing I would buy if living there permanently would be electric bikes! We love riding them there!

 

[JP.mpls]

Every spring the hardware stores load up on this stuff called Damprid. They will have a hundred containers of the stuff stacked in a big display.

I was told to put the one gallon bucket in the shower with the lid off, and it would absorb moisture.

I think it is silly. Maybe someone here can make me a believer.

 

[folivier]

I've lived in southeast Louisiana my entire life and the heat and humidity is similar to Florida. We're gone all summer and keep our AC's at 84ºF. This works well to keep the humidity inside down and air flowing throughout the house. IMO there is no need to keep the AC set lower when you're gone unless you want a higher electric bill.

 

[Gumby]

A map with the route to Connecticut highlighted.

 

[pb4uski]

Every spring the hardware stores load up on this stuff called Damprid. They will have a hundred containers of the stuff stacked in a big display.

I was told to put the one gallon bucket in the shower with the lid off, and it would absorb moisture.

I think it is silly. Maybe someone here can make me a believer.

We use DampRid all the time. Two small containers and one large one. It is amazing how much water they collect.

My mom use to use charcoal bricketts in a foil pie pan next to a container to collect the water. I don't totally remember the set up and it seemed odd but it worked.

 

[Winemaker]

We have a block storage area that is under the front porch, with one access to the garage and another to the basement on the other end. It is below grade so anytime one of the garage doors are open, the moist air will find a way to the walls and condense. Just enough to allow some mold to start on the block wall. Damprid or similar product takes care of it.

 

[Midpack]

We didn't care for FL the 3 years we lived there, but obviously most would disagree. You've already gotten most of the advice I'd give. Get used to see Santa Claus sweating in December, maybe even wearing his red suit, with shorts. Make sure you wash the love bugs off the front of your car during that season (June?). The only thing FL had that we thought other locations should have, is the pool/lanai enclosures. Keeps bugs and leaves our and lowers pool water temps, great idea IMO.

 

[Ronstar]

For decorating - add some framed nautical charts. Preferably of Florida waters.

 

[JP.mpls]

We have a block storage area that is under the front porch, with one access to the garage and another to the basement on the other end. It is below grade so anytime one of the garage doors are open, the moist air will find a way to the walls and condense. Just enough to allow some mold to start on the block wall. Damprid or similar product takes care of it.

If it absorbs moisture, won't the moisture collected in the bucket just evaporate back into the air?

 

[folivier]

Damprid once it gets saturated shouldn't release the moisture back into the air. But once saturated it's no longer effective. I'm not sure if it can be regenerated like silica gel. Silica gel packs can be heated to release the moisture and be used again.

 

[Scuba]

I grew up on the Gulf Coast and lived in Houston for 10 years as a young adult. Never heard of Damprid. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Lewis Clark]

Hurrucane season runs from June 1 through November 30 each year. We stock up on perishable supplies in May to have on hand, then use them down over the winter. Rinse and repeat.

Stock up on non-perishable supplies as well. Once a storm is threatening those items fly off the shelves and become scarce.

Have a manual can opener on hand.

 

[JoeWras]

Damp Rid is really only useful for small, tight enclosed areas like a infrequently used closet. I first found out about it when I moved to Florida. Interesting stuff and is really very basic chemistry.

Using it for large spaces is futile. Get an electric dehumidifier for that.

 

[Winemaker]

If it absorbs moisture, won't the moisture collected in the bucket just evaporate back into the air?

No, the packs absorb the moisture and it becomes jelly like inside the envelope.

Have you ever seen calcium chloride used as a dust suppressor? We would sprinkle calcium chloride on tram roads and travel ways when we didn't have water available to wet the tram roads down. The calcium chloride absorbs moisture from the air and created a light mud, so that the roadway dust wouldn't get airborne. The effect is shown if you use calcium chloride as a ice melter, and it will turn to goo if your unused portion isn't properly sealed in the summer. I suspect that that is the active ingredient in DampRid.

 

[JoeWras]

No, rhe packs absorb the moisture and it becomes jelly like inside the envelope.

Have you ever seen calcium chloride used as a dust suppressor? We would sprinkle calcium chloride on tram roads and travel ways when we didn't have water available to wet the tram roads down. The calcium chloride absorbs moisture from the air and created a light mud, so that the roadway dust wouldn't get airborne. The effect is shown if you use calcium chloride as a ice melter, and it will turn to goo if your used portion isn't properly sealed in the summer. I suspect that that is the active ingredient in DampRid.

It is funny you mention this. I got one of those 2 gallon jugs of ice melter pellets about 10 years ago. I only need a little of it about once every 3 or 4 years (south).

I didn't use it up. Despite putting the lid on tight, I now have a jug of ice melter "fluid".