Mold & Mildew Cleanup in Seffner, FL

Why does my Seffner house grow mildew so fast?

Seffner sits about 13 miles east of downtown Tampa, between Interstate 4 on the north and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on the south, in a landscape of live oaks, lakes such as Lake Weeks, and former strawberry farms giving way to subdivisions. Heavy shade and nearby water keep outdoor air damp, and every time a door opens, that air comes inside. Slab homes then depend on the air conditioner to pull the moisture back out. If the AC is oversized and short-cycles, or the thermostat is set high while you're at work, humidity climbs and mildew follows on the coolest, stillest surfaces: closet corners, the backs of bookcases and bathroom ceilings.

Is the AC making it worse?

It can be. Look for these clues:

• Dark rings around ceiling supply registers
• Water stains or rust in the drip pan under the air handler
• A musty smell each time the system starts
• Indoor humidity readings above 60 percent, the level EPA says to stay under

EPA advises keeping AC drain lines flowing and drip pans clean. If you think the system itself is contaminated, EPA says not to run it until it has been checked, because it could spread mold through the house.

What can I safely clean myself?

Hard surfaces such as tile, tub, glass and sealed trim can be scrubbed with detergent and water and dried completely. Wear gloves, goggles and an N-95 respirator, and never mix bleach with ammonia. Leave it to a professional when the patch is larger than about 3 feet by 3 feet, when it's on drywall or carpet, or when anyone in the home has asthma or a weakened immune system. For hired work, Angi reports bathroom mold jobs in the Tampa area typically cost $525 to $1,075.

A note for Seffner renters and owners

Seffner is unincorporated, so Hillsborough County handles both sides of this: Development Services issues building permits if walls have to be opened and rebuilt, and Code Enforcement takes housing-standards complaints, listing mold among them, when a landlord won't fix a leak. For health questions, the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County is the local contact.