Control Mold/Mildew

[Fishtales]

Hi,
My dealer has been using these in the cabins during winter storage for a few years now. I find that the mold/mildew is darn close to non-existant when I cut open the shrinkwrap
in the spring. I'm sold on them and place (2) in my cabin during the season (one below in the bilge and one in the cabin). The slow release is perfect. Curious is others are using these and what their experience has been.

MDG Mildew Odor Control Slow Release
http://www.starbrite.com/item/mdg-milde ... ow-release

 

[Meanwhile]

I see that it advertises odor control. You don't have much of an issue when using it, did you have issues prior to using it?

All I've used in campers and boats is the Dryze Air. I've used two in a 26' boat with monkey fur and had very good results. The winter prior to using it I had major mold issues and ended up using lots of Oxyclean to clean the fur.

 

[onoahimahi]

I've had pretty good luck with those pellet style dehumidifiers like this one:

http://www.westmarine.com/star-brite--n ... 60_002_502

I put two in the cabin and leave all doors and compartments open. The first winter with my last boat I didn't use them and had a lot of mold on the headliner which I cleaned with a spray bottle of 5% bleach and water.

 

[g0tagrip]

I use white vinegar to clean up if there is any forming but ever since I have been using a dryer in the cabin I have not had any problems with mold in the cabin. I bought it at West Marine. Been using it for a year with good success. To clean the bolsters I use Zep Commercial Mold stain and mildew stain remover. Only sold in Home Depot. Cheap by the gallon. Spray it on and wipe off.

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

I also been using the dryer from West Marine for a few years now and I am VERY satisfied. Used the pellets in the pass with no good results.

 

[HMBJack]

Mold is caused by moisture in an enclosed space.
To actually REMOVE moisture from the air, I have found a dehumidifier works best.
Heaters and fans tend to just move the moist air around. It's good to circulate the air but they tend not to actually remove water which is the cause of mold and mildew.

I have no affiliation with this product but, for $88 bucks it does the job in the cabin of my 330 Express. I leave it running 24x7 and it fills up with water from my cabin which I drain weekly. I have used this for 2 years now and it's still chugging along. When the container is full of water (takes ~7 days), it has a float to auto stop. A pal of mine rigged a drain tube at the top of the water tank so it drains into his sink. I also use the crystalized products (Damp Rid) which also removes water - just at a slower rate. Important to keep the cabin doors closed when using this so it removes water from the cabin - not outside. Good luck! Cheers, Jack

http://www.amazon.com/Eva-Dry-Edv-2200- ... humidifier

 

[magicalbill]

I use exactly what HMBJack uses and it works perfectly.

I was amazed at the moisture the Eva Dry pulls out of the air in the cabin. I empty the equivalent of a shot glass full of water every couple days. I have the plastic hose attached to the tank so it continually drains into my cabin sink and out the thru-hull.

 

[fishbust]

I've had pretty good luck with those pellet style dehumidifiers like this one:

http://www.westmarine.com/star-brite--n ... 60_002_502

I put two in the cabin and leave all doors and compartments open. The first winter with my last boat I didn't use them and had a lot of mold on the headliner which I cleaned with a spray bottle of 5% bleach and water.

Don't need anything in winter (here) but all summer long I use these pellet containers for many years. I dump the water every trip to the boat.

I do not buy it in west marine though. I buy the big bag refills from home depot.

 

[ROBERTH]

Like HMBJack and MagicBill, I am using a Dehumidifier. I drilled a hole in the water container at bottom and pushed in an aquarium silicone hose and ran to sink. Never have to worry about it filling up. It works great. I also have a small fan for air movement, mostly to force it into the under berth hatches that I open up as I once had mildew really bad and had a lot of cleaning to do to get it out.
In the winter, I use the pancake I purchased from WM since the dehumidifiers will freeze up.
I was using the damprid containers, but they were a mess and cost adds up over time. I think I spilled no less than 2 times in the sink and it completely sealed the drain. Had to disassemble to clear it out!

To rid and kill the mold/mildew, I purchased some commercial product and put in my air spray gun and used high pressure spray to fog in all areas under deck and in areas where I could not get to. This killed the mold so it would not continue to spore and spread. Used Spray nine to melt off where I could and wipe under deck. Used bleach mix under gunnels where I could rinse with hose.

Now, religious to run the dehumidifer and fan in summer and pancake/fan in winter. Since, no issues.

I have used the Starbrite products as well, but they will corrode metals long term, so I stay away from them. Ask me how I know..... :mrgreen:

 

[ROBERTH]

Hey folks, checking back in regarding the dehumidifiers. The one I have is an Atlas and after 1 year, it quit. They replaced it under warranty. Now, after it finished off the last season and just fired it back up after freezing temps left, it just quit again. This time, I have found it is the AC Adapter that is dead. Using a makeshift one now and sent them an email to see if I can get a replacement.

I was considering the Eva Dry brand but see some reviews that they also crapped out after about a year.

How are yours doing so far? How long are they going? Any issues? This thing works great! But just don't want to have to buy a new one every year.

 

[journeyman]

Robert, over the winter I purchased one of the Eva Dry dehumidifiers (the 2200 model) after seeing it on a youtube video. I thought it would be easier to use than the "plug in and charge" type that Eva Dry sells which we've used for years and had good luck with them. I hope to get more than 1 season out of it. The reviews I read were promising but maybe the marine environment is to harsh, who knows? I haven't plugged it in yet but am trying to find the right fitting to make a drain to avoid having to empty the tank. You said something about an aquarium hose. Would you elaborate?

 

[Legend]

I have that mold appears when I have all the windows and cabin curtains closed. During humid weather I leave the cockpit curtains rolled up and open the cabin window to let air in. Once in a while if mold shows uo , I just hit with a 10 to 1 water bleach solution. Does not hurt the colors on the fabrics at that mixture.

 

[ROBERTH]

For making a drain, on the front of the water collector tank,I drilled a small hole such that the silicone aquarium hose could be forced through allowing it to seal, but yet drain.

I have also heard that just some slow air movement can be sufficient, so I also run a small fan.

Depending on where you are in the country, the humidity can be higher.here in NC, it is very hot and humid in the summer and I have had some serious mold issues that I had to overcome. Therefore I am going overboard to prevent it's return.