Best Practices for Home Maintenance in Hot and Humid Climates

Great tips in this thread already, lots of familiar territory, having lived for several summers in a humid climate myself. Just to add a few things that helped me, and one or two lessons learned the hard way:

What’s Worked Well

-Running a dehumidifier, especially in basements or areas with poor airflow, made a huge difference. Also, ceiling fans + exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens help a lot to reduce condensation on walls/windows.

-Proper sealing around windows, doors, and vents helped prevent warm moist air sneaking in. I replaced old weatherstripping and installed insulation in attic spaces. Also painted with vapor-barrier paints in damp-prone rooms (bathrooms, laundry) which helped prevent mold.

-Once a season I check for signs of rust (on metal fittings, door hinges, etc.), wood rot (especially behind furniture against external walls), and inspect seals around doors & windows. I also clean AC condenser fins and filters monthly, dirt/leaf buildup makes AC unit work harder, produce more humidity inside.

-Im also working on modifying my AC and just added an inrush current limiter to my build.