HOME-ZONE FOR MILDEW

[EthanC]

Hi everyone,


Somebody is familar with a product call HOME-ZONE. Is use to control mildew and bugs, etc. during sa boat torage? Thank you! Ethan

[tkeithlu]

Welcome, Ethan.

Never heard of it. A general statement, though. Remove existing mildew with bleach solutions, prevent mildew and a lot of other problems by reducing moisture inside the boat. No water left anywhere, including the bilge, and if power is available, even solar, a small dehumidifier.

[Captainmitch]

Try searching online for a material called "sunpac". It is a mildewcide that comes in small packet/bags that you set around the boat after sealing the boat up tight. It emits a rather nasty gas that displaces the oxygen and therefore kills any mold (and anything else in there) so no bugs, no mold, no mildew.
I have used it for a few seasons in Ga. storing the boat closed up.
After 4 months, nothing -- not a bug nor sign of mildew/mold. I use 6 bags in a 50ft. boat
It is a nasty gas, so you need to ventilate the boat for a few hours before you go inside.

[EthanC]

Originally Posted by Captainmitch

Try searching online for a material called "sunpac". It is a mildewcide that comes in small packet/bags that you set around the boat after sealing the boat up tight. It emits a rather nasty gas that displaces the oxygen and therefore kills any mold (and anything else in there) so no bugs, no mold, no mildew.
I have used it for a few seasons in Ga. storing the boat closed up.
After 4 months, nothing -- not a bug nor sign of mildew/mold. I use 6 bags in a 50ft. boat
It is a nasty gas, so you need to ventilate the boat for a few hours before you go inside.

Thank you!!! So is probably the same of Home-Zone kind of Formaldehyde... I am just scare that will damge my pillow or material...

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Captainmitch

Try searching online for a material called "sunpac". It is a mildewcide that comes in small packet/bags that you set around the boat after sealing the boat up tight. It emits a rather nasty gas that displaces the oxygen and therefore kills any mold (and anything else in there) so no bugs, no mold, no mildew.
I have used it for a few seasons in Ga. storing the boat closed up.
After 4 months, nothing -- not a bug nor sign of mildew/mold. I use 6 bags in a 50ft. boat
It is a nasty gas, so you need to ventilate the boat for a few hours before you go inside.

A pretty drastic solution typically avoided by adequate ventilation. Using a fumigant formaldehyde compound to simply avoid mildew is like using chemo to kill the common cold.

If you do this, note the minimum requirements such as:


“Placarding/Signage: The applicator in charge of the fumigation must placard all entrances to the fumigated areas or spaces with signs bearing:
-Skull and crossbones symbol
-DANGER/PELIGRO
-Areas or spaces under fumigation. DO NOT ENTER/NO ENTRE. SunPac in use -Date and time of fumigation
--Name, address and telephone number of the applicator
-Do not enter or allow entry by unprotected persons into the fumigated areas or spaces until the signs are removed. Such signs must not be removed before the air concentration level of formaldehyde is measured as less than 0.1 ppm.”

[Captainmitch]

As I said in the last post, we have used this for a few years in the boat, motor home, and storage lockers with no ill effects.

Of course, you do want to put some warning on the hatch about "poison gas, do not enter".
You do need to ventilate well before you occupy the boat, but we have seen no damage to any surface nor pillow/cushions.
One tip about pillows-- not in respect to the Sun-pac, but done every so often anyway. Put your pillow into a plastic bag, then use any house vac to suck all the air out, allow to re-inflate and repeat. Makes them fresh after changing all the trapped air.

[EthanC]

That's a great tip for pillows, 1st time I ear it and i will do it... Many Thanks Ethan

[RickG]

We use Concrobium. It is $34 per gallon at Home Depot. You apply it to a clean surface and let it dry. We've been happy with it. Our boat is on the hard in hurricane storage in Puerto Rico. We have a contractor air the boat each month and check for mildew - so far so good.

Practical Sailor has a good article on making your own mildew preventer and has a simple formual to reproduce Concrobium. That is what we will use when we use up our current supply.

https://www.practical-sailor.com/blo...s-11249-1.html

Cheers, RickG

[EthanC]

I am still very surprise that only few peoples ear about Home-Zone, no reviews or comments on Internet, but ACE Hardware sold a ton of buckets of this each year, specially in Florida!!