Beyond Unpacking
So much planning and effort goes into moving, but imagine you finally make it to your new home, unload the last box, and begin to unpack just in time for a summer storm to cause a power outage for the rest of the day. You are hot, sweaty, exhausted, and without power (and likely internet). Suddenly, you realize that you may have needed to do a little more planning before moving to Orlando. Florida life presents unique challenges that can interrupt your new beginning with a thud. Here is a list of the top 7 things you should buy for your home when you move to Orlando and the common headaches that that these products can solve.
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Challenges Unique to Florida Living
If you have visited Florida, or have done even a little research about moving to Florida, you likely know about the climate, including extreme heat, humidity, and storms. Storms can be a daily occurrence in the summer. While Florida’s weather gets a lot of attention, a few other sources catch new residents off guard too: bugs and hard water. Not to scare you, but Florida has over 10,000 common insect species, making bugs a common complaint. Central Florida is also home to some of the country’s hardest water . So, what are some of the common household headaches caused by the weather, insects, and hard water and how can you resolve them?
Orlando Household Headaches
Weather
Frequent storms, particularly during the summer wet season (beginning late May through early fall), can include intense rain, wind, thunder, and lightning. Florida has been known as the lightning capital of the world. Power loss and power surges can ruin your valuable electronics or cause you to lose unsaved work. Lightning strikes can also cause home damage, including electrical issues and even fires. Extended time without power and air conditioning during warm temperatures is not only uncomfortable, but potentially dangerous for your family and pets. Hot temps and consistent, intense sunlight also increase energy costs to run the air conditioning constantly during the hotter months or you may even need additional cooling in rooms that get a lot of sunlight despite air conditioning.
Mold and Dirt
As a result of the extreme heat, humidity, and storms, outdoor spaces such as lanais, decks, porches, home exteriors, and driveways get dirty quickly. Indoor spaces can be prone to mold too if moisture isn’t removed. Outdoor spaces also require more upkeep and maintenance because of the tropical climate. You will definitely want to prevent and control the growth of mold, not only because it is unsightly, but can be harmful to your health.
Bugs and Insects
Bugs and wildlife are another aspect of Florida’s tropical climate that takes adjustment. Unlike the weather, though, bugs can be intense year round. There are more than ten thousand species, but mosquitoes are at the top of unwanted bugs because they can carry harmful diseases to people and pets. Notorious love bugs that swarm for a few weeks in the spring (and sometimes fall) are just a nuisance, not dangerous, but can stain outdoor spaces and vehicles if not promptly removed. Finding home pest control only goes so far. So, you’ll want to find ways to enjoy the outdoors without bug bites and ways to clean off bugs outdoors.
Water Quality
New residents also often find that the tap water tastes funny. Orlando is located in Orange County, Florida and Orange County’s water source is the Florida Aquifer. I suggest reading about Orange County’s water quality (or other Central Florida county where you might live). Sperling’s Best Places rated Orlando’s water quality as above the national average, but do your homework when it comes to the area where you choose to live. The unique smell and taste of Central Florida’s water also attracts companies offering to test your water and offer you various softening and purifying products. Be weary and skeptical to any offers to test your home’s water. It is often a scam, but if you are truly concerned about your home’s water quality do you research and find a reputable company to do testing.
Products for Common Central Florida Home Problems
Now that you know some of the top Central Florida household problems, I’ve put together a list of the top seven products to buy for your home when move to Orlando. Having these items on hand ahead of time will help you avoid the top issues in Orlando homes caused by weather, bugs, and hard water.
1. Portable Generator
- During hurricane season, from June 1 through November 30, intense storms can cause power outages, but you can experience power loss any time of the year. A generator is helpful to keep power, internet, and keep you and your family cool and comfortable until power is restored. But, when a hurricane is in the forecast, generators sell quickly. Buy one ahead of ahead of time to ease the stress of preparing for a foretasted storm. Always properly use a generator and read and follow generator safety precautions. Be sure to make all of the necessary hurricane preparations mentioned in this checklist. Below is an example of a highly-rated, moderately-priced, portable generator that homeowner’s typically purchase to keep electricity during power outages.
2. Surge Protector
- Power loss and surges in electricity from storms is common. You don’t want to consistently put your electronics and any unsaved work at risk. A whole house surge protector can be a great way to protect your smart appliances and electronics. If you don’t want to install a surge protector on your own, your local power company can provide more information on surge protection.
If a home surge protector is more than you need or want, using a quality surge protector is essential to attempt to protect your pricey electronics and maybe even unsaved work. A UPS battery backup and surge protection product might also be a good option to protect expensive electronics, as well as provide short-term back-up power.
3. Portable Air Conditioner
- If you loose power on a hot day (which is most days in Central Florida), you will want a portable air conditioner (to connect to a generator) to keep yourself, your family, and pets comfortable. Or if you have power and your main air conditioning stops working, a portable air conditioner can be a lifesaver on sweltering day. While a portable air conditioner with an app may sound great, I wouldn’t count on having cell phone service, especially after a hurricane. I would recommend an air conditioner with a remote, fan, and dehumidifier functions. Also, be sure to measure the square footage you want to cool. Here is an example of a portable air conditioner that also works as a fan and dehumidifier and can cool up to 300 square feet.
If a portable air conditioner isn’t quite what you need or isn’t in your budget, a personal air conditioner during a power outage would be helpful. These small air conditioners only cool about 20 feet, and not an entire room, but would be better no cool air during a power outage.
4. Pressure Washer
- Bugs, wildlife, and extreme weather lead to outdoor spaces getting dirty quickly – sometimes within weeks. Not only is the grime unsightly, and potentially unhealthy, but your Homeowner’s Association (HOA), lease, or property management may require you to keep outdoor spaces clean. A pressure washer can help keep you in compliance and is less expensive than frequently hiring someone to do the outdoor cleaning for you. The pressure washer we bought is no longer available, but when purchasing one, I would recommend a light weight pressure washer that is also powerful enough for tough jobs.
5. Bug Deterrent
- Don’t let the bugs interrupt your time relaxing on the porch watching the sun set. Deter the bugs, especially mosquitoes, with a mosquito lantern. This one comes highly recommended by frequent campers if you don’t want to use bug spray or in addition to bug repellent.
A portable insect zapper like this one is also a good option to deter multiple insects and bugs in a larger area. Measure your outdoor area before purchasing a product like a bug zapper so that you can get the best coverage for your outdoor space.
6. Water Softener/Purifier
If you think that you don’t like how the water tastes, hard water stains, or dingy clothes because of the minerals in the water, you could contact one of the many water softening companies, or you may save by installing a home water softening system yourself. This one comes recommended by a neighbor who said it was easy to install and effectively does the job for much less than a company offered to install a water softener.
If a home water softening system is more investment than you want or need, a budget-friendly suggestion is using a filtered water pitcher. We have a refrigerator that filters our water, but not everyone has that convenience. This filtered pitcher comes recommended for its quick filtration, capacity, and filter life for an economical, effective filtered water option.
7. Ceiling Fans
Since Central Florida’s climate is hot and gets so much sunlight most of the year, keeping your home cool on a budget can be challenging. Ceiling fans work well to increase air circulation, to further cool rooms that get a lot of light, and to save on air conditioning costs. Measure a room’s size and ceiling height before choosing a ceiling fan. We’ve installed four ceiling fans in our home and I recommend a ceiling fan with a remote so that it’s easy to change the speed and lighting options. We found the ceiling fan below to work well in smaller bedrooms without the need for an extension rod, but always measure before purchasing a fan so it’s properly installed and cools the area you need.
Adjusting to Living in Central Florida
Central Florida is a wonderful place to live, but the climate, common insects, and hard water can cause some unexpected challenges. Hopefully, this list of home products can help solve some common issues you may have in your new Orlando home. If you found this article helpful, please share it and and click below to subscribe to my newsletter and receive a free list of 101 tips for moving to Orlando!