Closing Up a Florida Condo for the Season: Owner vs. Association Duties

Published October 2026 · 7 min read

Closing up a condo for the summer looks easier than closing up a house. There is no yard, no roof to worry about, and the building has a manager. But a condo shares walls, ceilings and pipes with neighbors, and Florida law splits responsibility between you and the association. A leak or a humid unit can become a problem for several owners at once.

That matters in Naples. In the American Community Survey (ACS 2024 5-year, table B25024), 59.9% of housing units in the City of Naples are in buildings with five or more units. The share is 70.4% in Pelican Bay and 56.4% on Marco Island. Many of those homes sit empty for months: ACS table B25004 counts 40.8% of all units in the City of Naples, and 41.8% in Pelican Bay, as vacant "for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use."

Naples FL Mold Remediation is a free quote and referral service. We connect Naples and Collier County homeowners with Florida-licensed mold assessors and remediators. This guide combines UF/IFAS seasonal-home advice with what the Florida Condominium Act says about who maintains and insures what. It is general information, not legal advice; your declaration and your association's attorney have the final word.

What stays the same as a house

The moisture basics apply to every closed-up Florida home. UF/IFAS publication HE887, Closing Your Seasonal Home, warns that "the summer heat and humidity can cause mildew and mold-spore growth," and advises:

• "Leave your air conditioner set to no higher than 85 degrees (F)."
• "Have the humidistat calibrated by your air conditioning company."
• "A dehumidifier operated by a drain to carry away moisture can help, though not as much as air conditioning."
• "Find a trusted friend or relative to routinely check on your home."

LCEC, a Southwest Florida electric cooperative, adds that mold and mildew can grow nearly anywhere if relative humidity stays at 70% or higher, and suggests either a timer that runs the AC two hours a day or a humidistat set at 65%. We compare those options in what AC and humidity setting to use while you're away, and the full house checklist is in closing up your Naples home for summer.

What changes in a condo: owner vs. association

Florida's Condominium Act, chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes, does not assign responsibility for "mold" as such. The word appears once in chapter 718, in a provision about abandoned units. Responsibility instead follows maintenance and insurance duties:

• Common elements. s. 718.113(1) says: "Maintenance of the common elements is the responsibility of the association," subject to limited common elements that the declaration assigns to owners.
• Finishes and appliances inside the unit. s. 718.111(11)(f)3 excludes from the association's insurance coverage items such as "floor, wall, and ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water heaters, water filters," and says "such property and any insurance thereupon is the responsibility of the unit owner."
• Repairs after a covered loss. s. 718.111(11)(j) says property insured by the association "shall be reconstructed, repaired, or replaced as necessary by the association as a common expense," with exceptions, including when damage results from an owner's "intentional conduct, negligence, or failure to comply with the terms of the declaration."

In practice, that means your declaration and the insurance split under s. 718.111(11) decide who handles what. Read your declaration before you leave, not after something goes wrong. For a deeper look at the cost question, see condo mold in Collier County: who pays?

Your condo closing-up checklist

Inside your unit (typically your job)

• Set the AC no higher than 85°F (UF/IFAS), or on a two-hour daily timer or 65% humidistat (LCEC)
• Have your AC company calibrate the humidistat and clear the condensate drain line; overflow from a unit's air handler can reach the unit below
• Check under sinks, behind toilets and around the water heater, washer and ice maker for drips; s. 718.111(11)(f)3 lists water heaters and appliances among owner-insured items
• Ask your plumber about shutting off the water supply to your unit, and check whether your building has rules about doing so
• Set up a drained dehumidifier if you use one, not a bucket model that fills and stops
• Close balcony doors and windows tightly before the summer storm season

With the association (communicate, don't assume)

• Tell the manager or board when you are leaving and how to reach you
• Leave a key or access arrangement as your building's rules require, so someone can get in if water shows up below or beside you
• Give the name and number of the friend, relative or home-watch service who will check on your unit
• Ask how the association will notify owners after a storm or a reported leak
• Keep a copy of your declaration and your own unit-owner insurance policy where you can reach them while away

When a leak or mold shows up while you're gone

Speed matters. EPA's mold guide says "it is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth," and warns that "if you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back." In a condo, the water source might be your unit, a neighbor's unit or a common element such as a riser or roof. Finding it first helps answer both the repair question and the who-pays question.

A few practical steps:

• Have your house-checker photograph everything, including the source if it is visible.
• Notify the association in writing and keep a copy.
• Call your insurance agent about your unit-owner policy.
• For mold growth larger than 10 square feet, the work falls under Florida's licensing definitions in s. 468.8411. Ask any company for its Florida license number and verify it at MyFloridaLicense.com.

Two Collier County notes. The county's post-hurricane guidance says "all commercial and multi-family buildings will require a permit for any work performed," which covers condo buildings. And under Florida's 12-month rule (s. 468.8419), the mold assessor and the remediator for the same structure are typically separate companies, except Division I certified contractors. Our condo and HOA mold page explains how that plays out in a building.

For a rough budget, typical national ranges from cost guides, 2025–2026, put a mold inspection at about $450–$800 (Florida average about $739) and remediation of a small area (about 50 sq ft) at about $500–$1,500. These are estimates, not quotes; the real price comes from a licensed pro's on-site assessment, and remediation quotes may not include inspection or clearance testing.

If anyone in the household has health concerns, talk to a doctor. When you are ready, tell us what you're seeing and we'll help you get quotes from licensed local pros. More on off-season risks is on our seasonal and second-home mold page.

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