Condensation Cures
How do you stop condensation in your caravan/motorhome while it is not in use? Moisture absorbing crystals and heaters are the most common cures, but have you discovered your own way of fighting those pesky misty windows and wet countertops?
Your comments are welcome.
Comments
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In storage I would be worried if I had wet surfaces or moisture on the inside of windows, I have suffered once in four winters with mold spots on the curtain linings but not on the curtains themselves and put that down to a very wet and mild winter. I use nothing and so far this winter all is good (fingers crossed)
On a nice dry sunny day I visit the storage every month (only 1 mile away) to check everything and air the van out, but nothing more.
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In the "old days"LVs did, it seems,suffer from condensation more than now, as maybe now its the better insulation, our last three c/vans and also our two previos m/vans have not suffered, and we have not done anything,
But then we have in the last few years used them far more so maybe it needs a prolonged lay up for condensation to be a problem?
And all our LVs have been kept when not in use, in open storage compound
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Not had any problems, keep the van well aired, cupboards etc open, check it frequently. Big changes in temperature might cause an occasional problem if left unchecked. We know the cold spot in our van, a cupboard in the rear so keep that open with a good air flow.
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Just the same as Brue, keeping the van well aired is the main way to prevent damp. I once tried using the small crystal type dehumidifiers but was not impressed and anyway if the van is well aired you would be drawing the damp air inside.
I also have a small 500w heater set to frost-stat just to keep a constant temp.
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If you have 'condensation' problems in a stored caravan, then I would guess you have some source of damp in that van. Our caravan is now eighteen years old and has no problems whatever despite being in storage for the last umpteen years - orignally on a wet and windy Yorkshire hill, and now elsewhere.
When spring comes around check the caravan with a damp meter, make sure there are no wet corners due to leaking seals, faulty sealant, window rubbers, etc., I would guess that you will find somewhere that is damper than it should be. Solve this problem and you'll solve the problem of 'condensation'.
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ValDa is right, if you have water ingress which is 'pooling' somewhere in the van this can only make matters worse. The secret is to keep the van as water tight as possible and the construction 'fabrics' as dry as possible. Keep exterior air vents clear and then ensure good air circulation throughout keeping all doors and lockers open thus reducing any dead air pockets. Finally, remove as much of the material from the van which could absorb water and store it. As for moisture absorbing crystals doing any better than this the jury is out as the best you can ever hope for is to maintain the same degree of humidity as that existing in the prevailing atmospheric conditions. Whatever the crystals take out will be balanced out by that in the air mass.
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We always do our best to put the van away in a dry state. So If we were on a service pitch would not use the onboard shower on the last morning and steam up the bathroom. Defrost and dry out the fridge the night before leaving. Anything remaining is fine in a cold bag in the car overnight. Remove all bedding to the house during winter.
We are lucky in that our storage site is fairly open, with good air movement. No trees or grass just bare well drained gravel.
When we were new to caravanning we were talked into using the crystals. However, they just kept attracting moisture. When you think about it you are never going to dry out the atmosphere, as if the van is ventilated, you are trying to dehumidify the world.😂 Well in our case, Nottinghamshire at any rate.
So far we have had no problems.
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We try to use the van every month of the year whatever the weather which certainly helps a lot. Always take tins home with us because they get so cold then give out a lot of condensation when warming up. Just keep things open and aired, modern vans do cope well if they are free from damp problems. Winter caravaning is a real joy once you get into it, very different from the summer but every bit as enjoyable.
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Not sure what is meant here, metal cans cannot be colder than the ambient temperature and all the other materials in it. Also, metal does not absorb water and cannot give it out. It is a good conductor of heat mind and condensation is more readily noticed forming on it. It is the materials in the van which absorb the water and as such largely 'hide' it from vision, like cushions and curtains for example, and retain it which causes much of the issues. Unfortunately these materials will show little indication of moisture retention until the tell tale signs show.
I do agree that winter 'vanning is fun mind and provides opportunities to 'air' the interior.
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Other than a couple of years ago when I had the dusty type mould which just wipes off I have had no problems. I have no idea why this stuff appeared and it was once only after a mild winter. Secret is to ensure good ventilation. I leave interior cupboard doos open to help but this spring noticed that the cupboard door to the front locker above the window had warped a little - it is now clamped straight in my garage to, hopefully, correct it
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I was in Aldi yesterday and bought a number of items for my motorhome and toyed with the idea of buying crystals but decided against it. I am glad that I didn't waste my money as the consensus on here seems to be that they don't work. My Eldiss Autoquest van is 14 years old and last spring I found a few small mould patches on the wall of the van, above a shelf so this winter I left the blinds up at the side and rear, both of which let the sun in which warms the van up on sunny days and this year, even though we have had lots of rain there are no mould patches so maybe that helps. A friend of mine has a fairly new caravan and has had problems with water ingress so I can't help but wonder how common the problem of damp and water ingress is?
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I'm surprised that the original question was asked by a member of staff........ as if this is a 'normal' part of caravanning. Our caravan is now eighteen years old (as I said earlier) It's now still completely damp free (at the most recent service) and each Spring when we open it up again is just as dry and fresh smelling as it was when we put it 'to bed for the winter'. We don't have misty windows, or wet worktops and I would be very worried that there was a real problem if we did.
Gone are the typical caravanning days back in the nineteen fifties when a night in a caravan resulted in wet drips from the aluminium rails over your head, damp sheets and pillows, streaming drops down the windows, and pools of moisture on window bottoms to be wiped up each morning!
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Never had a problem with condensation. Just open the door and all the windows every few days when it's sunny and dry. Only takes a few minutes but is well worth the effort. The car is parked in front of the van on the drive so security is not a problem.
K
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we have a dehumidifier that lives permanently in the van when not in use. I switch on for a couple of days a month and have no problems
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