Mildew in caravan

Ph1lTurner
Ph1lTurner Forum Participant Posts: 51
edited December 2018 in Caravans #1

Hi All,

This is my first caravan and several weeks ago I finally got around to putting a cover over it. Since I've heard of reports that not all covers breathe as they should I checked it yesterday and found a strange situation, which I was wondering if anyone could help. 

Generally the internal caravan was completely dry with no sign of mildew or damp around. The seats had no sign of mildew on them, which I thought would be the first to show any problem.

I had opened all cupboards including fridge. I found some dry mildew on the wood surfaces close to and around the fridge. I've wiped it off. On the outside off the van around the door it was dry, but I noticed some water just around the fridge vent. Could this be related?

I haven't added a winter fridge vent cover - would this solve the problem.

 

Lastly the van is 2008, but I also noticed some of the edging trim (especially around the toilet door) has come away and maybe shrunk. Is this to be expected?

Many thanks for any advice.

Phil.

Comments

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited December 2018 #2

    When we leave the van we always empty the fridge and leave the freezer compartment and and fridge main door open and never have a problem.  We don't have vent cover

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2018 #3

    The door trim if plastic can shrink and expand which  at times will make it pull away from the frame,  ,we have never use a cover when our c/vans have not been in use ,and not yet noticed any mildew we do not pull the curtains/blinds in the winter which lets "the sun shine in" to which we think, helps keep it "dry"

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2018 #4

    Mildrew in a caravan - I don't believe it.

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2018 #5

    ^^^^ 😂 however we also leave fridge and freezer compartment doors open when not in use summer or winter, do not have winter vent cover and have never had a problem with any Caravan.

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
    500 Comments
    edited December 2018 #6

    In the twenty plus years we`ve had caravans and motorhomes the ONLY time I`ve had mildew is one winter when I used a well known company`s breathable cover- never bothered again. We never heat, ventilate, use any form of de-humidification and never have any problems. The fridge is left open as are cupboards, seats placed on their sides, fridge vents are covered. You do find some edging strips pull away at corners and some cupboards doors can become tight until the weather warms up. The first place you may often find signs of damp internally is on the frame of the roof vents.

  • Ph1lTurner
    Ph1lTurner Forum Participant Posts: 51
    edited January 2019 #7

    Hi All, The fridge, freezer doors are all open as with every other cupboard door. The mildew is just located in the vicinity of the fridge door. Everything else around the van is dry.

    I was just wondering if wet could enter through the vent into van? It may have been existing damp in the vent just working its way through since I had washed the van and it had been wet here before putting cover on. The actual van itself was dry.

    Will check again soon.

    Thanks

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