Worried about condensation in your campervan, motorhome, caravan or RV? You’re in the precise place- we’ve received all the very best suggestions and tips to scale back your vanlife damp woes.
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Condensation in Campervans & Motorhomes- The Problem
I really like highway tripping out of season. Campsites are quieter, the roads are much less busy and you’ll go to some AMAZING locations with out queuing for hours.
HOWEVER- cooler climate brings one actually annoying companion… condensation.
Whether you’re in a motorhome, campervan, caravan, RV or boat- it’s worthwhile to discover methods to cease or scale back condensation or damp. Otherwise, out-of-season touring goes to change into fairly depressing.
(Alternatively, simply run away someplace heat, like these 7 warmest locations in Spain in winter!)
I lived on boats for 14 years earlier than we received a motorhome, so have been doing battle towards condensation for a REALLY very long time. On the plus facet, I’ve change into actually good at managing/ stopping that annoying moisture throughout your home windows, particularly within the morning, to not point out the damp in your cabinets.
Whether you’re new to motorhomes and campervans or been doing it for some time, listed here are 15 of the very best tricks to cease condensation in your motorhome or camper, which we hope will make it easier to get pleasure from journeys in your van all 12 months spherical.
Shutting down your motorhome/ camper for winter?
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Condensation in a Motorhome- What Causes It?
Don’t panic- I’m not going to get technical on you.
In (very!) primary phrases, condensation is attributable to the quantity of water within the air rising (actually because we’ve breathed it out!) This air, now stuffed with water vapour, touches one thing chilly, like a window.
The air is then cooled down too shortly and might’t maintain the moisture in it anymore, so the vapour turns to liquid on the chilly floor it’s touching.
You’ll discover the most condensation within the coldest a part of your van, which for us is the entrance cab home windows as we don’t actually warmth that.
So, there are two most important methods to do away with campervan condensation (or a minimum of scale back it!).
First is to scale back the quantity of water vapour within the air. Second is to cease that air getting chilly. Simples.
Tips to Reduce Damp and Condensation in your RV, Motorhome & Caravan
The following suggestions will make it easier to both cease condensation and damp fully, or offer you methods to scale back and take care of it if it does happen. Not all suggestions will work for each motorhome or campervan- give all of them a try to see what works for you.
1- Keep your motorhome heat
This is my most well-liked resolution to cease condensation in my motorhome and it really works, though it should improve your prices.
Heating your motorhome or campervan and maintaining your house at a snug temperature stops the air cooling down sufficient to trigger condensation. I ought to level out that when it will get REALLY chilly outdoors, this not works so nicely. 🙁
You can use an oil crammed radiator in case your van is plugged into mains power- these work very well and are protected to go away on for lengthy durations, though chances are you’ll want to put it on a timer to scale back prices.
2- Open a window
A easy resolution, particularly in the event you’re dwelling in your motorhome, however not all the time enjoyable if it’s freezing/ raining!
Getting some contemporary air into your motorhome permits air with much less water vapour to enter, lowering the humidity and subsequently lowering the extent of condensation which might happen. Just make sure you choose your moments.
There’s no set rule on how lengthy it’s important to have it open for- clearly the longer the higher! We all the time open a window or a vent every time we’re cooking.
I do know, this appears to contradict level one, however heating from cooking usually includes steam, which comprises… you guessed it = moisture! That’s why one thing like a low-wattage gradual cooker or an air fryer is a good suggestion 🙂
For the identical causes as above, when you’ve got an extractor fitted both in your rest room or kitchen, use it to clean up the air, particularly after a bathe/ whereas cooking.
Showers are the hardest- a lot scorching, moist air which must go someplace.
I depart our vents open for a few hours after a bathe and preserve the lavatory door shut as a lot as doable in order that air doesn’t get out into the remainder of the Motorhome.
4- Get a Handheld Window Vacuum cleaner
These issues are GENIUS! Battery operated, straightforward to wash and work very well to take away condensation for home windows in simply a few minutes!
I had by no means heard of them earlier than we received a Motorhome- now I’m undecided how we ever lived with out one!
A window vac undoubtedly one of many best methods to take away condensation from Motorhome, RV, Boat or camper home windows.
My favorite model is Karcher, however there are different varieties on the market- test them out right here (UK)
5- Use Campsite services if out there.
I really like wild tenting in our motorhome. I. LOVE. It. Pretty a lot some other web page on this web site will inform you why wild tenting is preferable to campsites for me.
BUT, in winter, we use campsites much more.
I additionally use their services extra, each for showers and for laundry/ drying garments. (See beneath.)
6- Don’t grasp up moist garments/ towels to dry
One means I avoid wasting cash throughout summer time is use a laundrette to scrub my garments, then grasp them up within the rest room to dry in a single day. It works nice.
But don’t do that in winter in the event you can keep away from it.
All that further moisture within the air will trigger havoc in your condensation ranges.
7- Can you employ a dehumidifier in a motorhome or campervan?
I don’t use plug-in dehumidifier’s on the motorhome, I exploit stand-alone, disposable packets, like they’ve labored very nicely. I even have hanging ones, to scale back moisture within the wardrobe.
If you might be on the lookout for a dehumidifier, I’ll share a few of the finest ones beneath.
NOTE- a dehumidifier will NOT take away mildew. Once that has began, all the pieces wants an intensive cleansing with disinfectant, after which all of it must be dried completely and left with enough airflow.
8- Create airflow round your camper
One factor I often undergo from when dwelling on the boat is mildew/ mould- attributable to not permitting sufficient airflow into our cabinets/ drawers/ wardrobes. (Usually after it had been vacant for every week or extra.)
For this cause, I typically depart all the pieces open/ ajar when going travelling- it stops the mold. You can do one thing comparable on the motorhome- both reduce small holes or match a vent to permit airflow to cabinets which don’t have already got them.
Or don’t put garments in cabinets which don’t have airflow into them. Having mentioned that, mildew additionally impacts paperwork and books, so watch out what you permit onboard whenever you’re not utilizing your van.
9- Remember cushions and seats want love too!
You want airflow round your cushions and seats- so ensure that to drag them out a little bit so that you just don’t come again to seats coated in horrible inexperienced spots- which is damp/ mildew.
I typically take away our cushions if we’re not utilizing the motorhome for some time.
10- Put a protector over your home windows
There are a number of methods to do that, and it really works precisely like double-glazing; you’ve gotten a buffer between the chilly floor and the nice and cozy air contained in the motorhome. I attempted it when dwelling on a ship and it labored…okay.
But it appears to work a lot better on the motorhome. Our coldest half is our cab, so silver or thermal screens on the outside scale back the issue. It doesn’t cease it fully, but it surely does scale back it.
You may also get enjoyable ones with eyes right here.
NOTE- the pull-over fitted screens contained in the cab are nice for privateness, however don’t cease condensation because the air simply circulates round them.
11- Keep issues clear and dry
Whether you’re utilizing your motorhome all through winter or not, maintaining your cabinets clear will certainly assist to scale back damp. Damp is attributable to condensation (or different moisture) sitting unchecked for too lengthy.
It may cause severe issues for each the automobile and your well being. You can scale back the probabilities of damp/ mildew by rising airflow, cleansing out cabinets and drying them completely after cleansing. Your campervan storage will get simpler too.
Do NOT put something into your cabinets/ wardrobe which is damp. This contains coats and sneakers. If you’re packing a motorhome, attempt to not put something damp again into the cabinets.
12- Check for leaks in your campervan
It’s most likely frequent sense, but when your van is leaking, you’re going to get extra moisture into your house. Moisture= condensation when it’s warmed up, so ensure that there are not any leaks.
I carry a tube of silicone with us- simply in case!
Common locations which leak are across the motorhome television aerial, the van wifi antenna or something you’ve drilled, like a photo voltaic panel or awning.
Can You Use an Electric Dehumidifier in a Motorhome?
For some cause, folks appear nervous about utilizing an electrical dehumidifier in a motorhome. It’s completely protected, so long as you comply with the producer’s directions and bear in mind to empty it often.
Personally, I wouldn’t depart an electrical dehumidifier switched on within the motorhome for an extended time frame (whereas on a driveway for instance), particularly if I wasn’t there to control it. However, it’s actually not an issue in a single day whilst you’re there.
You can add it to your Christmas listing, together with these different excellent motorhome presents!
Pro’s of utilizing an electrical dehumidifier in a motorhome
- Safe round pets! This is an enormous one for us- disposable dehumidifiers are dangerous to animals if ingested.
- Easy and environment friendly to make use of
- You don’t want to fret about shopping for replacements
- Probably kinder to the setting, as there may be much less plastic wastage.
Cons of utilizing an electrical dehumidifier in a motorhome
- You want 12v or mains energy & one thing dependable to plug it into.
- You should bear in mind to empty it.
- It takes up house.
There are loads of dehumidifiers in the marketplace. Make SURE the one you might be ordering has an computerized shut off when it will get full and a plug acceptable to your nation (you’d be amazed what number of don’t include a plug!)
See my suggestions beneath.
What’s the BEST 12v Dehumidifer for a Motorhome or Campervan?
I’ll be trustworthy (as all the time!) and inform you that we’ve REALLY struggled to discover a dependable 12v dehumidifier for my motorhome. I’ve tried a number of models- they usually’ve all both failed inside a couple of days or not made any distinction by any means.
That’s why I choose packing containers or sachets like these.
However, I’m actually happy with the electrical dehumidifier that we used use on the boat. They work nice within the motorhome too, however clearly, you want mains to run them on.
RANDOM Bonus Tip to Stop Condensation in your Motorhome!
Ok- full disclosure- I haven’t tried this however I believed I’d share it in case it helped anybody out.
APPARENTLY, in the event you put a very skinny coating of washing up liquid over the within of your home windows/ windscreen, it stops condensation.
My guess is the washing up liquid creates a barrier between the chilly glass and heat air= diminished condensation! It sounds a bit odd to me- absolutely the washing up liquid smears and obstructs your imaginative and prescient?? And cleansing it off should be a ache.
If you’ve tried it, let me know if it really works!!
So there you go, the very best suggestions that will help you cease condensation and damp in your motorhome or camper. I hope they make it easier to get pleasure from journeys in your van all 12 months lengthy.
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