Fearful about condensation in your campervan, motorhome, caravan or RV? You’re in the suitable place- we’ve bought all the perfect suggestions and methods to cut back your vanlife damp woes.
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Condensation in Campervans & Motorhomes- The Downside
We love street 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 or not you’re in a motorhome, campervan, caravan, RV or boat- you have to discover methods to cease or scale back condensation or damp. In any other case, 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!)
We lived on boats for 14 years earlier than we bought a motorhome, so we have now been doing battle in opposition to condensation for a REALLY very long time. On the plus facet, we’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 or not you’re new to motorhomes and campervans or been doing it for some time, listed here are 15 of the perfect tricks to cease condensation in your motorhome or camper, which we hope will provide help to get pleasure from journeys in your van all 12 months spherical.
Shutting down your motorhome/ camper for winter?
Seize your FREE winter shutdown guidelines right here
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 amount of water within the air growing (actually because we’ve breathed it out!) This air, now filled with water vapour, touches one thing chilly, like a window.
The air is then cooled down too rapidly and may’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 major methods to do away with campervan condensation (or not less than 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.
Tricks to Scale back Damp and Condensation in your RV, Motorhome & Caravan
The next suggestions will provide help to both cease condensation and damp utterly, or offer you methods to cut back and cope with 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- Maintain your motorhome heat
That is our most well-liked answer to cease condensation on each the boat and in our motorhome and it really works, though it can enhance your prices.
Heating your motorhome or campervan and conserving your house at a cushty temperature stops the air cooling down sufficient to trigger condensation. I ought to level out that when it will get REALLY chilly exterior, this now not works so properly. 🙁
You need to use an oil stuffed radiator in case your van is plugged into mains power- these work very well and are protected to depart on for lengthy durations, though chances are you’ll want to put it on a timer to cut back prices.
2- Open a window
A easy answer, particularly in case you’re residing in your motorhome, however not all the time enjoyable if it’s freezing/ raining!
Getting some recent air into your motorhome permits air with much less water vapour to enter, decreasing the humidity and subsequently decreasing the extent of condensation which may happen. Simply be sure you choose your moments.
There’s no set rule on how lengthy you need 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 typically entails steam, which incorporates… you guessed it = moisture! That’s why one thing like a low-wattage gradual cooker or an air fryer is a good suggestion 🙂
For a similar causes as above, if in case you have an extractor fitted both in your lavatory 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.
We depart our vents open for a few hours after a bathe and preserve the toilet 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 items are GENIUS! Battery operated, simple 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 bought a Motorhome- now I’m undecided how we ever lived with out one!
A window vac positively one of many best methods to take away condensation from Motorhome, RV, Boat or camper home windows.
Our favorite model is Karcher, however there are different varieties on the market- verify them out right here (UK)
5- Use Campsite amenities if obtainable.
We love wild tenting in our motorhome. We. LOVE. It. Just about every other web page on this web site will inform you why wild tenting is preferable to campsites for us.
BUT, in winter, we use campsites much more.
We additionally use their amenities extra, each for showers and for laundry/ drying garments. (See beneath.)
6- Don’t dangle up moist garments/ towels to dry
A technique we avoid wasting cash throughout summer time is use a laundrette to scrub our garments, then dangle them up in our lavatory to dry in a single day. It really works nice.
However don’t do that in winter in case you can keep away from it.
All that additional moisture within the air will trigger havoc in your condensation ranges.
Mr WB has already talked about placing the canine within the tumble drier earlier than we let him again into the motorhome!
(Sadly, I really feel compelled to state that I’m joking. Don’t ever put a pet or any animal right into a tumble drier. Please don’t name the RSPCA. We’re good folks. Sincere. Thanks.)
7- Can you utilize a dehumidifier in a motorhome or campervan?
We don’t use plug-in dehumidifier’s on the motorhome, however we do on the boat- and so they work nice.
On the motorhome, we use stand-alone, disposable packets, like they’ve labored very properly. We even have hanging ones, like this, to cut back moisture within the wardrobe.
If you’re searching for a dehumidifier, I’ll share a number of the finest ones beneath.
NOTE- a dehumidifier will NOT take away mildew. As soon as 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 we sometimes undergo from on the boat is mildew/ mould- attributable to not permitting sufficient airflow into our cabinets/ drawers/ wardrobes. (Normally after we’ve been away for per week or extra.)
For that reason, we frequently depart all the pieces open/ ajar after we go travelling- it stops the mould. You are able to 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 stated that, mildew additionally impacts paperwork and books, so watch out what you permit onboard while you’re not utilizing your van.
9- Bear in mind cushions and seats want love too!
You want airflow round your cushions and seats- so ensure that to tug them out just a little so that you simply don’t come again to seats lined in horrible inexperienced spots- which is damp/ mildew.
We regularly 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 have got a buffer between the chilly floor and the nice and cozy air contained in the motorhome. We tried it on the boat a number of years in the past and it labored…okay.
Nevertheless it appears to work significantly 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 utterly, 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- Maintain issues clear and dry
Whether or not you’re utilizing your motorhome all through winter or not, conserving your cabinets clear will certainly assist to cut back damp. Damp is attributable to condensation (or different moisture) sitting unchecked for too lengthy.
It could trigger severe issues for each the car and your well being. You may scale back the probabilities of damp/ mildew by growing 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. Should you’re packing a motorhome, strive to not put something damp again into the cabinets.
12- Examine for leaks in your campervan
It’s in all probability widespread 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 aren’t any leaks.
We feature a tube of silicone with us- simply in case!
Widespread 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 Electrical Dehumidifier in a Motorhome?
For some cause, folks appear frightened about utilizing an electrical dehumidifier in a motorhome. It’s completely protected, so long as you comply with the producer’s directions and keep in mind to empty it recurrently.
Personally, I wouldn’t depart an electrical dehumidifier switched on within the motorhome for a protracted time frame (whereas on a driveway for instance), particularly if I wasn’t there to control it. Nevertheless, it’s actually not an issue in a single day whilst you’re there.
You may add it to your Christmas record, together with these different good motorhome items!
Professional’s of utilizing an electrical dehumidifier in a motorhome
- Protected round pets! This can be a large one for us- disposable dehumidifiers are dangerous to animals if ingested.
- Simple and environment friendly to make use of
- You don’t want to fret about shopping for replacements
- Most likely kinder to the setting, as there’s 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.
- It’s essential to keep in mind to empty it.
- It takes up house.
There are many dehumidifiers available on the market. Make SURE the one you’re ordering has an computerized shut off when it will get full and a plug applicable to your nation (you’d be amazed what number of don’t include a plug!)
See our 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 our motorhome. We’ve tried a number of models- and so they’ve all both failed inside just a few days or not made any distinction in any respect.
That’s why we choose packing containers or sachets like these.
Nevertheless, we’re actually happy with the electrical dehumidifier we use on the boat. They work nice within the motorhome too, however clearly, you want mains to run them on.
RANDOM Bonus Tip to Cease Condensation in your Motorhome!
Okay- full disclosure- we haven’t tried this however I assumed I’d share it in case it helped anybody out.
APPARENTLY, in case 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- certainly the washing up liquid smears and obstructs your imaginative and prescient?? And cleansing it off should be a ache.
Should you’ve tried it, let me know if it really works!!
So there you go, the perfect suggestions that can assist you cease condensation and damp in your motorhome or camper. I hope they provide help to get pleasure from journeys in your van all 12 months lengthy.
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