We have a 2015 Bailey Valencia we keep on a seasonal pitch in Devon. With our previous caravan a 2011 Bailey Senator which we exchange earlier in the year due to bad damp issues from the washroom we always covered from Nov to March with a breathable cover and left the condensation units dotted around the van as left on site. We are now left wondering if these measures contributed to the damp issue in any way as keep hearing conflicting advice and should we leave uncovered and not leave any units inside to collect moisture?
Winter Storage
- Thread starter Annie3
- Start date
I never covered my caravans, but plenty do so without any problems, so I don’t think your damp was due to the cover or the condensation units. Could you describe more about where your previous caravan suffered damp and what the levels were. The reason I never covered a caravan is that i considered that the interior could breath more effectively without a cover in place. I would open all cupboards and draws etc and upend the seats and bed to allow free movement of air. This also prevented condensation, mould and mustiness.
We always covered our caravan with a 4 ply breathable cover and left the windows slightly open and use salt pots around the van and we stood the cushions up and left all cupboards open , wardrobe door and fridge , and even the oven and we had no problems
Those water absorbing containers are a waste of money as you are trying dry out the earth's atmosphere as caravan has numerous vent holes for natural ventilation.
Neither the cover or those moisture blocks would have contributed to the damp found in the caravan.
Neither the cover or those moisture blocks would have contributed to the damp found in the caravan.
Unfortunately condensation is likely to occur in most caravans simply because one side gets hotter than the other when the sun shines on it, and whilst in storage in cooler months that can trigger some condensation, BUT as the sun moves round, so will the condensation, and ultimately there is no moisture gained or lost compared to the ambient humidity levels so its a status quo.
Removing soft furnishings and as others have said keeping internal doors and cupboards open enough to ventilate the difficult spaces should be all that's needed.
There is a limited use for dehumidifiers. When you use a caravan the levels of absorbed moisture in the furnishings and some wood may rise, simply because we breathe out quite a lot of water vapour, and when you cook, often you might boil water which of course produces water vapour, and whenever you use an open gas flame such as on a cooker or oven, that also produces water vapour (your gas water and space heater have room sealed combustion so they do not add any water vapour to the living space) after a few days of occupancy, the moisture content will have risen a little, so when you first put the caravan into storage, having a moisture trap will help reduce the excess moisture, but beyond the first few days it will make no difference to the caravan as the essential ventilation will just keep replenishing the extracted water.
If you do have a damp problem, then rather than treating the symptom which might allow the problem to get worse and cause serious damage, its far better to correct the fault.
Removing soft furnishings and as others have said keeping internal doors and cupboards open enough to ventilate the difficult spaces should be all that's needed.
There is a limited use for dehumidifiers. When you use a caravan the levels of absorbed moisture in the furnishings and some wood may rise, simply because we breathe out quite a lot of water vapour, and when you cook, often you might boil water which of course produces water vapour, and whenever you use an open gas flame such as on a cooker or oven, that also produces water vapour (your gas water and space heater have room sealed combustion so they do not add any water vapour to the living space) after a few days of occupancy, the moisture content will have risen a little, so when you first put the caravan into storage, having a moisture trap will help reduce the excess moisture, but beyond the first few days it will make no difference to the caravan as the essential ventilation will just keep replenishing the extracted water.
If you do have a damp problem, then rather than treating the symptom which might allow the problem to get worse and cause serious damage, its far better to correct the fault.
Do people with touring caravans on a seasonal pitch have an annual service?
I suspect some don’t. Most damp patches caught early on can be fixed reasonably easily without any long term damage.
Covers imo are a waste of time and effort and can cause more problems than good , scuffed windows and paint etc.
I suspect some don’t. Most damp patches caught early on can be fixed reasonably easily without any long term damage.
Covers imo are a waste of time and effort and can cause more problems than good , scuffed windows and paint etc.
Hi We found it along the bathroom wall behind the WC had it repaired but came back again ended up being really bad in the washroom and working it’s way into the bedroom when we exchanged for the Valencia
We’ve always had a service had the damp treated after a service found high readings but unfortunately it came back that’s when we decided to part exchange the van to the one we now have
When we were seasonal some years ago we always had our caravan service and a damp check ,so it had service history from new and went into a indoor storage .
BB , Forgive me asking but why did you cover your caravan when you stored it indoors 🙃😵💫
Pigeons or other bird droppings perhaps. Same reason classic cars are often covered when in storage.
Did i say i cover my caravan at that time we had a twin axle i don"t think i could reach from my wheelchair and where we were seasonal they had caravan indoor storage .
In post #3 you mentioned covering your caravan which probably confused everyone?
In post #9 I did say a few years ago when i was seasonal ?
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There are a couple of reasons why having a service done on a caravan could be important even when its on a seasonal or even permanent pitch.
The first reason which applies when the caravan is brand new, is some manufacturers warranties require an annual service and inspection to keep the warranty active.
The second reason is that many caravan fittings and appliance's deteriorate with age, Some older appliances, for example the Truma/Carver SB1800 where because of construction regulations had to use steel gas feed and burner feed pipes, and these were prone to rusting. There are other examples where some items can get infested by insects which can compromise their performance or function.
I agree with your comment about the cover - caravans are (should be) designed to live outside. There is a case for a cover for indoor cover, their less likely to blown around so much so scratching widows or paint should be minimal if any at all.
sorry not stored indoors it remains on the pitch during the winter period.Did i say i cover my caravan at that time we had a twin axle i don"t think i could reach from my wheelchair and where we were seasonal they had caravan indoor storage .
If the cover is breathable then this should not cause condensation but as others say it occurs naturally. I am not sure there is a lot you can do, it really needs checking from time to time but I assume this is not practicable. Given the caravan has ventilation built into the design I do not believe the drying crystals work as the air should be constantly changing. Possibly leaving a window or two in the ventilation position might help as suggested by Beachball.
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