Winter damp prevention - dehumidifier? Fridge vent covers?

[Pocket Rocket]

This is our first winter with our motorhome, so we’re still learning!

It’s a new motorhome, no signs of damp (fingers crossed!), and we are planning on using it for short trips about once a month, partly to keep the engine running well.

We have found that using it in cooler, wetter weather means that we don’t have the windows open often, and have wet clothes inside (along with cooking, breathing etc).

Is a dehumidifier a good idea? If so, any recommendations for which make / type?

Any other suggestions for winter damp prevention whilst it’s standing unused on the drive? Someone recommended external fridge vent covers - any advice about these?

Many thanks

 

[Podney]

Do nothing. Seriously,do nothing!
You don’t need a dehumidifier.
The only time you need to dry it out is if it leaks,and if it leaks take it back to the dealer.

 

[pj650]

Do nothing. Seriously,do nothing!
You don’t need a dehumidifier.
The only time you need to dry it out is if it leaks,and if it leaks take it back to the dealer.

Couldn’t agree more. The van isn’t totally sealed from the atmosphere so a dehumidifier will do nothing. The only time I use fridge vent covers is when I wash the van.

 

[Stealaway]

Simply leave the front van vent open and a crack a window open at the rear.
Take all the bedding indoors and stand the mattress vertical.
Ventilation is the key.

 

[Lenny HB]

Motorhomes have perminant ventilation so a dehumidifier is a waste of time. Fridge vent covers are good to use all year when not using the the van, stops loads of crap accumulating behind the fridge.

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[poppycamper]

Agree 100% about dehumidifiers..
Think about it.. you put in a dehumidifier and think.. great look at all that water in the tank that is coming from inside my van... nope (unless your van is hermetically sealed, which it aint) all you are doing is pulling moist air in from out side to replace the air you have just dried.
No heat.. plenty of ventilation is all you need.

 

[PP Bear]

Had this in my van for 12 years and its brilliant, no damp, no nasty black stuff or spots. If you saw the amount of water it collects then you’d get one too.

Motorhomes do have lots of ventilation, but it’s usually the damp air from the outside, plus you can get scented ones, so the van pongs nice too

 

[Badknee]

Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation.

 

[poppycamper]

Had this in my van for 12 years and its brilliant, no damp, no nasty black stuff or spots. If you saw the amount of water it collects then you’d get one too.

Motorhomes do have lots of ventilation, but it’s usually the damp air from the outside, plus you can get scented ones, so the van pongs nice too
View attachment 675922View attachment 675923

I don't have one of those... nor do I have any damp, any nasty black stuff or spots.

 

[denisejoe]

Go to a dealers in mid winter and ask how many dehumidifiers they use total waste of time

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[ctc]

Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation.

Plus make sure you ventilate!

 

[funflair]

This is our first winter with our motorhome, so we’re still learning!

It’s a new motorhome, no signs of damp (fingers crossed!), and we are planning on using it for short trips about once a month, partly to keep the engine running well.

We have found that using it in cooler, wetter weather means that we don’t have the windows open often, and have wet clothes inside (along with cooking, breathing etc).

Is a dehumidifier a good idea? If so, any recommendations for which make / type?

Any other suggestions for winter damp prevention whilst it’s standing unused on the drive? Someone recommended external fridge vent covers - any advice about these?

Many thanks

I think ventilation has been mentioned and with good reason, but just to confirm the point you should be opening windows or sky light when you are using the van as all that moist air from breathing and cooking has to go somewhere and it will just search out the coldest spots to make condensation which is far easier to prevent than to dry.

 

[dazandandrea]

Ventilate and use it.

 

[Spriddler]

Simply leave the front van vent open and a crack a window open at the rear.
Take all the bedding indoors and stand the mattress vertical.
Ventilation is the key.

Exactly that.
Mine's in my drive so on fine winter days I throw open the hab door and all windows and roof vents for a couple of hours.
Never had any damp, mildew or black spots.
If I haven't used it for say two to three weeks I take it for a fast 20 to 30 mile drive along the nearby dual carriageway and M23 or to a nice rural spot for a walk, a brew and maybe forty winks dreaming that I'm in the Loire Valley.

 

[TerryL]

Make sure you drain down all the tanks, including the water pipes if possible, whenever you leave it and temperatures are forecast to drop. A short overnight frost isn't usually a problem, but a prolonged spell below freezing can and will create problems if you don't drain down. Plenty of threads about winterising.

And no, DON'T use any kind of heating to prevent frost damage, it just creates more condensation. Tank heaters etc. are for when you're touring in very cold areas, such as skiing - at those times your normal use should prevent freezing as moving water doesn't freeze as quickly as still.

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[bigtwin]

For storage/layup the previous comments about dehumidifiers are perfectly correct.

HOWEVER, noting what you said about wet clothes in the van during use, a dehumidifier (if you have the means to power it) would be an effective method of drying your wet clothes (something for you to think about Northernraider?).

Ian

 

[PP Bear]

I don't have one of those... nor do I have any damp, any nasty black stuff or spots.

Well that’s a relief then isn’t it.

 

[Brains]

Do nothing. Seriously,do nothing!
You don’t need a dehumidifier.
The only time you need to dry it out is if it leaks,and if it leaks take it back to the dealer.

Except drain the water tanks and boiler.
Frozen pipes will split.
A frozen boiler will need replacing (cost has a comma in it)

I'd also jam open the fridge door (many M/H fridges have a secondary 'winter' catch)
I'd open all the internal lockers
I'd take in as much of the bedding as is practical
Upend the mattresses
I'd remove all food, even tins/bottles as they cause condensation
You also need to ensure there is nothing for mice to find interesting
Fit fridge vents, Maybe fit something to stop leaves filling up the windscreen scuttle and engine vents.

And put into your route a drive every 3 weeks through the winter, just to get it warmed up and stop the tyres developing flat spots etc.
,
You will find several 'winterisation' sheets if you browse around.
I don't think any of them include a dehumidifier or a heater

 

[poppycamper]

Well that’s a relief then isn’t it.

Yes indeed, it is a relief to know I am not sooking all that water in from outside.

 

[denisejoe]

Except drain the water tanks and boiler.
Frozen pipes will split.
A frozen boiler will need replacing (cost has a comma in it)

I'd also jam open the fridge door (many M/H fridges have a secondary 'winter' catch)
I'd open all the internal lockers
I'd take in as much of the bedding as is practical
Upend the mattresses
I'd remove all food, even tins/bottles as they cause condensation
You also need to ensure there is nothing for mice to find interesting
Fit fridge vents, Maybe fit something to stop leaves filling up the windscreen scuttle and engine vents.

And put into your route a drive every 3 weeks through the winter, just to get it warmed up and stop the tyres developing flat spots etc.
,
You will find several 'winterisation' sheets if you browse around.
I don't think any of them include a dehumidifier or a heater

Can't be bothered with all that! We leave the bedding in place as we like to use the van at a moment's notice so everything except the clothes we need for a couple of days away and fresh food is left in the van. Day before going away we'll put in the clothes and food.

Our van is now nearly 20 years old and not had a problem with damp or mould.

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[PP Bear]

Yes indeed, it is a relief to know I am not sooking all that water in from outside.

See, I’m doing a public service, as I’m sooking in all the damp air, which means you’ll only get damp free air sooked in

 

[Podney]

Except drain the water tanks and boiler.
Frozen pipes will split.
A frozen boiler will need replacing (cost has a comma in it)

I'd also jam open the fridge door (many M/H fridges have a secondary 'winter' catch)
I'd open all the internal lockers
I'd take in as much of the bedding as is practical
Upend the mattresses
I'd remove all food, even tins/bottles as they cause condensation
You also need to ensure there is nothing for mice to find interesting
Fit fridge vents, Maybe fit something to stop leaves filling up the windscreen scuttle and engine vents.

And put into your route a drive every 3 weeks through the winter, just to get it warmed up and stop the tyres developing flat spots etc.
,
You will find several 'winterisation' sheets if you browse around.
I don't think any of them include a dehumidifier or a heater

Yes,of course! I agree!
I was referring specifically to damp and humidifiers,as in the OP.
And add: put corks or blocks of wood under the wiper blades so that they are not frozen to the windscreen when you drive off,causing damage.

 

[terryb]

a good silverscreen what also goe,s past the windscreen scuttle.

 

[Pausim]

I do not use covers, dehumidifiers or water collection devices and have never had a problem. A well designed and built motorhome should look after itself. Condensation forms when the temperature of moist air drops and it will settle out on the coldest surfaces. If it were to happen I would rather the coldest area was the windscreen because it will do less damage there than in the interior. Occasional heating is a big no no for me, heated air holds more moisture but when it cools the moisture is released.

 

[poppycamper]

I do not use covers, dehumidifiers or water collection devices and have never had a problem. A well designed and built motorhome should look after itself. Condensation forms when the temperature of moist air drops and it will settle out on the coldest surfaces. If it were to happen I would rather the coldest area was the windscreen because it will do less damage there than in the interior. Occasional heating is a big no no for me, heated air holds more moisture but when it cools the moisture is released.

We use Karchar window vac every morning on windscreen, that basically becomes a large dehumidifier.

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[PP Bear]

We use Karchar window vac every morning on windscreen, that basically becomes a large dehumidifier.

Same here and sooks up all the unwanted moisture

 

[Lenny HB]

And add: put corks or blocks of wood under the wiper blades so that they are not frozen to the windscreen when you drive off,causing damage.

I wouldn't, I used to put corks under the wiper arms until I had a problem with the wiper clearing the screen. It had weakened the springs in the arms.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Use it all year ! Oooher

 

[62272]

I use a small dehumidifier (bought on Amazon), it runs all the time through the winter except when the temperature gets to about 5 deg or below. I empty the reservoir chamber out every few days. i also leave the roof vents very slightly open, which also helps the rubber seals not being destroyed..

The suede upholstery is dry to touch and there are no damp smells when entering the van. also use the van throughout the winter.

Having entered some mohos at dealers (when we were looking) you could tell the ones who did nothing by the stink of damp IMHO

 

[Sapper520]

I use the van all year. During the colder months I put one of these in the toilet, one in a kitchen cupboard and one in the living area and one in the back, all wedged somewhere so I don’t have to worry about them falling over.

I do remove the bed mattresses until needed.

Last winter I used 4 in total……about £4.