geebee
Slightly Hitched
Posts: 24
|
Post by geebee on Jan 10, 2015 13:42:17 GMT
Hello again, yes another post, hope that's ok!
As I continue to dry out areas in our caravan I've noticed the floor reading around 17% to 25%. Is it top be expected that the readings will be higher during a very heavy period of rain and wind?
I'm constantly running a 700 watt oil heater in the van now although this is leaned close the walls I'm trying to dry, plus this morning I emptied a pint of water from running the dehumidifier all day yesterday. Even when it's not raining in the Welsh valleys, it's still wet!
Thanks for allowing me to share my new caravaner concerns. :-) Cheers, Graham.
|
|
|
Post by Dickers on Jan 10, 2015 15:57:47 GMT
Hi Geebee,
If the caravan has been standing for a while all locked up, it would not be unreasonable to expect some damp. Your heater will be drawing the damp out of the walls and, if the upholstery is still in the caravan, from the upholstery. This is a perennial problem. You say that you emptied a pint of water from the dehumidifier after approx. 24 hrs. I would have thought that this was not excessive if the caravan has been standing for a while. If the amount of water reduces on a daily basis, the dehumidifier is doing the job. You don't say whether the dehumidifier is an absorption type (a box with an absorbent chemical in it) or a full blown mains operated unit. The fact that you were able to measure the output of water suggests that it may be the latter.
The damp on the floor could be from the convection currents inside the caravan due to the heater. The heater is drawing moisture from the wall and the vapour is rising with the heat from the heater, up to the ceiling, down the wall on the other side and on to the floor. If the floor is lino or similar, it will be comparatively cold therefore the vapour would condense on to the floor covering. If the floor covering is carpet, then the carpet is damp and will need to be thoroughly dried out. On this subject, have you taken the seat cushions and all the soft furnishings out of the caravan? If not, they will have absorbed some of the damp atmosphere and will not be helping. If possible take them out of the caravan and into the house. Stand them on end against a wall with a gap between the cushion and the wall to let the air circulate. Put a towel or something similar between the cushions and the wall to stop them marking the decor. Try wiping the floor dry and see if the damp comes back and by how much. This will give you some idea of whether the damp is condensation or is coming from the floor.
To sun up, the problem with damp is two fold. It needs to be established whether the damp there simply because there has been a lack of heat and/or ventilation in the caravan or is there a leak somewhere. If the latter, that needs attention before anything else is done otherwise the problem will not go away.
After you have sorted the problem out and the caravan is fully dried out on a permanent basis, you can continue to use the dehumidifier or the heater until you are absolutely sure that the problem is cured. Damp in a caravan is difficult to source and can be a serious problem. Some caravanners put a bowl of salt on the kitchen work surface, but that only works with a normallly dry caravan. I use 2 x 1kg. bags of silica gel which jumped into the boot of my car when I was in the RAF. In the spring, they are put in the boiler house to dry out ready for next winter.
Not a great deal of help but it may give you some ideas.
Dickers.
|
|
geebee
Slightly Hitched
Posts: 24
|
Post by geebee on Jan 11, 2015 11:29:11 GMT
Hi Dickers and thanks,
Yes I have a mains dehumidifier which seems to do the job well, especially when the weather is bad! The caravan cushions etc are still in the van although I have stood them up and most of them are out of the way in the toilet compartment. I think yes it would be a good idea to bring them indoors although space is a premium with the children and I don't think the loft would be a good idea, but I'll try and give it a go.
I think you must learn some amazing things at the RAF, my late father was stationed at Tangmere I think back in the late 50's early 60's and he was always full of good ideas and a very practical person.
The floor in the caravan is carpeted and in reasonable condition, I'm sticking the meter through this and that's what's giving the readings. I'm just wondering if this 16-25% is due to the severe rain that we had here hoping this will improve in better conditions.
Cheers.
|
|
|
Post by Sorento 08 on Jan 11, 2015 13:23:46 GMT
Hi Dickers and thanks, Yes I have a mains dehumidifier which seems to do the job well, especially when the weather is bad! The caravan cushions etc are still in the van although I have stood them up and most of them are out of the way in the toilet compartment. I think yes it would be a good idea to bring them indoors although space is a premium with the children and I don't think the loft would be a good idea, but I'll try and give it a go. I think you must learn some amazing things at the RAF, my late father was stationed at Tangmere I think back in the late 50's early 60's and he was always full of good ideas and a very practical person. The floor in the caravan is carpeted and in reasonable condition, I'm sticking the meter through this and that's what's giving the readings. I'm just wondering if this 16-25% is due to the severe rain that we had here hoping this will improve in better conditions. Cheers. I have had spurious readings when going through carpets.
|
|
|
Post by Dickers on Jan 11, 2015 15:54:14 GMT
Hi Geebee,
If, as you say, you are taking your readings through the carpet you will get false readings. The "prongs" of the meter are reading the resistance to the passage of a small electrical current. The current will take the shortest route which in this case will be through the carpet. If the carpet is damp, which in all likelihood yours is, this will result in a higher than expected reading. It is very difficult to keep carpets dry and, once damp, difficult to get them dry. Fixed carpets are a particular problem.
It would be wrong to expect a zero reading even in a "dry" caravan. Timber has a natural moisture content. My research, since last posting, indicates that the National Caravan Council guidelines are as follows.
0-15% Acceptable moisture content
16-20% Further investigation is needed. The readings should be repeated three months after the test.
Over 20% Indication of areas where remedial work is required at the earliest opportunity
Over 30% Damage to the structure of the caravan may be taking place or a seal is seriously damaged. Urgent attention is needed.
It is emphasized that these figures are a guide only. If in doubt, ask your local itinerant caravan service engineer to check with his damp meter. They tend to use radio frequency damp meters which are more accurate and do not leave the small holes that the less expensive prong type meters do. The instruments they use cost about £200-250 and are more accurate than the run of the mill instruments costing, say, around the £15-20 mark. However, in your case, I would suggest that you carry on as you are for a bit and try to get the caravan as dry as possible then take the readings a gain before going into panic mode.
Reference the cushions and other soft furnishings, it is best if you can find somewhere indoors to store them over the winter. If the caravan is intrinsically damp, they will absorb moisture from the air. All the lockers, high and low level, should be opened and left open to even out the dampness throughout the caravan. If this precaution is not taken, pockets of damp air will be trapped in the lockers.
Dickers.
|
|
geebee
Slightly Hitched
Posts: 24
|
Post by geebee on Jan 11, 2015 17:02:32 GMT
Thanks again, I've been spending time removing all the cushions and now have discovered another damp area reading 50% at the rear. Not a huge area, an area where the mastic was not replaced as the caravan was parked back against the house. So new mastic ordered and hopefully we'll get a nice weekend soon!
People really should be warmed when spending good money on caravans, even if they are only a couple of years old as I've read some nightmare stories. After years of doing van conversions I've never worried about damp, this has been a real eye opener. It's a shame that mastic replacement wasn't advertised as a requirement for every 5 years or something as my heart go's out to those young families who have, and are, falling into the same trap and perhaps not having the skills to repair. I guess like myself you go into holiday mode when looking and get too enthusiastic! Anyway, 2 heaters and and a dehumidifier on the go, it will be ready by April! :-) Cheers.
|
|
|
Post by Dickers on Jan 12, 2015 12:05:38 GMT
Hi Geebee,
A salutary tale.
Apropos nothing at all, your comment reference young families buying caravans reminds me of a very sad tale.
Some 15 years ago, I went to a caravan accessory and repair shop to get a control panel for a Mk 1 Cascade water heater. In the workshop was a family of Mum, Dad and two young children looking very sad and forlorn. They were looking at a caravan with the side, rear and roof panels peeled back and the wooden internal frame exposed. All the wooden frame was black with mould. They had bought the caravan (about 2 or 3 years old) privately as their first caravan. They had been told there was no damp but had not checked before parting with their money and, of course, having bought it privately, had no recourse to any warranty. Nor were they able to claim the cost of the repair or to give it back to the vendor for a refund. The estimate for the repair was £ 2,000 making the purchase a costly error.
Dickers
|
|
geebee
Slightly Hitched
Posts: 24
|
Post by geebee on Jan 12, 2015 20:08:23 GMT
Yes sad tale and I've been reading this all too often. I guess at least the newer Bailey caravans have been designed without wood framing etc so hopefully other manufacturers will follow suit, although it will take quite a few years for them to filter down to those on a budget!
Cheers,
The caravan is now a sweat lodge most evenings now as I'm determined to get on top of all of these issues, and hopefully come out smiling in a year or so when I've stripped it out and rebuilt certain sections. It's kind of a war of patience now!
|
|