HOW LONG DID YOU AIR OUT YOUR NEW COACH?

[Jim Martin PA]

We just brought home our new motor home yesterday.

Spend most of this morning practicing what we learned yesterday due our PDI and discovering all kinds of neat stuff.

Around lunch time we both felt ill. Lightheaded, nauseous, just felt bad.

As we reviewed our activities and meals we both recalled feeling poorly last evening after driving our new toy home.

Then the light went on, wow, it's probably our new toy with all the new stuff, chemicals, fabrics, carpets, and adhesives.

Our question is how long does one have to air these puppies out before you can safely use them?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Jim & Elaine

[Jim Martin PA]

We just brought home our new motor home yesterday.

Spend most of this morning practicing what we learned yesterday due our PDI and discovering all kinds of neat stuff.

Around lunch time we both felt ill. Lightheaded, nauseous, just felt bad.

As we reviewed our activities and meals we both recalled feeling poorly last evening after driving our new toy home.

Then the light went on, wow, it's probably our new toy with all the new stuff, chemicals, fabrics, carpets, and adhesives.

Our question is how long does one have to air these puppies out before you can safely use them?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Jim & Elaine

["007"]

Jim & Elaine welcome to IRV2 and congrats on your new RV.
When we got our new rv was in the month of June. We could open the windows or leave the vents open with the Max-airs that cover the vents. During that time of the year its not hard to air out the coach. In PA. this time of year you will have to watch the weather but leaving vents and window open a crack should help and if you have Fantastic fans they will move to air thru coach faster. We have used sented candles or the sents that plug in an outlet to keep it a fresh smell. Unless you are really sensitive to the smells a day or two should not make you sick. Remember to open windows when you use your furnace for the first time and for that matter when you use your heat strip also, the oil will burn off.
It would be helpful for everyone if you can post in sig-profile your coach info so you can show off your new coach info and tow for future reference. Welcome again and many happy and safe miles. "007"

[RV Wizard]

What you are probably experiencing is the effects of formaldehyde. It is used in very many products to preserve them from deterioration. It is in glues, fabrics, and fillers. It may take a while before it can off gas enough to not be so irritating. Some people are very allergic to it and some manufacturers try very hard to use products with low or no amounts of formaldehyde. Hot weather will intesify the off gasing which will help reduce the levels but if you are using the coach can be more irritating as a result. Start now to improve the situation by heating the coach and opening windows a crack and roof vents if you can. This will hopefully get rid of enough of the off gassing to not be an issue when you start using the coach in the spring. Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

[Jim Martin PA]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the fed back.

Once we realized that it was the toy causing our discomfort I opened a back window, a side window, the passenger slide window and left the entry door open. Then turned on the two Fantastic fans and let them run. We had the roof covers installed so we can leave the vents open should it start to rain or snow.

This morning I shutoff the vent fans off and placed a 20"� box fan in the entry way in an attempt move the fumes out the door faster.

We were planning a night or two get away this weekend to test the puppy out. But, unless the inside air clears up I guess we'll just have to let it sit a while longer. We waited this long what's another week?

Maybe the manufacturers should place an ozinator in the units for a day or day during final inspection to help reduce the bad air.

I wonder will the dealer or manufacturer give us a full refund should it turn out we are both allergic to the darn thing.

Just kidding, we love the thing.

Thanks again for the fed back.

Jim & Elaine

PS I'll update my profile now

[Lorna]

I've heard of houses that have "gassed" for over a year. Carpet and particleboard tend to be the worst offenders. Do you ever get sick smelling new permapress clothes (loaded with formaldehyde...I used to work in a blue jean factory). If you do then it may be that you are a bit sensitive to the formaldehyde. Otherwise it's probably not an allergy but just the overabundance of chemicals releasing the fumes. You might want to just leave the vents running 24/7 and open windows until you are ready to use it. In the meantime, you may want to test out some of the stuff and "burn off the newness" (furnace, heat strips, oven, range, etc.)

[Nedra]

You might consider putting a rubber tree plant in the coach for a while. It filters out formaldehyde which is probably what's causing your problem. Most plants act as air filters but certain plants filter particular specific things. When we first encountered the problem ourselves I researched and that's what we came up with. Formaldehyde can remain in the air for quite a while so the plant can be very helpful.

[AL]

Hi Jim & Elaine,

Welcome to iRV2, to echo the help of others air it out, air it out, air it out as much as you can, and then enjoy, enjoy enjoy!! Also I wanted to let you know in case you have not seen it the NorEasters are haveing a Rally this June in Cape May NJ, and you folks are more then welcome to join us!! Another thing don't worry about being only folks from Philadelphia area, since Jestme13 is from there and has already signed up !! Let me know if you have any questions or have trouble finding the rally info??

[ajbjrvers]

To; Jim Martin PA;

Welcome==

After reading your posting re; you and wife getting FUNNY FEELINGS, when yuo're in your new Allegro.

I hope you take the rig back to your dealer and have them check ALL propane lines for leaks, some of the symptoms you described sound similiar to propane poisoning. I wouldn't wait.

Awaiting to hear problem has been fixed.

Thanks=== AJBJRVERS

[Jim Martin PA]

Thanks again folks for the fed back.

Last week I borrowed an ozonator. Closed up the stink pot and let the ozonator run for two whole days.

When I opened it up it smelt like a spa.

So we aired it out for another day.

The good news is we are now able to stay longer in the unit without feeling ill.

The unit has an LP detector and that has not detected any gas fumes.

I'm scheduled for the two week warranty follow-up tomorrow and I will have them check for LP leaks.

We put several house plants in the other day. I'll get a couple of rubber tree plants in the morning and put them in.

We're just so glad we didn't plan on taking a trip right away. It would have been awful to have been on the road feeling the way we did.

I'm so disappointed that no one gave us a heads up on this issue.

It's getting better and we are gradually regaining our enthusiasm to start this new phase in our lives.

Thanks again for the suggestions

Jim and Elaine

[tom wilson]

not all motorhomes have that problem. we picked up our 1996 kountrystar at elkhart, in and took 105 days driving back to calif. no breathing problems noted. i have asthma so it would have been a disaster if i could not live in it.

[Camping Dutchman]

Put some ground coffee out on a plate and it will absorb some odors.

[Jestme13]

Jim, I would take the Wizs advice and heat the interior for a few days. get it nice and hot and vent the coach. I'm willing to bet the first time you use your coach with heat or hot weather it's gonna run you out.
You should try the Noreaster Rally in Cape May this June.

[rvgrandma]

We have just the answer for you: 'Fresh Air' by EcoQuest. Last fall we had a booth at a Bounder rally. One of the other vendors had a brand new 5th and he was terribly ill - so ill that he had to go to the ER.

We put a Breeze in it and by the time they returned that night it smelled fresh as can be. He called the dealer to complain about the smell and told the dealer he put a Breeze in his unit. The dealer said that was the best thing he could have done. They continually clean the air of pollutants and chemicals leaving 'thunderstorm' fresh.

To find out more visit www.ecoquestintl.com/aclloyd or contact us privately and we will send you more info.

Charlotte cleanair@lloydsetc.com