Moisture Issues in Winter

[C5c5]

Originally Posted by TriMoot

Just checking back in...



So here we are, 6th of January and we got back into the RV on the 2nd of December 2019.



I want to report we still have NO issues with moisture and have been snug and warm the entire month of December and today in January.



Tomorrow we move back into the fully furnished rental house...just bringing our toothbrush and clothes! (well...there's actually a LOT more than that, but it sounds easy that way).



We have 100% completely enjoyed our time in the RV during the winter month and other than my own incompetence in regards to plug maintenance, we've had no issues!



(You can see that thread here...not one of my prouder moments)



You can also see all my preparations I did in this thread.



Thanks.

TY for sharing your adventure! I will be RVing during the wintertime in the future & will benefit from your experiences.

[AnotherMike]

The combustion of propane generates large quantities of water vapor. Furnaces that are installed with an outside vent are preferred..

If you have an unvented heater (like a Buddy) you will be pouring all the water vapor into the confined space of your trailer/5th wheel/motor home/whatever.

A larger humidifier will help... but think twice about having the drain hose drop into the sink... that is expedient but helps to fill up the grey tank faster... if you can have it dump the water outside... and the desiccant type of dehumidifier is limited...

Worth reading: (but remove the excess spaces) https:/ /rvshare.com/ blog/ rv-dehumidifier-reviews-read-this-before-buying-one/

Mike

[Glenn and Kathy]

Originally Posted by TriMoot

So here we are FDnH, (Fat Dumb and Happy) enjoying our first foyer into Full time camping in Winter.

Heated water hose? Check
Insulting the wet bay? Check
Dehumidifier? Check

Then why do we have all this MOLD?!!!!

We just noticed a ton on mold on our VERY wet windows in the bedroom tonight.

We’ve cleaned everything and dried out the windows as much as possible but how do we prevent the moisture and mold from coming back?

I know this is probably one of the bigger issues when living in a RV in the winter but what other things can we do?

BTW: this is an older rig with those REALLY thin one pain windows...the crank ones are like an 8th inch thick...crazy.

Any help is appreciated.

And you really have to stop insulting your wet bay.

[TriMoot]

Originally Posted by Glenn and Kathy

And you really have to stop insulting your wet bay.

HA!!!!!!!!!! I didn't even notice that! I ALWAYS proofread before I post! Oh well...too late to fix now!

[Rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

"TriMoot"......it's counterintuitive to leave vents open, but it works. We stay once a year at Yosemite during Thanksgiving. We use to close everything up to keep the heat in. Every morning, the windshield was just dripping with water. I finally opened a couple of roof vents and pretty much solved the issue.

Well I am glad this worked to TriMoot, but we full time in a 32' 5er and don't have issues with moisture. Good sized dehumidifier set to 45%, we use "Cheap Heat" add on system, but have used furnace on gas also (Gas Furnace doesn't add moisture). Almost always use vent fan when showering (forget sometimes).

[grindstone01]

Originally Posted by Rhagfo

Almost always use vent fan when showering (forget sometimes).

I removed the shower skylight and installed a Fantastic Fan to get rid of the shower moisture. Simple install with a big benefit.

[Diesel-Lover]

Moisture is a big issue in rigs. Remember when we used to well umh go parking with our sweeties and the windows of the car would fog up!

The amount of moisture generated by people and pets is very high and the best way to get rid of it is via ventilation and dehumidifier.

The industry gods shoulda woulda fingered this out, but hey we are ok with MacGyvering and so we lurch on. Amazing how much abuse a customer can and does put up with!! when it comes to design shortfalls, inadequate safety measures, inadequate mechanical superstructure etc oh and to top it off we get non centralized no one party responsible for warranty repairs that there is a doozy can you imagine if our car manufacturers started doing that..

[TriMoot]

Originally Posted by Diesel-Lover

Moisture is a big issue in rigs. Remember when we used to well umh go parking with our sweeties and the windows of the car would fog up!.....

HA! oh boy...there's an interesting call back!!!

[jstauffer]

When we stayed on our boat in the winter time in the Pacific Northwest, besides the dehumidifier, running two or three small fans helped a lot. I would put one near the windows in the aft stateroom, one in the galley, (lots of moisture develop when cooking). Moving the air around helped a lot.

[AnotherMike]

Originally Posted by Rhagfo

Almost always use vent fan when showering (forget sometimes).

Originally Posted by grindstone01

I removed the shower skylight and installed a Fantastic Fan to get rid of the shower moisture. Simple install with a big benefit.

In my old sticks and bricks house we had a problem with people not running the bathroom ceiling fan... so I installed a humidistat (like a thermostat but senses humidity instead of temperature) above the grille for the fan... Home Depot and Lowes didn't carry them then (about 1980-1981), maybe they do today, I had a leftover one from a project at the shop... they were about $50-$60 at Grainger Supply.

The humidistat is just a switch, it would work on 12vDC just as easily as on 120vAC.

See the drawing below...

The switch is a single pole double throw center off... Leviton makes one that looks like a standard light switch but it is EXPENSIVE... a simple 120v 5a toggle switch mounted in a blank cover plate is cheap... A friend saw my implementation and duplicated it when he remodeled his S&B bathroom... he got the SPDT-center-off Leviton "Decora" switch and a custom wall plate kit... he assembled a wide plate with a light switch nearest the door, then the fan switch, then a 120vAC outlet for razors, hair curlers, etc.

The center position was fan off, moving the toggle to the down position selected the humidistat (think "automatic mode"), moving the switch to the up position was manual on.

In the automatic / humidistat position the fan would start a minute or so after the shower was started, and shut off about 4-5 minutes after the water flow stopped.


Mike

[Diesel-Lover]

Originally Posted by AnotherMike

In my old sticks and bricks house we had a problem with people not running the bathroom ceiling fan... so I installed a humidistat (like a thermostat but senses humidity instead of temperature) above the grille for the fan... Home Depot and Lowes didn't carry them then (about 1980-1981), maybe they do today, I had a leftover one from a project at the shop... they were about $50-$60 at Grainger Supply.

The humidistat is just a switch, it would work on 12vDC just as easily as on 120vAC.

See the drawing below...

The switch is a single pole double throw center off... Leviton makes one that looks like a standard light switch but it is EXPENSIVE... a simple 120v 5a toggle switch mounted in a blank cover plate is cheap... A friend saw my implementation and duplicated it when he remodeled his S&B bathroom... he got the SPDT-center-off Leviton "Decora" switch and a custom wall plate kit... he assembled a wide plate with a light switch nearest the door, then the fan switch, then a 120vAC outlet for razors, hair curlers, etc.

The center position was fan off, moving the toggle to the down position selected the humidistat (think "automatic mode"), moving the switch to the up position was manual on.

In the automatic / humidistat position the fan would start a minute or so after the shower was started, and shut off about 4-5 minutes after the water flow stopped.


Mike

Another Mike**** Great McGuyvering there. Very innovative.
Kinda sorta shows how the industry is not doing its job with the simple aspect of humidity controlled in a closed box while its in use! Would think that they would put a fresh air intake and exhaust (via heat exchange) to make the process as thermally efficient as possible but Heehaw us customers will deal with it without their engineering and design thoughts.

[AnotherMike]

Originally Posted by Diesel-Lover

Another Mike**** Great McGuyvering there. Very innovative.

Thanks for the compliment.

Originally Posted by Diesel-Lover

Kinda sorta shows how the industry is not doing its job with the simple aspect of humidity controlled in a closed box while its in use! Would think that they would put a fresh air intake and exhaust (via heat exchange) to make the process as thermally efficient as possible but Heehaw us customers will deal with it without their engineering and design thoughts.

And an air to air heat exchanger is not that difficult to make, the issues will be the physical size, minimizing internal condensation (and rust) and preventing humidity transfer from the outgoing to the incoming air.... Start with Google and Wikipedia and read up on how they work, then for the in-depth theory and application look at the ASHRAE Handbooks.

Mike

[MthwMcIntyre]

The way that I have battled moisture in my trailer is by keeping my large dehumidifier on 24/7. I always ensure to circulate it into other rooms as well to make sure that moisture is at the bare minimum in my place. I also find that showering and cooking have contributed quite a bit to the moisture in my place as well so I always make sure to have my fans running while I'm showering to push out all the steam and as well while Im cooking.

I've also recently experienced my first winter living in a travel trailer full time. I was feeling inspired so I created a video to express what has worked for me during these winter months! If you care to watch it, heres the link

Happy Camping!

https://youtu.be/df73X9RF1II

[C5c5]

Originally Posted by AnotherMike

Thanks for the compliment.

And an air to air heat exchanger is not that difficult to make, the issues will be the physical size, minimizing internal condensation (and rust) and preventing humidity transfer from the outgoing to the incoming air.... Start with Google and Wikipedia and read up on how they work, then for the in-depth theory and application look at the ASHRAE Handbooks.

Mike

Mike,

Is it possible to design the shower area to be completely enclosed off from the rest of the bathroom? Could you install some type of heavy-duty shower exhaust fan for the humidity so that it would not become an issue at all for the rest of the bathroom & RV?