Trailer condensation in cold weather
Did some FallFest camping the past weekend. Got down to 0 degrees celsius one of the nights. My wife trying to conserve energy closed all the windows and the bathroom vent. We had the thermo set to...
Forum Discussion
You cannot seal the walls, ceiling and floor in an attempt to make it airtight to keep it warmer. The inherent problem with RVs is that impermeable layer of the exterior walls and ceiling assemblies is on the exterior side which allows moisture laden air to condense against the cold exterior skin and underside of the roof. You shouldn't seal up the weep holes in the bottom of a window frame as there are there to let condensation on the glass escape outside.
A tremendous amount of moisture is released into the air by a human body (exhalation and via the skin), washing dishes, cooking, showering and from pets. It has to be removed from the inside or else it will condense somewhere in cold weather and will eventually cause damage, from mild to serious. If you want to reduce air in & out, use a dehumdifier. Have a roof vent open in bedroom and window cracked at the opposite end to get cross-flow.
Also, sealing up an RV is not a good idea anytime because the air will build up CO2 from exhalation by humans and pets. If you wake up in the morning with a headache, feel nauseous, fatigued and/or dizzy, you likely have CO2 poisoning. If the level gets high enough, it can cause more serious health issues. It's kinda like living/sleeping inside a sealed plastic bag. (Not a good idea.) Google "indoor carbon dioxide health effects on humans" for lots of info.
Inadequate ventilation can also cause a buildup of offensive odors and other contaminants like formaldehyde gas.
You need to let the furnace run more often but unfortunately the noise can be pretty annoying at night. Turning up the heat will not get rid of the moisture inside. It may help to get a hygrometer to monitor the humidity level (RH) inside.
If you want to get a good night's sleep and wake up refreshed, get some ventilation going. I sleep way better in our TT with good ventilation happening than I do at home.
A tremendous amount of moisture is released into the air by a human body (exhalation and via the skin), washing dishes, cooking, showering and from pets. It has to be removed from the inside or else it will condense somewhere in cold weather and will eventually cause damage, from mild to serious. If you want to reduce air in & out, use a dehumdifier. Have a roof vent open in bedroom and window cracked at the opposite end to get cross-flow.
Also, sealing up an RV is not a good idea anytime because the air will build up CO2 from exhalation by humans and pets. If you wake up in the morning with a headache, feel nauseous, fatigued and/or dizzy, you likely have CO2 poisoning. If the level gets high enough, it can cause more serious health issues. It's kinda like living/sleeping inside a sealed plastic bag. (Not a good idea.) Google "indoor carbon dioxide health effects on humans" for lots of info.
Inadequate ventilation can also cause a buildup of offensive odors and other contaminants like formaldehyde gas.
You need to let the furnace run more often but unfortunately the noise can be pretty annoying at night. Turning up the heat will not get rid of the moisture inside. It may help to get a hygrometer to monitor the humidity level (RH) inside.
If you want to get a good night's sleep and wake up refreshed, get some ventilation going. I sleep way better in our TT with good ventilation happening than I do at home.
