Condensation......AGAIN!

[LucyImHome]

I thought I'd chased down all the problem areas. Ha! Wrong.
I have a 24' TT with the bunk bed. I took out the upper so I could sit up in bed. Both foam mattresses are on the bottom. I just felt between the bed and the outside wall. It's not damp, it's WET! Threw away one of my pillows from being moldy. I never get sick, but I've had a bad cough now for 2 weeks. Now I know why.
So, now what? Cut the foam to be 2" narrower? Slide some coroplast or ? between the wall and bed? I have a small fan aimed at the window for the condensation on the glass and frame. I leave the a/c on fan only most of the time, even though it's now 27 at night. Oh, and a box fan going all the time too. All in the attempt to keep adequate air circulation. I'm using a propane forced air furnace for heat. I understand propane contributes moisture. I tried last winter to use a radiator type electric heater, but costly.
I'm stuck in western WA for the winter it seems, so the dampness won't be going away anytime soon. What a switch. Palm Springs to here. Sheesh...
Ideas much appreciated, as always.

 

[Stargazer]

I had the same problem in my TT last winter and I was using electric heat. I bought the foam board insulation with a moisture barrier on one side, cut it the depth of the mattress and slid it between the mattress and wall. It worked. Also, I am in a drier area than WA so whether this would work for you or not, I don't know.

 

[Almost There]

Have you tried a dehumidifier yet?

 

[LucyImHome]

Okay, Stargazer, I have put in the foam board with barrier. Hopefully that will resolve the problem! As for the dehumidifier, Almost There, that is also on the list to get. Only hesitation on that is the space it takes. 21' of actual living space, 2 adults and one really big dog. I'll report back on how the foam board is doing.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

Could try keeping a window cracked open to ventilate the moisture outside. The problem with small enclosed places is that water vapor builds up inside and can't get out, with 2 people 1 dog and cooking this adds up to a lot of water vapor in the air and when it gets cold out it condenses on the windows and any cold walls.

 

[rvwandering]

It's western Washington - just too wet in the winter. We got stuck spending a winter south of Seattle and it was the most miserable winter in all of our years of fulltiming. Our RV was pretty well insulated but we still had water running down some of the walls and mold growing in places where it had never been a problem.

We never tried it but our neighbors at the RV park said DampRid worked well but they had to change it often.

Clean all of the moldy areas with a mold-killing cleaner. Using the cleaner is almost as bad as breathing in mold spores but it should keep it from growing back as quickly.

 

[LucyImHome]

Update. I put the foam board between mattress and wall. No condensation there, but...... I have 2 mattresses and one is about 6" shorter than the other. The shorter one is on top and pushed down toward the foot of the bed. The foam board is up to the height of the top mattress. So there's a gap at the head of the bed. I have a suitcase leaning up to sit up against, not in direct contact with the wall as the wall is slanted. The foam board there, in that gap, is wet, as well as dampness on the wall behind the suitcase without the foam board.
I'll try pushing the shorter mattress up against the back wall. I thought the added air access would have helped. Ugg. I'm going to go ahead and get a dehumidifier too.
"mold growing in places where it had never been a problem" LOL When I take my socks off, I halfway expect to find mold! In Palm Springs, I didn't even own socks!

 

[offroad]

This is a rather serious situation for everyone to consider. Have read many stories of renovations where the walls are torn down to reveal rotted boards. Only way to rot is from moisture and mold. -- keep posting how you fix this. It's great information that wish was shared more often.

 

[cinemaphonic]

I had the same problem in my TT last winter and I was using electric heat. I bought the foam board insulation with a moisture barrier on one side, cut it the depth of the mattress and slid it between the mattress and wall. It worked. Also, I am in a drier area than WA so whether this would work for you or not, I don't know.

what is this foam board with moisture barrier called? Can I get it at Home Depot?

 

[Stargazer]

Cinemaphonic,

Home Depot is where I purchased it. It's a pinkish color and it says "moisture barrier" on the label.

I recently looked for it at Lowe's. They didn't have it.

Best wishes.

 

[LucyImHome]

I've got to get this issue resolved. I checked under the bathroom sink/cupboard. I'd put Reflectix on the outside wall. Yep, it's wet. What's weird is that the kitchen cupboards, top and bottom, have no problem. There's heat going to the whole TT, bathroom too. It's not any warmer in the kitchen than the bathroom.
So sick of eating allergy antihistamines due to the mold. I lived most of my life in the NW, but left in '02. By the time I drove into Bisbee AZ I realized I didn't have a headache or itchy runny. 11 yrs of being healthy, then I moved back to western WA a yr ago. Soon as I crossed into WA, it started again. I need to make it through this winter. My goal is to get a smallish step van to build out. Maybe starting from scratch, I can resolve the problems you find in MHs and TTs. This TT will be a donor, for myself and for whatever my son decides to go with. Then get out of the NW, moldville.
Until then......
Seems like the condensation has been worse since the temps dropped to teens at night. Or maybe I'm just grasping at ideas. I'm getting a dehumidifier tomorrow, Home Depot.

 

[offroad]

Any cold spots are where the water will condense out of the air. When you insulate you eliminate the cold spot. Vapor barrier will reduce cold spots, or shift them to other locations.

If you insulate all areas so there are no cold spots you should get no water condensation. Also if you vapor barrier seal all areas the high humidity air will not get into the walls and condense at any cold spots.

 

[highdesertranger]

well you will get condensation of water out of the atmosphere at the dew point. you know when the weather people say the temp is 45 and the dew point is 35. if the temp hits 35 you will get moisture ie rain. so the inside of your rv is a mini biosphere, there is probably much higher water vapor in the air inside your rv than the outside, so the dew point goes up. as soon as the dew point crosses the temp moisture condenses out of the air. so you have to keep the humidity down or the temp up. I know this might not be a good way to explain it, but this is what you have to do, keep the temp above the dew point. highdesertranger

 

[66788]

Could try keeping a window cracked open to ventilate the moisture outside. The problem with small enclosed places is that water vapor builds up inside and can't get out, with 2 people 1 dog and cooking this adds up to a lot of water vapor in the air and when it gets cold out it condenses on the windows and any cold walls.

Good advice. My first year in a TT taught me a lot. Always have some ventilation. I made the mistake of closing everything up and that's when the problems began. The one good product I found was a basket you hang from the ceiling called DriZair or something to that effect. It absorbs the moisture from the air and holds it in a retaining chamber for later emptying

 

[offroad]

You can get a cheap used humidity meter and keep it inside the vehicle to watch it. Just make sure it gets no water on it itself.

 

[LucyImHome]

Well.... I didn't buy a dehumidifier. Didn't want to spend the money. What I have been doing, that seems to work, is leaving the a/c turned on to fan only, low. Even the back behind spots are dry! I did add more foam board to the problem walls but they were still being wet, prior to the a/c being on. I guess the added air flow? It does make it feel a bit colder, using the furnace more. But better than the alternative of water running down the walls!

 

[highdesertranger]

what type of furnace? forced air or not vented? the reason I ask is a forced air should have a drying effect and you shouldn't get condensation. highdesertranger

 

[LucyImHome]

It's a forced air propane furnace. There are vents, only 3 'cuz it's only 21' of living space. By not vented, do you mean like the Mr Buddy?

 

[offroad]

In a closed living space you are pushing out water humidity constantly. Many (not all) propane heaters will also increase humidity. You need a way to vent/reduce humidity while retaining heat.

 

[akrvbob]

I just learned of these cheap electronic dehumidifiers today. today so I really know nothing about them. It does seem to have very good reviews on Amazon. They might work in the small space of a van and if not then it won't cost much to find out.

Bob