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Topic: Drying Up Spillage Dampness

sadkate

22/2/2016 at 12:54am
Location: Linlithgow West Lothian
Outfit: The Yorkshire Diamond!

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Hello.

Please no lectures on prudence! My new, first ever caravan has one problem we knew of at purchase (and got money off the price for). There has been a spill of water from the owner making a mistake draining the water heater (I think), but it had gone past the end of the locker and there was water sitting under the carpet on the floor adjacent. We felt convinced this was a surprise to the owner as he had every inch of the van spotless and would surely have at least wiped up the water. So there is an isolated patch of dampness where water has seeped into the floor, by way of the carpet fixings it looks like.

Damp meter reads 20% at the worst point. Affected area is maybe 30 inches max and the rest of the van is very dry. He had put bubble wrap over the tank to insulate it which can't have helped as there was a vent under there.

Best to way to help that dry out? I have the widows closed with the controversial damp trap beside at the mo but going up with a dehumidifier and working battery tomorrow (it's in a well ventilated barn). Wondering if perhaps sitting in the van with heating on asks windows open would be best?

Thanks.

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Kate

Ye're no here tae enjoy yersel.

romany girl

22/2/2016 at 7:01am
Location: Derbyshire
Outfit: ElddisAvante462 Honda CRV SE2.2 i-Dtec

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You could try running an extention cable from the nearest plug socket and using a hairdryer on a low setting as not to scorch anything, whilst you dry the area out

A good dehumidifier should dry out the patch in about 48hrs, keeping the caravan warm will also help, but opening the windows at this time of year would just let in more damp air and make your dehumidifier null and void.
Just make sure that you regularly empty the tank on the machine or place it to drain into the sink if its fitted with the option of a drainage pipe to do so, the last thing you need is a puddle in another area from where it has overflowed.

You could also try blotting the area with old towels or kitchen roll, its amazing how much water you can remove in this way. We suffered a leak from a badly fitted bathroom tap in our old Lunar whilst out on site, so fully understand what a pain this can be, the dehumidifier did dry it out completely in the end though.

Julia

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Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife

Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!

sadkate

22/2/2016 at 7:51am
Location: Linlithgow West Lothian
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Yeah so I thought windows closed if using the dehumidifier (trap moisture in the air) and windows open if using the heater or a hairdryer (use heat asks air circulation to evaporate and carry away moisture)?

Thinking the second option might be better as after a week the crystals haven't yielded a drip.

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Kate

Ye're no here tae enjoy yersel.

jeff juke

22/2/2016 at 8:33am
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Im just wondering if this damp patch on the floor has caused delamination.??

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JEFF................

sadkate

22/2/2016 at 8:50am
Location: Linlithgow West Lothian
Outfit: The Yorkshire Diamond!

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Hi Jeff. I'm going to have it checked over by an engineer. In my very amateur opinion I think it's probably OK. Nothing is swollen or yielding. Floor feels hard and is flat underneath but there are what look like ba couple of little chips in the very outside layer of the floor underneath, right at the edge. I'm hoping once its dried that'll be easy to repair. Can feel a little softness in the corner bead inside the van. What do you think?

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Kate

Ye're no here tae enjoy yersel.

sadkate

22/2/2016 at 9:31am
Location: Linlithgow West Lothian
Outfit: The Yorkshire Diamond!

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Another option I have is to leave a little fan heater in there, with windows open, and just let it run on the battery. Not sure how king it would run for. It has a thernostat with an auto cut off.

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Kate

Ye're no here tae enjoy yersel.

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