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Is there any point checkinh for damp at this time of year? I have just been out to check a repair I made the other week and at the same time stuck the probe into the seats. Now I know they are not wet, there is no physical leak apart from in any walls. However, the damp meter is showing red! Most areas of the walls are dryer! So what do you think?

Cheers Robin

Do you keep any form of heating or moisture absorption crystals in the van?  Before checking for damp, it is better to take some precautions to prevent it becoming a problem.  Obviously, at this time of year there will always be a moisture content in the atmosphere.  And many materials have a natural moisture content.  The important thing is to prevent the moisture content from reaching a level at which damage can be caused.  I suggest that you get the van into the state when you are using it, and are satisfied it is "dry", then check for damp.  Then, when the van is not in use, try to prevent the dampness reading from going higher.

But if you suspect dampness, there is every point in checking for it.  Perhaps you need a better quality damp meter, I don't know.  I do not use one, because I run a tubular heater in the van 24/7 at this time of year.

Bertie.

There is a lot of moisture in the air generally this time of year, so finding that your seats are showing as 'damp' is not surprising, I would run a fan heater for a few hours inside the caravan to dry-up the moist air inside the caravan before testing the walls for damp, I would think that you will get a more accurate reading.

Hi

If you think you've got damp then the quicker you find out the better and all the advice you need is above on how to get the van dry (heat it for a few hours).

Don't get sucked in to the "Dehumidifier" Brigade who run them all winter trying to dry out the Earths Atmosphere (Waste of money, Earths resources and environmentally unfriendly).

For wintering use SaraLouise's advice. We follow the same regime (but don't bother with the salt) and haven't had a problem in 30 years (except when we had water ingress).

Tyreman

Hi Purplehat

I agree a dehumidifier is best when you're drying out after a flood or repairing water ingress in a caravan. I know most caravan dealers have them for this reason.

But many of the "Dehumidifier Brigade" run them for long periods during the winter drying out their caravans interior (and sucking more moisture in from the outside atmosphere). Some boast of removing pints of water every couple of weeks.

My point is that it's an unnecessary expense to buy it and if the caravan has no water ingress a waste of money running it. If your caravan does have water ingress it needs repaired which may require a dehumidifier for the repair process.

Tyreman

We remove all the seat cushions & bases from our van during the winter, we don't use it for the winter months due to Julie having Arthritis. We put the soft furnishings under the beds throughout the house, this keeps them aired by the heating pipes which pass under the bedroom floors. We also place a large dish of salt at each end of the empty van, this absorbs any moisture in the air created by changes of temperature. On a good day we go out & open all the windows to allow a change of air in the van. This is easy for us as we keep the van at home.

On our last van which we had for over 12 seasons, we carried out the above every year & sold this van having had a pre part exchange damp check by a dealer as "bone dry" The soft furnishings also had retained the nice smel they had when new. I can only hope our new van is the same.

BB