Condensation

[MAMalody]

What do you do for condensation problems. I have tried to review the posting for winter camping but all seem to be directed to freezing, etc. Do you simply buy a dehumidifier? Someone said there are chemicals out there...do they really work? Somebody even said cat litter. I am new to this forum and will try to find my way back. If I fail in that, I will repost a similiar question in a couple of days...bear with me.
Mike

[Charlie]

There is a product called "Damp Rid" available at Wal-Mart and probably lots other places. I don't know about it working in the winter, don't see why it would not. Where we live the humidity is about as bad as it can get. We don't travel in the summer, so the trailer is stored and I use this inside to absorb moisture. Have to renew the canister every few weeks and pour out the water that has collected.

[jackel1959]

We use a product similar to "Damp Rid" when we store our rig in the winter. It works great and keeps everything dry. I recommend checking it every month or so though because you may need to replace or refresh it. I've heard about using cat litter too but have never tried it.

[melnjoy]

Mike,
When you talk about condensation, are you referring to moisture in the air when storing your rig or are you finding condensation while staying in it? While storing the rig, the "damp rid" or "Dri-z-air" chrystals are the way to go. With proper ventilation and heat you shouldn't have any problems with condensation while staying in your Montana.
Joy

[Montana_1240]

If you're living in it, then get used to periodically turning your Fan-Tastic on to pull the humidity out of the trailer.

We leave our fireplace on mostly, so the heat is pretty dry. Whereas the furnace's heat tends to contain a little moisture.

There will be some moisture, but as long as you're in it, you will be able to get to any problems before they cause damage.

Can't say enough about Damp-Rid, either, if you're storing all winter. Used that stuff in our old pop-up tent trailer during Fairbanks winters. And we never went into the thing to check it, until the snow melted away in the spring! Never had a single moisture problem.

Steve

Edited to add: The AC has a setting that is supposed to take moisture out of the air. I haven't used it, so I can't say if it's good for winter use. Doesn't seem logical that it'd work without freezing up, though....

S

[CountryGuy]

Have never used the Damp rid, for storage purposes in the winter, have not found it necessary (Yet) in Michigan. We winterize the water system, pull the day night shades down (to aid in keeping the fabrics on furniture and such from fading), take ALL freezables OUT of the unit, lock the door and eagerly await December 27th! so we can head south.

As far as late fall camping, etc. If the unit is beading up moisture on the inside of the windows it is TOO humid in there, and in fact, in our opinion, it feels colder in there cause of the humidity.

Some have used dehumidifiers, we open the max air vent in the kitchen area about 1/4 to 1/2 inch and LEAVE it open, 24/7. We will run the exhaust fan on the Fantastic fan in the bath area if Tana still fogs up.

We run electric heaters and the furnace, trying to go with the electric heaters the most when we don't have to pay the electric bill.

Always use the Fantastic fan when showering. Run the Maxair in the kitchen when we are cooking.

We find that after a day or so that we have the majority of the humidity "cooked and vented" out. We have had people in and they cannot believe how comfy it is, and want to know how we get the unit so warm. It is not that it is so warm, but that it is dried out.

In the first couple of days, we also take paper towels and dry off any moisture accumulated on the inside of the windows. Gets the windows clean too (double the benefit). This does help some, and at least we can see out for the first couple of days.

Now, this is with 2 adults and 4 yorkies and about 8 house plants, all expelling moisture. You know the more people, pets and plants, the more moisture.

Welcome to the forum Mike, if this does NOT answer your questions, please ask again.

Enjoy that rig!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carol

[Cat320]

For winter srorage, I use calcium chloride...the white crystals that you put on the sidewalk to melt ice. Buy them at WalMart...cheaper than Damp Rid. Put a small pile of them on a piece of outdoor screen and put the screen over the top of a bucket. The crystals draw the moisture out of the air and it goes in the bucket. If really humid, may have to replace the crystals once before spring.

[MAMalody]

Thanks to all for the info. I should clarify that I am referring to condensation while I am living in the unit. I must admit that while I made sure to run the fan in the bath area after showers I never really thought of doing that or to open a vent or window during the winter. So much for being able to think logically. Thanks again for the help. Will let you know in about six months how it works.

Mike

[sreigle]

Mike, have you had problems or looking to avoid them? We do some serious winter time in ours and have not had moisture problems. We run the exhaust fan with open vent while showering but don't do anything else.

[vickir]

Since Steve isn't even sure where the stove is, he's not aware that when I'm cooking I crack the vent in the kitchen. Depending on what I'm cooking and the amount of steam being generated, I may also run the Fantastic Fan while cooking. Other than that, he got it right.

[MAMalody]

sreigle, I was in Spokane in Nov 05 for three days and the temp was getting below freezing. My wife noticed that we had condensation on the windows in the LR (I have a 3575RL) and the carpet behind the couch was damp. I now have Maxair covers on my vents and can easily leave them open if that would help.

[sreigle]

Mike, we spend quite a bit of time below freezing and do not have those problems. What Vicki said, above, is all we do. That's why I'm wondering what is different with yours. Yours sounds like it definitely requires attention. That's not a good situation.

[MAMalody]

The only thing I can see, is that my rig was totally closed up, in that there were no open windows or vents. I have never had any leaks due to rain or any other moisture situation. In fact, I have had no problems at all since then. It was winterized from mid Nov until late February of this year. The only thing I could think of was condensation in the tubular framing of the slide to produce the moisture on the carpet next to the wall. There was no problem in any other area of the trailer. I was unable to detect any slide issues. The slide in questions where the condensation was,had a northern exposure. The sleep time temp I let drop to around 55-60, and when I was gone during the day to around 60-65. We are aiming toward full-timing and would be in our current area for a couple of years more. Temp in the winters can reach, for a short time, into the teens. That's one of the reasons I am trying to get a hold on winter setup so I don't freeze or die of mold growth.

Does anybody know with the '03 3575RL if I need to worry about anything in the basement or belly. My low points stick out below the trailer.