Condensation Problem

[rxbristol]

Has anyone had condensation on thebottom of the mattress where the bed overhangs on the slideout? Overtwo weeks we've been experiencing very wet, humid and coldtemperatures and found out the bottom of the mattress is damp fromcondensation in the area of the slideout. I know that betweenshowers, cooking and just being human puts a lot of water in the air. Is my only option to use a dehumidifier? Most of our winters here are dry so this is the first time for this experience.

 

[jimtoo]

Since you have been in rain/wet weather I would check around the windows in the slide out for water leaks. Sounds like maybe need some caulking replaced or redone.

Let us know what you find.

Jim M

Moved to Landmark interior also.

 

[MTPockets]

You must ventilate so moist air can escape. Always use exhaust fan when cooking or showering. We leave our bath vent open all the time; never have had condensation in three years full time.

 

[danemayer]

Has anyone had condensation on thebottom of the mattress where the bed overhangs on the slideout? Overtwo weeks we've been experiencing very wet, humid and coldtemperatures and found out the bottom of the mattress is damp fromcondensation in the area of the slideout. I know that betweenshowers, cooking and just being human puts a lot of water in the air. Is my only option to use a dehumidifier? Most of our winters here are dry so this is the first time for this experience.

Hi Rex,

When we camp in cold climates, we pull the mattress away from the wall about an inch to leave an air gap. The condensation evaporates.

 

[Westwind]

As JimToo mentioned - I'd be suspicious of a leak, but if the dampness is all over you might wonder. We don't do a lot of cooking that generates moisture in the FW and I always vent the bathroom during showers so we haven't had a problem with dampness. I don't make the bed, but I haven't heard any complaints of wetness or dampness so we are doing well so far. We have slideout awnings and they do help keep some of the rain away from the slides .

 

[rxbristol]

Appears to be no leak because the moisture is only below the headboard. We will be more careful about venting and pulling the mattress back to see how things go.

 

[TravelTiger]

You could try removing a few screws of the mattress platform to open it up and see if there are air leaks into that area. Or, maybe adding some insulation under that area? I know in "winter temps" we also feel the cold And sometimes condensation around the head of the bed, but not significant enough to justify a dehumidifier. We are south of you guys near Eastland, TX


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[rxbristol]

You could try removing a few screws of the mattress platform to open it up and see if there are air leaks into that area. Or, maybe adding some insulation under that area? I know in "winter temps" we also feel the cold And sometimes condensation around the head of the bed, but not significant enough to justify a dehumidifier. We are south of you guys near Eastland, TX


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Sounds like a good idea...thanks.

 

[Mizmary]

We run a dehumidifier. We have wintered in our RV several winters - in Monterey, it was cold, damp and there was so much condensation that our mattress eventually molded out. After we all got sick (we didn't know our mattress was moldy until we got sick), we decided it wasn't worth the risk. We keep the RV at about 40% or 50% humidity- we run the dehumidifier only at night.

Anything you use that burns propane also puts out water vapor - so stove/oven, furnace and water heater. Also - your breathing - especially at night will put out a fair amount of moisture.

Pull the mattress away from the wall, leave a vent cracked (use a max-air type cover for rainy days) and if that doesn't help with the humidity a dehumidifier should do the trick. We bought a "quiet" model. It isn't terribly quiet, but not terribly loud either - and we don't run it in the bedroom - we run it in the living room. You could also run a fan into the headboard area while you sleep if it won't make you nuts. The dehumidifier also adds a small amount of heat to the space - which is nice when it is chilly outside.

 

[Lynn1130]

It might be a leak but more likely it is normal everyday use in the rig that creates moisture. There are a number of good articles on how to avoid moisture but running exhaust fans during showers, cooking, coffee making is most important. Just two bodies create a large volume of moisture and one recommendation given by many is to leave a window open at all times. Not way open but open enough to allow an exchange of air. Doing that will not decrease the temps in the trailer that much but will help reduce moisture. If you have 120V then dehumidifiers are great.

I was under the weather with the flu when I wrote the above and could tell with the number of mistakes. Sorry.