NHCelt
Well-known member
So we have about a month in our new Bighorn 3270 and have been working through the list of new rv issues.
One thing that bothered me was the amount of condensation that built up on the ceiling panel in the bathroom when using the shower. The moisture would follow the whisperquiet ductwork and was bad enough that I figured we would have issues in the future.
Using a cell phone I could look up into the vents, I could see that the ductwork was only stryrofoam c channel laid directly on the ceiling panel. Most areas in my unit had 2 layers of ceiling panel (I think the inner one may be a thermal board), but one particularly problematic spot near the vent and skylight had just one layer...a factory casualty of adding the skylight and ceiling vent probably. Never going to get that resolved through a dealer...but framing for both protrude into the ductwork. Very sloppy work Heartland.
Anyway, I now have completely resolved the issue.
First, I replaced the bathroom exhaust fan with a Fantastic fan.
Second....I bought a roll of aluminum insulated duct wrap. It is sticky on one side, reflective foil on the other and rubbery in the middle. It is very thin so does not effect airflow.
The inside of the ductwork is about 9" wide, so I cut to width and length and was able to carefully insert a length up through the ceiling vent and slide it into place...then stuck it down by using a length of long flexible metal to smooth it into place inside the channel...all the whole using the cellphone as a sort of periscope.
There was a learning curve on how to get it in place, but arching the material into a u shape allowed it to slide nicely in the ductwork...took a couple hours, but what a difference. Ceiling still cold under ductwork, but where I once had to wipe the ceiling dry after a shower, it is now almost completely free of condensation.
Don't think I can post pics as on limited internet here in the keys...but be glad to offer any more info if you have questions.
Celt
One thing that bothered me was the amount of condensation that built up on the ceiling panel in the bathroom when using the shower. The moisture would follow the whisperquiet ductwork and was bad enough that I figured we would have issues in the future.
Using a cell phone I could look up into the vents, I could see that the ductwork was only stryrofoam c channel laid directly on the ceiling panel. Most areas in my unit had 2 layers of ceiling panel (I think the inner one may be a thermal board), but one particularly problematic spot near the vent and skylight had just one layer...a factory casualty of adding the skylight and ceiling vent probably. Never going to get that resolved through a dealer...but framing for both protrude into the ductwork. Very sloppy work Heartland.
Anyway, I now have completely resolved the issue.
First, I replaced the bathroom exhaust fan with a Fantastic fan.
Second....I bought a roll of aluminum insulated duct wrap. It is sticky on one side, reflective foil on the other and rubbery in the middle. It is very thin so does not effect airflow.
The inside of the ductwork is about 9" wide, so I cut to width and length and was able to carefully insert a length up through the ceiling vent and slide it into place...then stuck it down by using a length of long flexible metal to smooth it into place inside the channel...all the whole using the cellphone as a sort of periscope.
There was a learning curve on how to get it in place, but arching the material into a u shape allowed it to slide nicely in the ductwork...took a couple hours, but what a difference. Ceiling still cold under ductwork, but where I once had to wipe the ceiling dry after a shower, it is now almost completely free of condensation.
Don't think I can post pics as on limited internet here in the keys...but be glad to offer any more info if you have questions.
Celt
