Mildew in the basement

[jmaguire]

We have a Eagle ridge and we love it. We are getting mildew in the basement mostly in and around the "tool box" near the UDC. I caulked the UDC so ne water can travel from there to the basement. We are getting the mildew when the camper is sitting in the yard. Sometimes I open it up and the wiring adapters in the tool box are wet on the borrom. I think it is probably from the temperature changes, but would hate to think I needed a full time dehumidifier in the basement. Any one else notice this, and were you able to fix it?

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

John, I'm not too familiar with the Eagle Ridge basement/toolbox layout. Any chance you can post a picture of the area?

 

[jmaguire]

Here they are. You can see the mildew.

 

[Terry H]

From the photos you posted it looks like the water maybe coming in from the propane compartment. This can happen if have you towed the trailer on a wet road or while it was raining. The propane compartments are open to the bottom and water can be splashed or sprayed on to the lower back wall (next to the toolbox) of the propane compartments. Look at the back wall of the propane compartments, at the top should be sheet metal, the bottom might be exposed wood.

If so the fix is to cover and seal the exposed wood. I did this on my trailer before I had a mold problem. I covered the wood with 6 mil PVC shower pan liner glued to the wood with 3M automotive spray glue. The 6 mil PVC shower pan liner can be purchased at any home center. I tucked the top of the liner under bottom of the sheet metal. I sealed the seams with PVC glue or caulking.

Do not seal the opening at the bottom of the propane compartment, it is open to allow propane vapors to escape in the event of a propane leak.

I hope this helps track down the problem.

 

[jmaguire]

Thanks Terry, I will look into that. But it was wet this morning and I haven't towed it in 3 weeks.

 

[boatto5er]

John,

Is there water in your water tank? Also, is there water in the Hot Water heater? A connection on either of these may be leaking. I'd check those.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Well John, the layout is almost exactly like our Bighorn. We have not seen that type of problem. Obviously water has to be coming from somewhere and finding the source is the key. If you can't find a leak from a water line behind the UDC, it must be coming from weather. We've been in humid south TX for 5 to 6 months a year and nothing like that has occurred. Could it have been wet or even damp before storing it for those 3 weeks? Any hard driving rain while in storage? I wish I could be more help.

 

[Terry H]

John,

I updated my previous post with photos.

 

[jmgratz]

Just a thought, check you drain holes in the bottom of the frame and compartment door to make sure they are clear. If stopped up water will not run off properly and could cause your problem. The other possibility could be your door is not closing tight enough. It needs to close tightly to make a good seal to keep the water out.

 

[jmaguire]

The water heater is on the other side of the camper and the tank is empty. It doesn't seem like a leaky pipe-of course i don't know what it does look like. I will take the basement panel apart this weekend to see if maybe it's getting in there from that direction. The door feels like it closes tightly but I will check the gasket also.

 

[jimpav]

I have the Eagle Ridge 35DSRL since this past July, and had a couple of "floods" in the same tool compartment. We took off the basement panel and noticed a pinhole in the fresh water fill hose. Had the hose fixed and it's been dry ever since. NEVER NOTICED ANY MILDEW LIKE YOU HAVE. I usually wedge something under the tool box lid when at the home base just to keep the air moving. I'll be real curious as to the source of mildew when it's figured out.

 

[blacknugget]

We have an Eagle Ridge 35QSQB and have had a similiar problem. It was being caused primarily from water leaking from the UDC when filling the fresh water. I caulked that up and the source has stopped. I do try and leave the tool box open when I can to keep air moving.

We didn't have mildew like that in the photos, but the smell was distinct enough to tell me we had mildew. Some cardboard in the toolbox had the first signs of mold too.

 

[jimpav]

Well, I spoke to soon. We just returned from a 10 day trip (without the trailer) and when I wen to open up the side toolbox.....guess what.....there was some moisture in there. Nothing else in the pass-through was wet, and no one had touched the unit while we were away. I opened the pass-through on both sides and it seems to have dried everything out in the tool box. No, there is nothing stored in the box that would leak.
Still a mystery.

 

[jmaguire]

I have found no reason for any moisture to be in there except condensation. I don't know what is directly below it, but it seems like in very humid weather it is getting moist in the tool box. I have caulked the area around the docking center so no water can get in from there, but I have yet to solve the mystery of the mildew in the tool box.

 

[jimpav]

john..... I guess the only thing for me to do is to buy a real "tool box", and relegate the Eagle Ridge one to a nonmetallic storage area......like for the sewer hose. Quite unfortunate. I wonder if the "factory" is aware of this? Since this is the first year for the Eagle/Elk Ridge, I think a re-think of this area is in order.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Jim, I had a simular problem with my BH. No mold or mildew. Is your tool box plywood with an aluminum door?? Mine leaked when it was pulled in the rain. You said yours gets wet sitting still. I sealed everything in the box, added sheet metal to the front of the box and sprayed it good with 3M undercoating. BTW, have got HL involved in this issue??? They might have a cure. Bob

 

[jimpav]

I assume the "box" is plywood, although since it's covered with black "carpet", I really can't tell. The lid appears to be some sort of pseudo alluminum. I have not contacted Heartland.........I was watching if the brand manager (B.W.) scans this forum to pick up on it. They are really good about that.

 

[jmaguire]

The tool box is plywood covered with the black carpet and the lid is some type of aluminum. I still think it is condensation since my unit does not have any water in it and it hasn't moved in weeks. Glad to hear I am not alone. Maybe we can solve this mysterious water infiltration.

 

[markfromark]

John, were you to solve the "wet basement" problem in your Eagle Ridge? Mine has the same issue. Have you contacted the factory about it?

 

[markfromark]

John, I talked with David Hilliker at Heartland this morning and described the problem to him. He took pertinent info about my trailer and stated that he would check into it and call me back. I also mentioned to him to check this site and he would find others experiencing the same problem. I'll let you know when I hear from him.

Mark