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Care and Maintenance
Tips for Controlling
Condensation
Avoid Drastic
Thermostat Setbacks
Carpet Care
And Moisture
Management
Exterior Care of the
Motorhome
132
To avoid condensation problems, try to follow these tips to help alleviate
excess moisture:
• Allow excess moisture to escape to the outside when bathing, washing
dishes, hair drying, laundering, and using appliances and non-vented gas
burners.
• Always use the vent hood when cooking.
• Keep the bathroom door closed and the vent or window open when bathing
and for a period of time after you have finished.
• Do not hang wet clothes in the vehicle to dry.
• In hot weather, start the air conditioner early as it removes excess humidity
from the air while lowering the temperature.
• Keep the temperature as reasonably cool during cold weather as possible.
The warmer the vehicle, the more cold exterior temperatures and warm
interior temperatures will collide on wall surfaces, thus creating
condensation.
• Use a fan to keep air circulation inside the vehicle so condensation and
mildew cannot form in dead air spaces. Allow air to circulate inside closets
and cabinets (leave doors partially open). Please keep in mind that a
closed cabinet full of stored goods prevents circulation and allow the
exterior temperature to cause condensation.
• The natural tendency would be to close the vehicle tightly during cold
weather. This will actually compound the problem. Simply put, you need to
remove some of the warm air, and allow some cool outside air to get inside
the vehicle, so the furnace will not recycle the humid interior air.
• Use fluorescent ceiling lights and minimize prolonged use of incandescent
lights, which produce heat and contribute to condensation in the roof above
the ceiling lights.
Cooler surface temperatures increase the potential for condensation and surface mold
growth. To minimize the opportunity for condensation to form on interior surfaces,
maintain a comfortable temperature in the motorhome, and avoid nighttime setbacks
of 10° or more. Drastic setbacks that reduce the indoor air temperature quickly can
increase the chance for airborne moisture to condense on cool surfaces such as
windows. If you are away from the motorhome for an extended number of days, we
recommend that you do not set the temperature back without taking other measures to
manage relative humidity, including operating a dehumidifier with a continuous drain.
The carpet should be cleaned when it shows signs of discoloration or traffic patterns.
The use of a professional steam cleaning system is recommended for cleaning the
carpet, unless otherwise noted. To manage moisture from the cleaning process, the
cleaning system needs to be capable of extracting the excess water from the carpet
after it has been cleaned. Important: Be sure the carpet is thoroughly dry before
closing the motorhome for storage. Water from the cleaning process can cause
significant damage to the motorhome if the carpet is not completely dry before closing
up the motorhome for an extended period.
The exterior shell of the motorhome is the primary weather and moisture barrier.
Over the life of the motorhome, the shell will require regular care and maintenance.
The shell includes the roof, sidewalls, windows, doors and under carriage of the
motorhome. Particular attention needs to be devoted to ensure these components are
maintained to ensure a tight barrier against bulk water intrusion.
The shell should be inspected periodically for tears, gaps, and condition of sealants.
Areas that require maintenance should be resealed utilizing a proven, high quality
sealant of similar characteristics as the original sealant. Particular attention should be
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