Controlling Moisture Condensation - Fleetwood Limited 1987 User Manual

motor home and the appearance of visible moisture,
especially in cold weather. If you know the signs of
excessive mositure and condensation, you can
minimize their effects.
Just as moisture collects on the outside of a glass
of cold water during humid weather, moisture can
condense on the inside surfaces of your motor home
during use in cold weather when humidity of the
interior air is high. This condition is much greater in
a recreational vehicle than in most houses because
the insulated walls of the vehicle are much thinner
than house walls, and the small size and tight
construction of the vehicle allow a quick buildup of
high moisture levels in the inside air.
The air inside a recreational vehicle can contain a
surprisingly large amount of water vapor. Estimates
indicate that a family of four can vaporize up to three
gallons of water daily through breathing, cooking,
bathing, and washing. Unless this water vapor is
carried outside by ventilation, or condensed by a
dehumidifier, it will condense on the inside of the
windows and walls as moisture, or in cold weather
as frost or ice. It may also condense out of sight
within the walls or the ceiling where it will manifest
itself as stained panels. Appearance of these
conditions indicates a condensation problem.
CONTROLLING MOISTURE
CONDENSATION
You can reduce or eliminate interior moisture con-
densation during cold weather by taking the following
steps:
• Ventilate with outside air.
Partially open one or more roof vents and one
or more windows to provide controlled circulation
of outside air into the interior. While this ventila-
tion will increase furnace heating load, it will
greatly reduce, or eliminate, water condensation.
Note: Even when it is raining or snowing, ventila-
tion air from outside will be far drier than interior
air and will effectively reduce condensation.
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• Install tight fitting storm windows to reduce or
eliminate condensation on window glass.
The interior surface of the storm window will be
at least 20 degrees warmer, reducing moisture
condensation. DO NOT COVER THE EMERGEN-
CY EXIT WINDOW. This window must be left
accessible at all times for emergency exit.
e Reduce moisture released inside the motor home.
Run the range vent fan when cooking and the
bath vent fan (or open the bath vent) when
bathing to carry water vapor out of the motor
home. Avoid making steam from excessive
boiling or use of hot water. Remove water or
snow from shoes before entering to avoid
soaking the carpet. Avoid drying overcoats or
other clothes inside the motor home. WARNING:
DO NOT HEAT THE MOTOR HOME INTERIOR
WITH THE RANGE OR OVEN. In addition to the
hazards of toxic fumes and oxygen depletion
which make heating by the range or oven very
dangerous, open flames add moisture to the
interior air, increasing condensation. Do not use
an air humidifier inside the motor home. Water
put into the air by the humidifier will increase
condensation.
• Ventilate closets and cabinets.
During prolonged use in very cold weather, leave
cabinet and closet doors partially open to warm
and ventilate the interiors of storage compart-
ments built against exterior walls. The air flow
will warm the exterior wall surface, reducing or
eliminating condensation and preventing possible
ice formation.
• Install a dehumidifier appliance.
During prolonged, continuous use, a dehumidi-
fying appliance may be more comfortable and
effective in removing excess moisture from the
interior air. While use of a dehumidifier is not a
"cure-all", and ventilation, storm windows, and
moisture reduction continue to be important,
operation of the dehumidifier will reduce the
amount of outside air needed for ventilation.
Heating load on the furnace will be reduced, and
the interior will be less drafty.