Effects Of Permanent Occupancy; Condensation And How To Control It - Fleetwood EXPEDITION User Manual

EFFECTS OF PERMANENT
OCCUPANCY
Condensation and How to
Control It
You need to understand how to properly manage
and control the humid conditions and condensa-
tion that you may experience.
RVs are much smaller than a house, and are
tightly built. This means that the interior air will
become saturated with moisture more quickly
than in a typical house. The routine activities of
a few people can put a lot of water into the air.
In cold weather, this moisture may become visi-
b
e as condensation.
Condensation happens naturally. Just as mois-
ture collects on the outside of a glass of cold
water during humid weather, moisture can con-
dense on the inside surfaces of your RV during
cold weather when the humidity of the interior
air is high.
Water vapor will condense on the inside of the
windows and walls. In really cold weather, frost
or ice may appear. It may also condense out of
sight within the walls or the ceiling. If enough
water collects in the wall or ceiling materials, it
may cause water stains on the wall or ceiling
surface. You might think that your walls or ceil-
ing are leaking. You have a problem with con-
densation if you see these signs. You need to do
something to reduce the moisture inside your
RV.
.fl
NOTEi
Your RV is not designed to be used as permanent
housing. Use of this product for long term or perma-
nent occupancy may lead to premature deterioration of
structure, interior finishes, fabrics, carpeting and
drapes. Damage or deterioration due to long term
occupancy may not be considered normal, and may
under the terms of the warranty constitute misuse,
abuse, or neglect, and may therefore reduce your war-
ranty protection.
Living With Your Motor Home
Here are some frequently asked questions about
condensation and some answers that will help
you understand more about your RV and how to
keep it comfortable.
Q. - In cold weather, my windows and walls
look like they're sweating. Is that con-
densation?
A. - Yes. Your windows are a good way to
know if the humidity in your RV is too
high. All air contains water vapor. When
air is warm it can hold much more water
vapor than when it is cold. When the air
cools, the water vapor "condenses" back to
a liquid. Since your windows are usually
cooler than the air, the water collects on
the surface of the glass.
Q. - Where does all the water come from?
A. - Moisture in the air comes from many
sources. Some of the most common are:
Cooking - Meals prepared for a family of
four can add up to a gallon of water per
day into the air from cooking.
Bathing - An average shower can put
between
y,. - )/,
pounds of water into the air.
Dishwashing - Doing the dishes for a typ-
ical day's meals can add up to one pound
of water to the air.
Floor mopping - When an 8' x 10' kitchen
floor is mopped and rinsed, almost 2)/,
pounds of water can be released into the air.
Clothes drying - After 10 pounds of clothes
have been washed and spin-dried in a
washer, they still contain about 10 pounds
of water. If these clothes are dried inside,
that water is released into the air in the RV.
Gas appliances - When LP gas is burned,
carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water are
given off into the air. For every 1000 cubic
feet of LP gas burned, nearly 88 pounds of
water' is released into the air.
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