Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Fleet | Keystone RV Models > Lite Weight Trailers
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-17-2015, 04:30 PM   #1
Triplespool
Member
 
Triplespool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Indiana
Posts: 48
Moisture on windows

Ok the weather has been very cold and i have done all i can do to keep the moisture off of the inside windows in the camper. I have a large dehumidifire but it seems it cant keep up. Any words of wisdom ?????
__________________
2012 Ford F-150 4x4
2015 Keystone Passport GT 3180 RE
Triplespool is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2015, 04:55 PM   #2
chuckster57
Site Team
 
chuckster57's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,234
This time of year can make keeping the inside of your RV dry a daunting task. Depends on how many people and pets are inside besides the weather. Cracking a window or two helps, but then you use more heat. I open a window in the rear of the unit, and then use my roof vent fan in the front bedroom to remove moisture, and once the windows are clear enough, I take my sweatshirt off and turn up the heat. Maybe a dedicated beach towel or two might help, there are alternate methods to dry them once they too become waterlogged.
__________________

2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
chuckster57 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2015, 05:11 PM   #3
B&T
Senior Member
 
B&T's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Here
Posts: 313
Quote:
Originally Posted by Triplespool View Post
Ok the weather has been very cold and i have done all i can do to keep the moisture off of the inside windows in the camper. I have a large dehumidifire but it seems it cant keep up. Any words of wisdom ?????
I keep the vent in the bath open slightly to let warm humid air escape and it does help keep the overall humidity lower. Lose a little heat in the process but the tradeoff is worth it. With vent closed I have found condensation inside closets and cupboards and around the mattress on the front wall in addition to the windows.
__________________
2012 Passport GT 3100RK
Previous Campers:
2010 Trailmanor 2720SL
2003 R-Vision Traillite
B&T is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2015, 05:43 PM   #4
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,836
Page 14 in the owner's manual is a good place to start:

Tips to Avoiding Condensation • When bathing, washing dishes, hair- drying, laundering, cooking and using appliances and non-vented gas burners always turn on the nearest exhaust fan. • Keep the bathroom door closed and the vent open (if equipped, exhaust fan on) when bathing/ showering and for a period of time after you have finished. • Do not hang wet clothes in the coach to dry. • In hot weather, start the air conditioner early as it removes excess humidity from the air while lowering the temperature. • Manage the inside temperature during cold weather. The higher inside temperature along with colder outside temperatures will cause condensation to form on areas that are not insulated as well as others (windows, vents, wall studs, etc). • Poor air circulation inside the unit can cause condensation to form inside closets and cabinets. Allow air to circulate inside closets and cabinets (leave doors partially open) so the temperature inside the cabinet is the same as in the rest of the unit. Please keep in mind that a closed cabinet full of stored goods prevents circulation and can 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 get the moisture in the air that is created from normal use outside. The most effective way is utilizing your vents and vent fans. • 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. If the tips presented here are not effective in controlling condensation, it may be necessary for you to invest in a dehumidifier to reduce the health risk to you or your family as well as prevent damage to your RV.

Where There Is Moisture, There May Be Mold Molds, which are pollutants, are microscopic organisms that naturally occur in virtually every environment, indoors and out. Outdoors, mold growth is important in the decomposition of plants. Indoors, mold growth is unfavorable. Left unchecked, molds break down natural materials such as wood products and fabrics. For mold growth to occur temperatures must be between 40 degrees and 100 degrees Fahrenheit and there must be a source of moisture such as humidity, standing water, damp materials, etc. Indoors, the most rapid growth occurs with warm and humid conditions. By controlling relative humidity (moisture), the growth of mold and mildew can be inhibited. • In warm climates, use of the air conditioner will reduce the relative humidity. • Opening vents and operating exhaust fans when introducing high levels of moisture to the inside of the unit (bathing, showering, cooking, washing dishes, etc.) will help control the environment needed for mold to grow. • Clean any spills immediately • Avoid leaving damp towels, cloths, etc. out to dry inside the unit • On safe surfaces, use mold or mildew-killing cleaning products. • Check sealants regularly and reseal when necessary to avoid water leaks. Proper preventive maintenance to the RV and its accessories, as described both in this manual and in accompanying literature, will provide the best protection for your unit. • In extreme conditions, a dehumidifier may be necessary.

We have always found that having crossventilation in the trailer helps. We open a window in the back of the trailer just a little and crack open the roof vent in the front bedroom. That tends to help set up some circulation. Honestly, no matter what you do, if you intend to "stay warm" and "breathe" you are going to be producing moisture that will collect on the colder surfaces. You can't stop it, all you can do is try to minimize it. Use vent fans, avoid boiling things on the stove, close bathroom doors when showering and use the vent fan until the bathroom and shower stall are dry.

You might want to check closely behind the sofa, inside cupboards and closets and especially behind the mattress where it butts up against the outside wall. Those areas will be wet if you're having to rely on a humidifier to help dry the coach and it's not keeping up.

Good Luck
__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2015, 03:43 AM   #5
Triplespool
Member
 
Triplespool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Indiana
Posts: 48
Thanks for all your help !!!
After reading all your words of wisdom I cracked vent just alittle and turned fan on. This helped out alot ! My wife and I thank you all. For my closets we purchased moisture bags and they work great for us. Come spring time im going to put a fan in my vent at the rear of the camper. I have 2 vents but only 1 fan. I will let you know how it all works out.
Thanks again....
__________________
2012 Ford F-150 4x4
2015 Keystone Passport GT 3180 RE
Triplespool is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2015, 08:59 AM   #6
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,836
Just keep an eye on the mattress and the sofa, I can almost guarantee you that there's condensation on them where they are positioned against the outside walls.
__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2015, 05:39 AM   #7
Triplespool
Member
 
Triplespool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Indiana
Posts: 48
Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Just keep an eye on the mattress and the sofa, I can almost guarantee you that there's condensation on them where they are positioned against the outside walls.
Thanks JRTJH..

We did check and it looked ok. My wife is already talking about a 5ver..... lol..... it looks like i better start looking for a bigger truck come spring time...
__________________
2012 Ford F-150 4x4
2015 Keystone Passport GT 3180 RE
Triplespool is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2015, 05:03 PM   #8
sandy43
Senior Member
 
sandy43's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: South Texas
Posts: 343
I live in a very humid area and humidity has always concerned me. I recently bought this unit from Amazon:

Ivation IVAGDM20 DehumMini Powerful Small-Size Thermo-Electric Dehumidifier

It appears to do a pretty good job. Average humidity in the trailer was 72-80 %. This dehumidifier brought it down to 50-55%. To me that's a great improvement. Just something to think about.

P.S. cracking a window or opening a vent is a must when running some type of heat.
__________________
Sandy & Ann
2019 Alpine 3401RS
2011 Ford F350 Diesel

sandy43 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2021, 05:11 PM   #9
Clydaho
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Sagle
Posts: 8
We are staying in our 29' Bullet on our lot in North Idaho until our house is finished in January. We would get up in the morning and wipe the condensation off the windows. Buying a dehumidifier was on the list once we got a feel for how bad it was going to get this winter. Then we found moisture on the walls in the closets in the front bedroom. Moisture under the bunk mattress where one of our 2 100# German shepherds sleeps. Tried buying an RV dehumidifier locally. No luck. Ended up spending $200 at Home Depot for a home model. Luckily I was able to run an extension cord into the new house as I didn't want to chance popping breakers in the trailer while the electric heater and other things were running. Best $200 I've spent in a long while. With 2 humans and 2 large dogs, we are emptying the dehumidifier tank twice a day. Usually it is over half full. That's about 2-3 quarts per day. If we hadn't gotten the house size from Home Depot, our 20190Bullet would be ruined from mold. We caught it in time. No more condensation on the windows, in the closets or under the mattresses.
Can't wait to get into the new house!!
__________________
Clyde & Susan
2019 Bullet 290BHSWE
2018 Chev High Country
2014 Chev Silverado 1500
Clydaho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2021, 07:17 PM   #10
flybouy
Site Team
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,709
You replied to 7 year old post so I doubt you're going to get any replies.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
flybouy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2021, 09:05 AM   #11
travelin texans
Senior Member
 
travelin texans's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Picacho, Az
Posts: 6,809
But all of the recommendations of keeping a window &/or vent cracked are still good 7 years later. I'd crack them open AND run your dehumidifier!
__________________
Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
travelin texans is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-05-2021, 05:04 AM   #12
rhagfo
Senior Member
 
rhagfo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,176
Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
You replied to 7 year old post so I doubt you're going to get any replies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Just keep an eye on the mattress and the sofa, I can almost guarantee you that there's condensation on them where they are positioned against the outside walls.
Yes, it is seven years old and OP hasn't posted since this post, but all the information is still valid.

We full time in the PNW, we don't crack windows or vents, we do run a house sized dehumidifier in the living space of our 32' 5er, and this year added a small counter sized one in the bed room.

One other thing we have done is placed two vertical pieces of 2x4 at the head of the bed to space out from the wall.
__________________
Russ & Paula and Belle the Beagle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW 14,000# GVWR (New TV)
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS 32’ GVWR 12,360
Visit and enjoy Oregon State Parks
rhagfo is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:53 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.