Moisture/Condensation in all cupboards

[rdickinson]

Get a dehumifier or a heatpump. Easy for me to spend your money, I know. Camping world has roof mount heatpumps on for $885, internet price.

 

My unit is buttoned up tight, no cracked windows, roof vents or anything else.

 

Yes you will have labor and possible wiring changes. They are not light, 2 person operation.

[Bill Joyce]

Since we have a cat, I am glad we are further south and not having this problem. Our cat loves to explore open cabinets.

[GVJeeper]

I just had a thought about the silver stuff. If I put it in the cupboard that harbor an outside wall there is still the ability of air/moisture to get between the silver and the cupboard wall (thus haven for mold). But what if I apply spray glue to the entire silver sheet the stick it onto those sides? The silver is good for heat and for cold so will help in any weather. Do you think that will work?

 

2 gypsies - so far I've been doing that tho its a pain for the cupboards full of cans/boxes of food. I'll keep it up til something simpler comes along.

 

Pat & Pete - my heat and a/c run off the same thermostat so can only run one at a time.

 

Bill - I have two cats also but so far they've been more interest in being under the bed covers, lol.

[Yarome]

And taking off for AZ is just to easy of a suggestion since it's not you having to up and move away. Leaving a window or vent open is not practical in an RV in 30 degree weather nor is running my air conditioner. I really appreciate those that are trying to help but these types of suggestions are about an impractical as can be.

 

It might seem counter-intuitive to crack a vent or run your A/C, but I can only "second" what everyone else has already said. The increase in energy requirements to maintain a comfortable temperature is negligible. Especially when compared to water and/or mold damage... which is a fair given if condensation isn't kept in check.

 

Another suggestion would be to limit your use of propane heaters, stove top, oven, or similar. One of the byproducts of propane combustion is a surprising amount of water vapor.

 

Sleep with your head toward the most "open" part of the room and away from exterior walls/windows.

 

The suggestion to relocate to a warmer/drier climate isn't a bit outrageous. After all... we all own RV's. They're mobile. I dare say that the greater majority own them with the willingness and intent to travel. To each their own, but I would much rather go play in the South than battle condensation and high heating bills.

[Yarome]

my heat and a/c run off the same thermostat so can only run one at a time.

 

Use electric space heaters and cycle the A/C as needed if you don't want to alternate operation. It doesn't need to be on all the time to keep the humidity "manageable".

[rdickinson]

"I just had a thought about the silver stuff. If I put it in the cupboard that harbor an outside wall there is still the ability of air/moisture to get between the silver and the cupboard wall (thus haven for mold). But what if I apply spray glue to the entire silver sheet the stick it onto those sides? The silver is good for heat and for cold so will help in any weather. Do you think that will work?"

 

I'm a Cabinetmaker or Joiner and have more than a fair bit of experience with all types of contact cement. 17 bucks a can and very messy. You will have overspray over everything in the cabinets. Both surfaces need a coat, wait for it to tack up then apply. You get one chance to get it in the right place and that's it. If it is off by a bit it will tear when you try to remove to re position.

 

Working inside a cabinet is not easy, think about it. On a stool or stepladder, working in your own shadow. The lowers are worse, dark and awkward.

 

Where are you located? City or town?

 

Can you afford a small dehumidifier?

[GVJeeper]

The suggestion to relocate to a warmer/drier climate isn't a bit outrageous. After all... we all own RV's. They're mobile. I dare say that the greater majority own them with the willingness and intent to travel. To each their own, but I would much rather go play in the South than battle condensation and high heating bills.

I'm here until January then heading south so this is just a temporary situation. If I could go sooner I would. Woke up to 38 degrees in my rig which was ok as I like to sleep in the cold but 40ish during the day is not ok. It's still cold where I'm heading in January but oh so much warmer during the day.....and sunny blue skies.

 

I appreciate your suggestions.

[rdickinson]

 

Use electric space heaters and cycle the A/C as needed if you don't want to alternate operation. It doesn't need to be on all the time to keep the humidity "manageable".

I was typing up the same response when the computer gonged to tell me of a new message. Well, we are on the same track.

[rdickinson]

 

Honeywell 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner with Heat ...

www.homedepot.com/.../Honeywell-14-000-BTU-Portable-Air-Conditio...

• Cached

• Similar

Rating: 3.6 - ‎11 reviews - ‎US$599.99 - ‎In stock

Model # MM14CHCS. Internet # 204170267. 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner with Heat Pump in Black and Silver. Honeywell 14,000 BTU Portable Air ...

[GVJeeper]

17 bucks a can and very messy.

 

Where are you located? City or town?

 

Can you afford a small dehumidifier?

 

I was thinking of Craft spray glue and spraying the silver foil stuff then sticking on the wall.

 

I'm in northern Washington...can see San Juan and Victoria from here. I hear we're going to get into the 50s soon so that might help.

 

Nope, can't afford a dehumidifier. I'd like to do the glue/silver thing and just use a few DampRid containers.

[Yarome]

I was just thinking a little more about your reflectix in the closets thing.

 

Basically, you're trying to accomplish 3 things to keep condensation to a minimum. Monitor and reduce humidity inside your rig, provide adequate ventilation, and raise or maintain a higher internal temp.

 

My concern would be that reflectix is a radiant material and isn't going to provide much in the way of condensation control without some type of vapor block/barrier... which isn't too practical or cost effective 'inside' a cabinet or enclosed space. Since most of your heat lose is actually going to occur through your windows, I would suggest switching gears and concentrate more on them.

 

It wouldn't be all that difficult to make your own window barriers. I don't recall exactly who is was that had some in their rig that they had put together, but they basically cut a sheet of reflectix to size, a layer of cardboard for rigidity, then a layer of that sheet fabric batting stuff. They slipped all that into a pillow case and used velcro to secure them in place over the windows. The batting provided a fairly effective vapor barrier. Basically just a buffer that inhibits the warm inside air and cold outside transfer.

 

My thoughts being that it would be far less expensive than what you're planning, less messy, non permanent, and would "probably" be much more effective at maintaining a higher internal temperature... or rather... less of a heat exchange so the warm air would be better able to hold it's water and leave by way of the cracked vent.

 

It would also have the added benefit of better condensation control throughout your entire rig.. not just the walls that have refletix glued on.

 

Just spit balling.

 

Air buffers DO work really well though and not just when it's cold out. I've always put in double curtains over my windows. One lightweight, lighter colored curtain right against the windows and a heavier darker colored curtain out an inch and a half or so.

 

In hot sunny weather you can say it's just the dark/heavy curtain keeps the sun out, but it's much more effective than that. The light curtain reduces the sun exposure on the heavier curtain (it doesn't get as warm). Because the light curtain is not a radiant material (like glass), what heat that does get through gets trapped in the air buffer between the two curtains rather than radiating into my rig.

 

Yes.. I've taken radiant heat measurements with none, only the light material, only the heavy material, and with both. There is a significant temperature difference when an air buffer is in place.

 

I can't imagine why it wouldn't work in cold weather as well. Actually... a reflectix pad like mentioned above would probably be even better in the heat than my curtains. I'll have to think more about doing that myself. Although.. curtains are probably more attractive and easier to open and close to see the beautiful sunsets.

[GVJeeper]

Yarome -

I have mostly double pane windows so there's some "barrier" there already....and I can see out of them. Your description of a barrier sounds like I'd end up living in a cave though a lot of people seem to like that, I'm not one.

When I had a class C I used a black out curtain from Walmart at my entry door and it kept the cold out pretty well.

I have the reflectix on one of my non-dual pane windows in the bedroom and it seems to help with the cold. Since the reflectix works well for both heat and cold, I'm thinking making it permanent wouldn't be a bad idea...keep out the hot heat of the summer and the cold of the winter. I have some in one cupboard and when I open that cupboard it's not nearly as cold inside of it than the cupboard next to it without reflectix so I know it works for temperature control.

 

Lots of good thoughts - thanks!!

[DennisK]

Welcome to the Pacific NW! I used to log up there and on Whidbey Is. still have a place at Birch Bay. Go to Freddy Meyers and get an oil filled space heater, $40.00 or less. Put it on low and crack open some vents. As everyone else has said, dry air movement is neccessary......It will create it's own convection cycle depending on where you put the heater.

[GVJeeper]

Go to Freddy Meyers and get an oil filled space heater, $40.00 or less.

 

I bought one at Home Depot last week for $39 and am running it as we speak. I just got a double cupboard emptied of mostly canned and boxed goods. I was damp in the corner that's against an outside wall. I'll leave the food out until tomorrow and try to get some circulation in here without freezing to death. Beautiful country but damn cold!!!

[Barbaraok]

Are all of the cupboards along the same wall? Is it in a slide? If so, you may also want to check to see if there is somewhere moisture from the outside (rain) could have gotten in behind the cupboards.

[DuffMan]

You seem to be making this too complicated . Simply run both the heat and the air conditioning . We just did that and the humidity dropped 12% in about 15 minutes . 69% down to 57% .

 

Actually that is what a dehumidifier does. A dehumidifier is a small air conditioner that draws air over the evaporator/cooling coils to allow water to condense on them then blows that same air over the condensor coils heating the air back up but now with less moisture content.

 

As Pat & Pete said, you can accomplish the same thing by running your A/C & Heat simultaneously, albeit at a higher cost but it does create a huge dehumidifier!

[GVJeeper]

I've already mentioned that they are on the same thermostat so I can't run the heat and a/c at the same time.

The cupboards are in different places...some in the slide and some not. I'm sure it's not a leak.

[Pat & Pete]

 

I bought one at Home Depot last week for $39 and am running it as we speak. I just got a double cupboard emptied of mostly canned and boxed goods. I was damp in the corner that's against an outside wall. I'll leave the food out until tomorrow and try to get some circulation in here without freezing to death. Beautiful country but damn cold!!!

 

Gee , now you can run both heat and air .

[rdickinson]

Home Depot may rent ac/heat pumps, can you rent one for the short term. What is the temp inside your RV?

 

Do you have 30 or 50 amps?

[GVJeeper]

 

Gee , now you can run both heat and air .

Can I run heat and just the fan for the a/c?

[GVJeeper]

Home Depot may rent ac/heat pumps, can you rent one for the short term. What is the temp inside your RV?

 

Do you have 30 or 50 amps?

 

Temp this morning was 33. I have 30 amp.

[rdickinson]

Was that inside or outside the RV?

 

I think run the heater up pretty high then switch over to the AC to cool things down and take out the moisture. Condensed out water will run off the roof.

[skp51443]

Can I run heat and just the fan for the a/c?

 

No, you need the coils in the AC to be as cold as possible to pull the moisture out and the air to be in contact with them as long as possible which is why you want to use the low fan setting.

[lappir]

I'm currently staying in northern Washington where it has been very very cold but not much rain. I've noticed that there is moisture in all of my cupboards to the point of puddling. The areas affected are the corner seams that have a kind of plastic feeling caulking running down the corner joints. Any recommendation for my 10+ cupboards. This is happening in all cupboards whether they are in the slide out or now.

Have read most of the posts and don't think this point has been mentioned. Condensation forms on a cold surface in a warm moist environment.

 

Unfortunately I have several of those in my very well sealed trailer. In my garage there are screws holding the door hardware in place. They run from outside to inside and I have almost constant condensation there when the temperature is below 60 degrees outside. It was a real mess when I stayed in a location where the temperatures were below Zero for several days.

 

You should be able to eliminate most of it if you can place an insulating layer that prevents the warm air inside getting to a cold surface. Reducing the amount of humidity will also reduce the amount of liquid but will not completely prevent the formation of condensation.

 

Rod

[GVJeeper]

Condensation forms on a cold surface in a warm moist environment.

 

Rod

 

That's why I want to put Reflectix on the cold walls - when I reach into one of these cupboards, the cupboard wall that is on the outside rv wall is significantly colder than the cupboard wall that is facing the inside of the rig. That will deal with the cold wall in a warm space. If I use craft spray glue (not at all messy or expensive - used to glue scroll saw patterns onto wood) plus I already have some Reflectix so no expense there. I would like some factual input (not guesses or thoughts) if that will settle the temp issue in the cupboards.

 

i'd like to add again that it's only in the cupboards - i don't have a condensation issue inside the rig: walls, windows (dual pane) etc. Just in the cupboards - where air circulation with a/c and heat is not going to get. Towels and canned good will not allow the room a/c or heater to circulation in those cupboards. That's why I'm looking at how to stabilize the temp in the cupboards with the room.