Humid rv storage help?

tyates007 · April 2, 2016

We moved to western Washington last year and had our first full winter. There was a lot of rain. When we prepared our Mobile Suites for storage season last October we did as we also have, drained fresh water, pink stuff in the lines, wipe everything down, put a couple of tubs of the moisture absorbing crystal stuff, shut it up tight and pull the battery.

When we opened it up yesterday to begin getting ready for a trip my wife was very upset due to caninet doors swelling and breaking and mildew on the carpets and furniture. There were no leaks or wet spots as it is parked mostly under a car port. Maybe 8 feet of the front are not under port. I will get it cleaned up and cabinets repaired but how do I stop in the future?

I know opening the cabinets will stop the swelling to breaking thing as long as they shrink back down. How do I prevent the mildew?

skp51443 · April 2, 2016

A powered dehumidifier might be your only hope in that situation, they will remove a lot of water from the air and keep the interior both a bit warmer and dryer. The moisture absorbing crystals work well in small enclosed spaces but in an RV there is just no way they can get all the moisture out and their absorbing capacity is limited. You'll also find you are constantly having to move them to the house and dry them to keep their effectiveness.

If you have a spot you can drain the water too get one that uses a drain line rather than a tank, if you have to go with a tank version make sure to empty the tank before it fills. They are supposed to shut off if full but if it fails it will be sitting in a puddle and damage your floor.

Something like this one - AC powered, drain line with pump: http://smile.amazon.com/Frigidaire-FAD704DWD-Energy-70-pint-Dehumidifier/dp/B00AU7GZXE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459615115&sr=8-1&keywords=dehumidifier+with+pump&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011

tyates007 · April 2, 2016

Thanks Stanley. Would it be ok to just put the drain in the sink and let it flow to the gray water tank?

jblscooper · April 2, 2016

Thanks Stanley. Would it be ok to just put the drain in the sink and let it flow to the gray water tank?

Only if the valve to the grey tank will be open, otherwise if tank fills, the water has to go somewhere.

Jim

skp51443 · April 2, 2016

The gray tank is a good option as it is so much larger than the internal tanks in dehumidifiers usually have. But as Jim cautioned you'd need to empty the gray tank from time to time based on how much water you were pulling out of the air if it was left closed.

An option that would work well is leaving the gray tank open and running a drain line from the RV's dump to a spot that the water wouldn't be a problem. A 1/4 inch line, like for a drip system would be plenty big enough. Get a dump cap with a hose fitting and a reducer and you'd be set for the winter unless it got cold enough to freeze the drip line for longer than it took for the gray tank to overfill.

As a protective option dump the dehumidifier drain line into the shower drain and put a water sensor into the shower pan. Even if the tank filled, the shower pan would hold several days of water so you'd have plenty of time to do the dumping if for some reason it was necessary.

Selah · April 3, 2016

We have some acquaintances who use a small dehumidifier that sits on the counter top and drains into the sink. They do have sewer hookup but if you are n private property that is not an issue. There is nothing wrong with draining the grey water into your yard. In many areas of the US and modern countries people use thier grey water to water thier gardens and landscaping.

Just don't use any kind of drain cleaner or tank additives.