# Ventilation Behind Cushions



## Daedalas (Nov 12, 2009)

Good Evening All

Now I know it is there this is really no very big, but still an annoying issue.

Arising from keeping beautifully warm with the eberspacher on our trip ending last week to a very wet and damned cold Scotland, we 've run into the old chestnut of condensation. I think this may be an issue with many vans so I'm airing the problem: in particular I'm asking if there are any good suggestions out there and offering my current thinking for critical comment.

Whilst 'mucking out' I found heavy condensation behind the tight fitting to the wall U shaped lounge cushions in our StarSpirit, cushions which have not been moved in several weeks. The wall was quite wet but ONLY behind the cushions.

Looking back many years, our Cotswold Windrush of years ago [dare I mention we were caravanners for over 40 years] had a tiny feed from the blown air system coming up a narrow 'box section' behind each cushion. In our Viking we had dampness one very wet summmer in Norway we had condensation under the cushions on non-ventilated underbed lockers. And I won't mention windows streaming and the like in the earlier non-insulated tin-tents!

I think the solution to the StarSpirit problem might rest in getting air to circulate behind the cushions ... but how?

Mixing the narrow box section idea with some modern material I wondered if a CORREX board cut to match would provide both insulation and ventilation to the critial area between cushion and the wall areas without having a problem of displacing the cushions significantly out of place? Would 4mm or 6mm or my preference for 10mm fit the bill?

[Correx I have larned from the Internet is the name of that twin tough plastic sheet with corrugation of the same material as a sandwich inbetween which all the Estate Agents and such make lightweight signboards out of and is for sale on eBay in packs 5 or 10 sized 830 x 615 mm ] at about £20 & £30.

Does anyone know of any other material which would offer similar properties of allowing air to circulate through the board?

Does that make sense to you much more experienced motorhomers?

Has anyone suffered similarly and found a solution they are willing to share?


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

I'm sorry i dont know how to make a link but if you look at a post i made last week asking about underbed condensation i had lots of helpful answers and have today taken delivery of some matting used on boats to keep foam bedding up from fibreglass bed bases.I got it off ebay.
it should be relatively easy to make a condensation board for the wall though get some thin square wood and sikkaflex it to the wall vertically to a height just short of the top of the backrest cushion, get either some wallboard from a surplus shop or some plain ply and cut it to just smaller than the backrest cushion fix it your uprights and you will solve the problem, your cushion is not on the cold outside wall and the small air gap you have created will be enough to do the job.


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

We had some similar to the first from a ship chandelery which helped under a mattress, and I imagine behind a sofa it would work too?

http://www.hyperventmarine.com/index.html

http://www.shipshapebedding.co.uk/Dry-Mat_Anti_Condensation_Layer.php?li=dry-mat

Its still a big area with no specific flow going though it, but a small 12v computer fan is cheap and might be helpful too?


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## Daedalas (Nov 12, 2009)

*Condensation behind cushions*

Good Morning Sideways & Grizzlj,

Many thanks for the information and advice in your replies.

I can see that fixing boards could be a good solution but I think it would make the cushions protrude as they are a very tight fit: hence either of the under bed ventilations solutions provided they would 'stay in position' and hence leaning towards the Hyperventilation which appeals more at the moment.

Did you buy direct from the website Sideways - or was it a UK supplier?


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Hiya

I remembered that I actually bought some mat type material from Fox's Chandelry in Ipswich, but they no longer seem to sell what I bought. What they do have is cheaper, and they sell on-line too if thats any use.

http://www.foxsonline.com/acatalog/info_2001857.html

Jason


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

I got it off ebay from amorytextiles i dont know how to make you a link but i just googled them and it took me to their ebay listings i got one 2mx1.5m £20 plus post used it last night with great success
hope this helps.


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

Hi Daedalas

having had and severe damage done over winter to the furnishings in an old Broads cruiser I once had, I understand your concern. I was therefore surprised when I got this, my first motorhome, how they had tackled the issue. 

I dont know if this applies to other makes but on the Knaus all the lockers are ventilated in some way. 

The bottom ones have a strip to let air in at the base of the front and also at the top at the back which goes up behind the cushions. These are held off the wall with a backing panel (padded ply) fixed with 1/2" square battens vertically. This allows air to rise behind the cushions from the locker below. 

I think it might be possible to add this fairly easily. I can let you have pics if you are so inclined

The base of all the top lockers are 1/2" short of the wall and thus ventilated.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Find an Autotrail and have a look behind the cushions to see how to deal with the issue simply!! (its exactly as per the above post)


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