# Priorities or Pampered M/H



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I wonder if I have my priorities right and is my van the most pampered.
I am sitting here in fuel poverty with no heating on during the day time trying to save money.
Meanwhile I have a 800 watt oil radiator running to keep our Hymer Tramp nice and warm  
The funny thing is that we used to have the house heating running full bore as we are a sort of greenhouse plants, but we have both now got used to it and are not really cold.
Mrs Grath says we should go and sit in our van


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Pampered*

Well I got in bed last night, realised it was -3c out and the van had nor been drained down.

Motorhome was tucked away in corner of the drive, not hooked up.
So I Put the alde on gas setting for the night.

Came In icy cold and put our central heating on constant.


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## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

The van is in the drive with a oil rad on timer, and we are snug as bugs in a rug with a wood burning stove. Downsize is we use a lot of logs.
Still the winter fuel allowance pays for three loads of logs.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Can understand if you've not drained the van down, or if you're actually in it, but otherwise it's absolutely beyond me why people bother heating vans when they're parked on the drive. If one has money to burn, fair enough, but otherwise why bother? I keep mine in a storage compound where there's no option of heating, along with another 100 or so other owners. They don't seem to suffer.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Since retiring, we stopped using our oil-filled radiator. We drain down the system, and leave some windows on the first catch (slightly open, but secure). Works for us.

There again, we rarely use the van in the deep winter months.

Gerald


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## Sandy_Saunders (Nov 17, 2008)

Like GeraldandAnnie we don't use the van much in winter and likewise don't heat it. If you have properly drained everything down it will be OK. I take it out for a 15 mile run every fortnight or so to keep it ticking over mechanically. 

If I was going to do anything it would be to run a de-humidifier for a couple of hours once a week. But there has been no sign of damp or condensation, so I haven't tried that yet.

The last two winters haven't caused any damage, which is as good a test as you will get I think.  

Sandy


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

You heat the van, cold air enters thro the vents. You are asking for condensation problems.

£940 to fill heating oil tank this year. I have purchased lady p warm clothes for christmas. :wink: 
Should keep her warm whilst I am out delivering in the nice warm van :wink: 

Dave p


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

I'm in the "no heat van" camp..
Open cupboards and toilet door, lift cushions etc...
How many vans are there sat on dealer forecourts ?? 
They dont get heated...!!

The only 1 thing different that I have done this year is put on the silver screens..
I didn't bother before because we didn't have any :lol:


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

And if you are not going to use it for a couple of months or more SORN it.
Put the money towards a bag of coal. :wink: 
Dave p


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

We recently put a dehumidifier in our van and over a period of four days we collected four litres of water this was a little disconcerting so we had a damp test done; result no damp problems. So there is an oil filled radiator in there now just in case mildew starts. Mind you the van is going in the second week of January in part ex for a new one but it didn’t feel right not to look after it.
Gary


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

A waste of time using a dehumidifier, all you do is draw damp air in thro the vents. Been there done that..

Dealers do not put dehumidifiers or heaters in stock vans.
They do not cover them either.
Put a couple of dishes containg salt on the worktop, tables.

Dave p


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I agree

No need to heat the van in winter as long as you have drained down

Dehumidifiers attempt to dehumidify the outside air which is why you collect so much moisture. Never had mildew in a van they are well ventilated

Put that heat into your home and stay warm

Aldra


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

It seems that the majority of you don't bother to keep heat in your pride and joys. maybe I should not but it will be hard not to do what I have been doing for the last 8 years as I have always had a nice warm van and no damp or ice damage problems.
I treat it like a human being


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Van Heating*

I have drained the van down tonight and opened all the taps, rather than drain my pocket.

We use the van a lot through winter anyway, so gets plenty of airing.

TM


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Touch wood, never had any problems with 26 years of caravanning or motorhoming.
Dave p


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

We use ours throughout the winter not like you part timers.
Gary :roll:


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

It defeats me why anyone would heat their MH during the winter !! (More money than sense)

Do you heat your loft?? do you get any damp problems in it? No because it has a regular circulation of air through it !!! Treat your MH exactly the same and stop wasting your money !

If you heat the air inside your MH all you will do is enable the (warm) air inside to carry more moisture, this moisture will then condense out of the warm air onto any cold surface (that you probably cant see !!!) 

If you drain the water down and leave a couple of windows just cracked open you will get a circulation of air through your MH. Thats what will prevent condensation if thats your fear. 

Use your money to heat you HOME, to heat an empty MH and sit in a cold house is madness :roll: :roll:


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> A waste of time using a dehumidifier, all you do is draw damp air in thro the vents. Been there done that..
> 
> Dealers do not put dehumidifiers or heaters in stock vans.
> They do not cover them either.
> ...


The reason some of us use dehumidifiers is to stop moisture in the air being absorbed into any soft furnishings. We know that moisture will enter the moho _almost_ as quickly as a dehumidifier will get rid of it. 
Soft furnishings wont give up moisture, rather it will absorb more and more of it until it becomes a problem. During the warmer months ambient temperatures will allow fabrics to warm up and release the moisture, in cold weather this wont happen.

Another advantage is that as dehumidifiers are fan driven they will hustle air around the interior of the moho and help prevent stale air pockets forming. This is where mould and mildew start.

As for dealers.....how many purchasers have had to go back to a dealer because the newly acquired van is suffering from damp?

Don't forget most dealers have the tools, knowledge to drain down water systems properly so all traces of water are scavenged from the system, whereas most owners just wont know if there is a bend or valve with a small bit of water in it. Its the small amounts that are liable to freeze first and, because of where the water is trapped, liable to cause the most damage.

IMHO


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