# Keeping van interior dry without Hook-up. Any ideas?



## 108883 (Dec 27, 2007)

My Rapido is in a Storage site. I take it out on the road every 10 /14 days to charge up. I dont want to suffer the dreaded DAMP OR MOULD! Any good ideas out there?

Tarmac Kid


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Do a damp check and shut the windows 

Dave


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## dragabed (May 24, 2008)

*keeping van interior dry*

external silver screens for all windows


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Yep. Agree with Dave. (He beat me to it - again!)

If it don't leak it won't get wet. :roll: 

I never do anything with ours, although it stands on the drive within reach of a hook-up. It doesn't suffer any worse than the car - less if anything as it is not occupied so often so the air inside remains less humid.  

Dave


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## ash (Aug 17, 2006)

Open all cupboards to help with the ventilation.........

Ash..


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

We leave our van in storage and dont move it for upto 4 weeks sometimes.

We just make sure the van is well ventilated after our last night's sleep and take the bedding off. We then just make sure all the windows are shut and leave it.

We have had no problems so far. I am not sure why everyone heats there van in the winter (exept if they leave water on board) as freash air is the best thing to keep things dry and most/all vans have plenty of vents.

What do the dealers do with vans that they have in stock new and used?

Richard...


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"What do the dealers do with vans that they have in stock new and used?"

New - don't fill with water.
Used - empty the water



Dave


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## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

Assuming your van is watertight:-

Buy a 5kg or 10kg bag of softener salt, and put this in plastic washing-up bowl/s.
It will absorb moisture from the atmosphere to reduce humidity, and stop damp.

If you don't have a salt softener yourself to put it in when finished with, I'm sure there will be someone local to you who would like it.


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

New - don't fill with water.
Used - empty the water

Smile


I did ask, and left it wide open    


Richard...


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## 108883 (Dec 27, 2007)

*Keeping the van dry.*

Thank you all for the suggestions. The Rapido is an 07 and I have the 'Taylormade' big screen for the windscreen and bonnet. I was there yesterday and everything seemed so cold and damp. Outside screens for all exterior windows? Where would these be from and how would they fix?


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

TR5 said:


> -
> Buy a 5kg or 10kg bag of softener salt, and put this in plastic washing-up bowl/s.
> It will absorb moisture from the atmosphere to reduce humidity, and stop damp.
> .


This assumes your van is also airtight. If it is not- and I hope it is not- then there will always be air flowing through it and your salt cannot absorb all the moisture in the air. I'm assuming you're not changing or drying the salt every day or so ?

You're also running the risk, if you accidentally drop your bowl of moist salt, of having a corrosive substance loose in your van.

We leave ours, internal doors and cupboards open, upholstery on it's end to leave the lockers open and we have never had a problem- and that includes several caravans as well as 3 motorhomes.

G


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

My van has been off the road for almost 18 months. I did... Wait for it... Absolutely nothing 

If I were paranoid about these things I would take out any soft furnishings as these seem to attract the mold most. I would ensure that all tanks were fully empty. I would leave all internal doors open including the fridge. I would also leave lots of trays of salt around to absorb any mosture in the air and block the fridge vents. I would definately avoid any sort of cover over the van.

As I am not paranoid I would just leave it and cross my fingers for a few minutes until I forgot I was supposed to be worried.

Your other alternative is somewhere in the middle. Leave it as you would normally do, and come back once a week and start the heating and check things out?

Karl


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

I open all cupboards, drain all tanks, open all taps. I use a few Dry Bags suspended from cupboards and dry the sand out in a warm oven every 3/4 weeks and refill.

I have the benefit of ehu so I put some heat on sometimes and us a dehumidifier for an hour.

I have seen what damp does and believe me I don't want it.

Regards,

Graham


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*cold*

Hi

It could be that the van felt damp just because it was so cold.

Russell


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## 108883 (Dec 27, 2007)

*winter damp*

Thank you Russel, I think that probably you are right.


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## steersy (May 22, 2005)

*Salt*

Take TR5's advice. Bowls of salt, any old salt, cheapest from Lidl if u want. Have used it as a warden in static caravans, it is in my caravan back home.
When you have drained the water system, put some down the plug holes. Salt water does not freeze, so if there is any water left in your pipes, it won't freeze. 
I have found external screens better than internal. I still got condensation on the winscreen using internals. The exterior screens keep the windscreen protected, and stops the glass getting cold.


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