Hot or cold

The only time we got mould was the year we heated the van in winter.

Ventilation is the key to preventing damp and mould. If you can’t remove the cushions, stand them on edge to allow air to circulate.

The warmer it is the more moisture the internal air will hold. This will hit the outside walls, condense and then you will get the mould. It is not worth heating. You need air circulation so air the van whenever you can. Open all of the lockers and take bedding/upholstery out if you can. If you cannot then keep them way from the van walls.

 

Colin

Well - I'm in the other camp!  Ours is on the drive - plugged in - heating set to 10 degrees overnight in winter. Everything is in there - bedding, some towels, all the upholstery etc etc. I often go in there in the afternoon to read and give the heating a blast for an hour or so.  We've never had any damp, condensation or mould whatsoever. That said, we are away every month throughout the year, so it's never parked up for much more than three weeks - and often much less than that.

Perhaps our van is better insulated than UK ones, but we've never had any hint of condensation forming on the walls.

Warm air holds more moisture than cold air  -  fact. Therefore, even if condensation isn't visually evident the air touching everything in the caravan will be more moist if it is warmer. Dampness can have more damaging results than just getting mould on surfaces. It is for our own personal comfort that we have heat in a caravan, not for the benefit of the 'van.

We have no choice with our caravan as it’s in storage so - cold.  We remove cushions and carpets etc.  From early November to early March it has a bespoke full winter cover on and a few damp crystals placed in various places inside, yes I appreciate the ‘against’ arguments but it has always worked for us.  Come March the caravan has always been clean and dry so we will continue with that plan.  

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So it would appear there are two methods that work.

- No heating and vent it

- Heating on 24/7 so the structure and contents of the van stays warm. I am guessing as there is nobody inside breathing the moisture is not present so no condensation.

There is another effective method that I use.

- van stored in garage attached to the house. It is on tyre savers, previously axle stands and under a cover with a couple of windows cracked open. This garage hovers between 5/10c over winter.

 

Colin

All cupboards and draws open, drained down and taps open, double check no food whatsoever is left in the van, cushions stood on their end, blinds up, 4 moisture traps put in, cover over and wheels covered................Goodbye until Spring or required. Same procedure for 43 years and no trouble or disappointments so far.

We use the van every month....about 30 weeks a year...so we don't take anything out of the van other than my clothes and bedding for washing etc....it would be too much of a pain.

the van is in the drive, I have access to EHU but don't use it, solar keeps all batteries charged and, unless the forecast is for sustained cold weather, I don't drain the van down.

so, no heating but we rarely get 'weather' although it's cold at the moment but we are away in it....New Forest...

but when back home, I will (probably) drain the van down...still have new year trip prior to Spain in Jan.

My van, now approaching six years old, is usually idle for most of December and all of January (mainly due to work commitments rather than by choice). It is in storage, so no heat at all.

I never remove anything. I leave all my clothes, towels, bed linen, etc. permanently in the van - obviously removed for washing but other wise always in the van. I never remove cushions or other soft furnishings. I can honestly say that I have never noticed any issues with either damp or mould.

On the first trip of a new year, once the van is warmed up, everything is totally fine.