One of the most expensive repairs on motorhomes is damp so catching it early can save you expense and hassle. Its certainly a case of prevention is better than cure.
Do I have a damp motorhome?
Some amount of damp is normal and can be due to seasonal humidity, drying wet clothes, showers and cooking. Usually the most serious damp is caused by ingress of water from outside. Common areas for water to get in are window seals, profile rails, aerial mounts and panel joins. Often the first noticeable sign of damp in your motorhome is smell, this may just be because you haven’t used your motorhome for a while and might just need a good airing but could be signs of a future problem.
Visible mould is a sign that damp has been around a while and certainly needs further investigation. This is a case of working out a likely cause of where water could of come in, for example if the damp is below a window it almost certainly has come from a window seal or bowed window.
Keeping up with your yearly motorhome habitation inspection will bring up any potential damp issues as a full damp test will be done.
I have damp in my motorhome, what now?
If you have damp in your motorhome the first step is to identify the cause and the severity. If caught early enough the damp can simply be dried out and the area of ingress resealed. If the damp has progressed to spongy panel an involved motorhome damp repair may be needed including wood and insulation replacement.
If you only have mild damp dehumidifiers can help get rid of the extra moisture. A dehumidifier can be sourced cheaply and put to work to dry things out in a day or two. Even if you don’t have damp make sure you can keep windows open whenever you can and whenever possible leave damp washing outside. All these things can contribute to a long-term damp issue.