RVs Best Solutions To Stop Condensation and Moisture

[@AllAboutRVs]

I hope this information helps you out and helps you take care of some of the problems that we face as RVers. Let me know if you have any tips that have helped you keep the moisture down in the RV and eliminate condensation. Large Dehumidifier amzn.to/3S9uLDY Small Dehumidifier amzn.to/3tNgZxt Damp-Rid. amzn.to/48q4iYn Fan option. amzn.to/3S8tiOh Mattress airflow pad. amzn.to/3HbFebW

[@MarianSlater-r2n]

I live full time in my rv we have 12 damp rid mini buckets, 4 dehumidifiers and we wipe our window seals down daily like 3 times a day and still have a horrible problem with humidity 😢 its a 2022 and i have been at least once a week cleaning mildew even after having our open windows that block rain during the day im at a loss, our bathroom vent shorted out because there is just so much condensation even when we wipe down the bathroom walls and all and leave the bathroom door open idk what I can do

[@MarianSlater-r2n]

And yes we have a dehumidifier that's supposed to be 2000 sq ft plus 3 small ones and 2 to 4 damp rid buckets and hangers all over and fans in bad bad spots like the huge mildew issue we found behind our kids couch in the bunkhouse 😮 I've had it since September and I'm going crazy we have to empty the dehumidifiers daily

[@Bobcatz1870]

A squeegee is a great addition to clear the shower of standing water (wall and floor).

[@AllAboutRVs]

Yes great tip. I couldn’t find mine to include it in the video.

[@jimegan7077]

Agreed. I switched to using a squeegee last year instead of the towel. I think I have less humidity in the RV now. However, here in the Rocky Mountains we don't worry about having too much humidity (most of the time).

[@retire2liverv710]

In 3+ years FT RV-ing, we’ve never had a condensation issue, even in rainy Seattle or with colder spring and fall northern nights. We started our journey with our old cat and litter box aroma management was a major concern. As a result, we had the exhaust fan in the bathroom running at 20% 24/7 (turn up to 60-70% when showering) which, serendipitously, kept the air in the rig constantly moving and minimizing humidity build-up. Granted we spend more time in the west than the eastern states, but even our 4 month eastern tour posed no problems. It might be interesting to run your 2 hour test with just the exhaust fan running to see how that compares to the results achieved with active dehumidification. A note on the power draw from the fan might also be interesting. Love your channel and the great info you share. Great job!

[@XLSLife]

100% agree with all of this. I learned most of these lessons the hard way myself my first year. The first few months I struggled with humidity, even with one of those tiny dehumidifiers. Eventually I picked up the large 50 pint dehumidifier from my previous apartment. It's massive overkill for a 200 sqft camper but I can make the humidity 25% inside on a foggy day if I so choose, haha. One nice benefit has been not needing to open the vent or dry the shower anymore. I set it on high before I get in and it's back below 40% by the time I dry off. Another big thing was picking up an induction hotplate to use instead of my propane stove. Since it's not burning propane it doesn't add any extra humidity to the camper, or all the extra heat and fumes. It stays noticeably cooler when cooking in the summer too. Plus it's way faster and I love being able to dial in a specific temperature. For me, the biggest benefit of the plastic was stopping the drafts. On the sliding (non emergency exit) windows on my camper Lippert used a brush-like strip to seal between the window panes and the corners just plan have small gaps. So cold air came right in around them. Plus, they're only single pane glass. A trick I found for keeping moisture from getting behind them when I'm putting them on has been to crank the dehumidifier for a few hours to get the humidity as low as possible. It keeps the bottom edges from starting to fog until it's in the 20s or lower. I also found that 1/2" VHB tape is a prefect fit for that recessed frame around the Lippert windows. I had issues with the plastic pulling the tape off a few of them because it was pulling up at the edge. The VHB tape is thick enough the plastic just pulls straight sideways. Though it's a little tough to bend around the corners, haha. I also, ran into the same problem with the reflectix on my door window. Even with the velcro all the way around humidity manages to get behind it and condense. It even drips down the door in the winter. At some point I'm going to put plastic over it too, to seal the air out. I'm glad for that tip about the mattress pad. I just noticed 2 days ago that the underside of my mattress seemed a tiny bit damp when I was getting into the under-bed storage. I hadn't figured out what to do about it yet, but now I know. Thanks Jared.

[@shantis9243]

One thing I didn't realise until I started looking at a dehumidifier for my home was there are different types of dehumidifiers that work better (or worse) in different climates. My understanding is that dessicant dehumidifiers are better for cold climates, and compressor style ones (like the AC unit) work better in hot, humid climates. So if you have both you're covered for summer and winter! I don't see it talked about a lot so I'm not sure it's common knowledge

[@latada6018]

Omg! I thought I may never see you again! I appreciate you so very much! 🙏🏻♥️

[@dinosaur6756]

They now make "atmospheric water generators" that basically dehumidify the air and then purify the water for drinking. It seems like a perfect fit for RVs. Especially for boondocking. They should incorporate them into RV builds, and they could even have it drain directly into the holding tanks. I don't see why you couldn't reroute the condensation gathered by A/C units and purify that water with the machine as well. You should check those units out and maybe do a video.

[@Angelique-r9n]

Hi, thank you so much for sharing what you've learned! We are young campers and this wisdom and experience is so helpful, you answered a lot of questions and pointed out the simple reason for certain things like the exhaust ❤ thank you for sharing 🌷 ❤God bless 🙌🏻 🙏🏻 😊 ❤️

[@JCarathers]

Howdy from Nacogdoches, TX! Bought the bigger dehumidifier for my RV trailer. The unit arrived last week and today plugged it in and setup the controls. The humidity in this trailer runs from 30 to 60 percent different times of the year. It is winter here and plan to stay in "NAC", as the locals call it, till April. As a newbie full time RV'er since July 5, 2024, the winter experience has taught me a lot about winter camping in a travel trailer. Temps have been as low as 11 degrees during the arctic vortex. Thanks for presenting this video on all the winterization ideas for full time RV'ing.

[@calledtojourney]

We use a 35 pint dehumidifier in our 33' fifth wheel to keep the humidity in check, which also keeps condensation to a minimum. The colder it gets inside, the drier we keep the air. When it's freezing outside, we want the humidity inside to be at about 30%. If it's much higher than that, condensation on the windows is inevitable, followed by condensation on the walls.

[@robertaviles8451]

We have a 2013 Sunset Trails Bunkhouse. I guess I should've had mom run - not walked - away from this deal. There's mold and mildew as well as those "brale bumps" under the windows and next to the shower. She didn't know what to look for, when buying used. She has learned a valuable lesson. We're currently looking for a better (and newer) Bunkhouse, now that we're a little more smarter, little more wiser. 2:10 Bathroom vent fan - Last time I used my vent fan, I popped the fuse. Now I need to get a new 15 amp fuse for the box 😉 !

[@deltabravo1257]

It blows my mind how many people in the RV groups I'm an admin for think the propane furnace blows moisture from the combustion process into the interior of the RV. I've tried to put that issue to rest multiple times, but people don't get it. I've shared your video in those groups.

[@ellenpowers8037]

Your videos are always jam-packed with good info! Thank you!

[@TinyGoHomes]

In my tiny home I use a smart plug thermostat and run at higher temps during the winter and during the day so the heat reaches further keeping everything dry.

[@waynehowes523]

Hi, I recently found an item at my local Wally World that works great. First I squeegee the shower off then I use an Aquadry. It's an inexpensive chamois cloth that makes your shower bone dry. Wring it out and use over and over. It stores easily, yes easily back in its original container.

[@deltabravo1257]

Thermal pane windows, in my mind, are a must for me because I periodically camp in colder weather. They help prevent condensation from collecting on the glass and making a mess. I use a giant microfiber towel to dry out my shower.

[@warrenscorner]

We purchased a large dehumidifier while we were in Texas for the winter a few years ago. It took some valuable space but it was well worth it. Great video!

[@AllAboutRVs]

That is awesome! Thank!

[@OurRollingVoyageORV]

I use two large dehumidifier in the upstairs and a fan behind the wall in the basement. I do dry up any water that shows up. I’m glad to hear you say that. Now I feel good about what I do. Thank you.

[@andrewfidel2220]

I stored my first trailer in a former mine, nice temperature over the winter so we didn't have to worry about winterizing. However it was also very damp. We put 4 of the large damp rid buckets in our 18' trailer at the recommendation of the storage location, never had any issues with mold, mildew, or must.

[@TeachAllNations]

I've been using the Midea unit and it does a great job during the humid summers here in Tennessee. I really don't need it in the winter so I put it away.

[@coreymerritt7742]

I like the idea of being able to get alerts from the bigger unit thanks Jared 👍

[@TurboDodgeXVI]

Do the film window covers also cause condensation similar to the reflect-x does? These are some of my tips from living in mine. I've had issues for years. Excluding what was mentioned in the video. The little USB fans are a great idea, tyvm! 1. Move everything away from the wall a bit as stated in the video. Includes any bedding/pillows. I pull my mattress away from the wall every morning a few inches. 2. IF YOU HAVE SKIRTING THEN MAKE SURE IT CAN VENT. ESPECIALLY IF PARKED OVER GRAVEL/DIRT. This was a HUGE problem for me and after 3 years of asking and trying everything to resolve my issues it turns out this was my largest culprit. It makes sense now, but I couldn't get any suggestions about it. If you're over gravel and it cannot vent then it will stay there and it will find it's way inside.

[@jimegan7077]

Good tip about the skirt. I do have a skirt that I use in the winter, but I suspect the ground is already frozen.

[@brentmcmahon8188]

I have a 05 10.6 Bigfoot truck camper. Truck campers as a whole they have a problem with humidity inside a have a good size dehumidifier. With a clear hose mounted under the dinette table against the side wall and plumbed to a line going outside and draining on the ground, that way I don’t have to drain it it’s automatic and it worked great and only time I have this problem is in the cooler weather or cold weather and you watch the water dribble out the hose and being a clear hose you can see that the drain doesn’t have that green stuff clogging up your hose and if it does you can pour bleach in top of line and when it starts to run out put a plug in hose and let it set for a hour or two and the pull the plug and let it all drain out and you can put your jug at end of hose to use it again and do not splash bleach inside your camper because it will make white spots on your carpet. Hope this helps some one. Oh when I store my camper I set my dehumidifier to what percentage that I want and it will cycle on and off as needed and it smells so nice inside when you get her out for your first trip .

[@therealjonwsmith]

I have the Cube one at home. I love it and we are on our second one. First one lasted two years. I looked in the fins and they were rusted. My theory is when we put it away for the winter, even though we let it dry for a few weeks, there was still moisture in the system when we collapsed it. I’m not “breaking down” the cube in hopes that it’ll last longer.

[@EVoltage00]

In cold climates, just cracking one of the vent covers overnight makes a measurable difference in the humidity, but will require a bit more heat from the furnace.

[@mikebailey5127]

My Minnie split dose a great job in my 40 fift wheel

[@clintstevenson1214]

Thanks for that extremely informative video. I also like the post summary. Glad I subscribed a long time ago😊

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you!

[@betterthanideserve76]

I run two Midea 30pt dehumidifiers and 3 damprid cans 24/7. When the rv is in use and when in storage. The never ever stop running.

[@joshuaandes7722]

We use a 20 pint dehumidifier in our 278BH. It makes it so much more comfortable inside. It reduce the amount of condensation on the windows significantly. Even in 20 degree weather and the black out shades down, there was only about a 5inch circle in the middle of the window with what looked like a foggy mirror more than water droplets on the window. I have a small tank so I have to empty it every 8-12 hours. We also keep the vent open and fan on during showers. I go a step further and have the AC vent pointed in the shower to push that humid air up and out.

[@jaccourt9531]

Thanks I need this in my house. The large one since no power. Only solar boxes

[@raykimsey1801]

Excellent! Those are the main things we do. Our camper has an interior shell of fiberglass and and exterior shell of fiberglass. Condensation can be a problem if not properly dealt with. We just keep the fans exhausting air with a window cracked (especially when cooking), and keep moisture dried up as you showed in the shower. We also use a hygrometer to measure the water vapor in the air. We also have a small dehumidifier, but rarely use it.

[@AllAboutRVs]

Excellent plan. Do you have an Oliver?

[@housesOTR]

I just bought a small dehumidifier and looked around for reviews. Mine came today. I don't think your video would have made any difference but it would have been nice to see this first. Oh well. Thanks for the video. I bought a small device as our trailer is small.

[@janicethoni8421]

Great video! We discovered the humidity issue in the winter of 2020… or first and last winter in a rv. Great tips here. Early on we tried seversl different huminifiers but nothing stopped the problem at the time. nowadays we use the trailer in summer and fall and have less of a problem

[@cpwatching5647]

Good job!! I appreciate the advice on avoidance and mitigation. Thank you. Take care.

[@tinamorris4641]

Compressor dehumidifier is the best! The small ones really don’t work very effectively.

[@Robnord1]

👍 Agreed. Dehumidifiers with a compressor are all that will work in humidity levels as one sees in rainy weather here in WA.

[@Qpitmaster]

Great segment! We have a large dehume (2,500 sq ft) used for homes and travel with it. Our Fiver rarely exceeds 45% humidity and pulls in gallons of water. Keep in mind that wood is hygroscopic and it WILL absorb the moisture from the air - thus increasing the moisture content of the wood and cellulose products.

[@AllAboutRVs]

Good point!

[@mikebalentine]

Midea dehumidifier is the one I use and it’s fantastic

[@timaz1066]

Maybe one day I will see you on the road but until then I’ll see you in the next video.

[@offgridphotos]

With the large dehumidifier your link brought it to the 1500 square foot size is that the size that you would recommend?

[@BillWalker-c4r]

Hi Jared, I got some good tips from watching your video. In fact over the last year or so, I have found that your videos are very helpful. In this video, I noticed that you had removed the back of one of your Thomas Payne recliners. I have had lots of people tell me how to remove the back, but I have never managed to do it. I doubt that I am the only person who has never managed to remove the back. So I think that if you made a video of how to remove it, It may help a lot of rvers. Thanks, Bill W

[@RicardoCervantez-f2z]

Question, We live in a 30' Sportmen Travel Trailer, single pullout. What size dehumidifier would you recommend 1500' or 3500' square foot unit?

[@The_Good_Life_starts_today]

Good video Jared and some great tips / comparisons! Many variables involved as it all depends on location, the size of the trailer, number of people and usage. Maintenance is key. Once the interior gets saturated, it's extremely difficult to completely remove moisture. I found this out the hard way and needed to run a large home humidifier for 3 days to completely dry it out. I have a 22' TT and travel to Florida every year in the Spring / Fall and use the small dehumidifier constantly. I'll place it in the sink where I never have to worry about emptying it. I mounted an inexpensive humidity gauge next to the thermostat and try to keep it to around 60%. Like charging a battery, the amount of energy used to get it from 90% to 60% is nearly equal to getting it from 60% to 50%. During the summer when in storage (outside) I'll also use a couple of Damp-Rid hanging bags and will usually have to swap these out every month. I don't have shore power, so I installed a small solar system to run it 24/7.

[@karencoyle3011]

Where I am, in Florida, I'd never even have to have a water tank in the RV. I could get 5 gallons a day from a de-humidifier in the wet season! Lol

[@twodogsandtheirfamily]

We run two of those small dehumidifiers 24x7 year round in our RV. And we have several sensors in the RV. We typically average 35-40% humidity in the winter. I can't remember what it is in the summer, but not too bad either as we always have the A/C on. We use the electric fireplace on the lowest setting when we are not camping in the winter.

[@AllAboutRVs]

👍🏼 That AC when running is like a big dehumidifier too.

[@andiamoherewego]

I have a small dehumidifier but think it’s time to move up in size. Thanks for the info.

[@MOSHTUBE1]

Thank you for another great video. Happy new year and keep them videos coming.

[@Kudu19]

Hi Jared! We need to put our RV in storage for a year, central Florida, covered outdoors. Was planning on running a smart 50 pint dehumidifier (Midea). Would that be enough or overkill you think?

[@kareng3591]

Another great video, Jared! Question, though. The film you shrink wrapped onto the one window...does that aid in reducing condensation at all? Or is it merely to insulate from the exterior temps? Thank you and we love your channel.

[@AllAboutRVs]

Yes it makes a large difference in the condensation. With this blast of cold we have been thinking of doing it to the large window because the one window we covered with film is the only one with almost zero condensation on it in the morning. The ones we have been using relect-x have ice on the inside. It has been single digits with the coldest being -5 F . The film makes a huge difference.

[@MarianSlater-r2n]

I live full time in my rv we have 12 damp rid mini buckets, 4 dehumidifiers and we wipe our window seals down daily like 3 times a day and still have a horrible problem with humidity 😢 its a 2022 and i have been at least once a week cleaning mildew even after having our open windows that block rain during the day im at a loss, our bathroom vent shorted out because there is just so much condensation even when we wipe down the bathroom walls and all and leave the bathroom door open idk what I can do

[@dianam9848]

How do you plug in the dehumidifier if you have to keep the windows sealed?

[@Max-jv3yg]

How do you manage humidity while in storage (no hookups)?

[@atracamoniusvlogs]

All about rv's a al barsha drive tour south

[@fendr1962]

Excellent information. I was surprised by the amount of water dripping off of the inside of my front window when the temp cooled out side and it was raining. I thought I had a leak. No leak just condensation. Which dropped down on our mattress. But I had a huge amount of condensation build up while visiting Florida. I was running my air conditioner on high and inside my air conditioner water built up and started dropping out of it. I checked the air conditioner internally there was water built up in an electric wiring compartment. I had to pour the water out. I ve been told not to run my air conditioning on such a high setting to prevent this from happening in the future. I don’t get that. If the outside temp is high I need to run the air at a higher level to make it comfortable.

[@telemark22]

Because of the high humidity, you were getting more condensation than the drain could handle. It could be partially plugged. My home AC drain got plugged and I had water on the floor.

[@fendr1962]

@@telemark22 Thanks for your response. Nope. I checked and the drains were clear. The water was dripping off of all internal parts like where the air blows down into the RV. As I mentioned to my surprise and electrical box contains wires started to fill up with water. I shut the unit off and drained the water and dried off everything I could. We left Florida shortly after that and I have never seen that issue since. Not sure where I heard that running the unit on high in the super high humidity level could cause that to happen. I wouldn’t think that would be the case but due to the water coming off of multiple places it’s the only thing that seems to make sense.

[@daviddnelson]

I’m trying to find a good 12v dehumidifier when away from the camper, since we don’t have an inverter. Any suggestions?

[@Robnord1]

The white damp-rid crystals. Powered units are AC because of energy usage.

[@connietomgiordano7756]

How many amps does that dehumidifier draw?

[@rolanddowling1757]

At what percent humidity should some corrective action be taken? Or, is it a combination of temperature and humidity? Thank you, Rollo

[@stacyhazelwood4033]

Great video!!! Thank You!!!

[@supergcrash]

What did you use for the clear film on the windows

[@RandallSoong-pp7ih]

Thank you!

[@parks324]

Any recommendations on condensation in pantries and other cabinets that are on an exterior wall? Mainly in the corners.

[@AllAboutRVs]

I would try one of these in those closed spaces.amzn.to/3RXKNPR. If that doesn’t work unfortunately the next step I would do is to open the cabinets or find a way to get airflow with a fan. The reusable mini dehumidifier would be my first attempt.

[@stephens2626]

You didn't talk about the temperature inside the RV while the dehumidifier is running. Some dehumidifiers become very inefficient or shut down below 50°.

[@Robnord1]

True. There are some units that do have a pre-heater in the intake portion, and those do work well under 50deg F, but that is usually pointed out in the unit specs. Good point. Many wonder why their unit doesn't perform in colder temps.

[@positionthepositron]

can you drink the water from the dehumidifier?

[@PurdueGuyInLB]

What are you using for your humidity graphing?

[@astatine0085]

Can you put the tank into your water tanks?

[@larkendelvie]

The big one is a nice dehumidifier - question - is the water collected drinkable? Not a big deal with the small ones but 3 cups is a usable amount.

[@Robnord1]

techincally yes. It produces distilled water. I would water a lead-acid battery or a plant with it, but not drink. Some tiny particulate matter from the air is often seen in the water we dump from our dehumidifiers. I wouldn't drink it without filtering, and even then would have concerns of chemical contaminants/oxides from the condenser coil (commonly aluminum) surface.

[@TeachAllNations]

When I empty the collection bucket it is always dirty.

[@KimFieldstad]

I want your hoodie. Where can I get one. Love your videos by the way.

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thanks! It is made with Alpaca fiber. www.pakaapparel.com/products/alpaca-hoodie?variant=39922165907540

[@stevezb]

What devices did you use to measure the humidity and produce the graph?

[@AllAboutRVs]

It is the Govee temp sensor. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGXVYadohZKMgKM

[@Chris-ut6eq]

Without knowing the outside temp/humidity vs indoor T/H, the tests are only helpful to say A pulled more water than B. Plus we need to know how much ventilation is going on within the RV. how many CFM venting are you doing during the test. Also you can dry too much for human comfort. Was hoping for more data. Saying bigger unit is better than smaller, not a surprise.

[@AllAboutRVs]

All tests were done at similar outside temps, humidity and time of day. Also our venting for the over night test had the same venting, one vent open but no fan on The 2 hour test was no vent open or fan on to remove the variable as much as possible of the outside humidity and the tests were done with very similar outside temp.

[@PhillipCBarnett]

What is your definition of an acceptable humidity level

[@lr6187]

Install a diesel heater

[@parler8698]

Gorgeous 😍 RV

[@Xtrememarineproducts]

nice video

[@vikp6115]

I bought dehumidifier and it didn't work looks like it only works at above 40 f, I tried to use it inside my rv while it was in storage , is there something specific u guys use while u store it ? ( first rv I've bought)

[@Robnord1]

These work on the refrigeration principle, just like an air conditioner. They do not function at all in ambient temps under about 45-50deg F. Many I know use an electric oil radiator type heater to stay at 50 or so degrees so that the dehumidifier will function properly. A few units such as our two GE 30 pint 'cold temp operation feature' type will work down to 41deg F by using a pre-heater in the intake air, but you need to check specs to see if the one you're looking at has that feature or not.

[@BottleJackBuddy]

great!!!

[@lesliehunter1823]

How many watts though?

[@AllAboutRVs]

All the watt hours were given in the 2 hour test.

[@brentmcmahon8188]

double payne windows with the gas inside will keep the condensation off your windows .

[@timf6916]

Good in

[@BobCollins42]

It's called a fan.