Condensation in garage compartment?

[Jack TGA]

There is a thick plastic mat covering the floor in my garage. It keeps getting wet underneath it, but I can't find a leak. Is it possible that condensation could form there? It gets pretty warm in the garage when I have the heater on. If it is possible, what can I do about it?

 

[Basildog]

Only way to prevent condensation is either to leave the space cold or ensure you have adequate ventilation.
Ventilation in heated areas always seems to go against the grain but it’s actually essential.

 

[funflair]

I would not have thought that condensation would form under the plastic cover as there should not really be air under there if it’s a good fit. Is there any condensation on top of the plastic?

 

[TinaLes]

I think all you can do if a leak is not evident is lift out the plastic mat covering completely, give the floor a few days to dry out, maybe place a small oil filled rad or similar in there for a day or two to speed up the drying out. Then put paper all over the floor & see what happens, if its the door seals then I would expect the paper to get damp near the bottom inside the garage, if its an internal leak from pipework, then you should be able to trace it back. If the paper stays dry whilst van is being stored then take it out for a run in the rain when roads are wet to see if its ingress from the wheel arches or from the underside of the van.
Plastic or Vinyl floor coverings are the worst for concealing dampness underneath, we had a washing machine feed pipe connector seep water in our home kitchen, a lot of damage to the wood floor covering occurred before we knew anything about it.
Good luck, hope you get it sussed & sorted.
LES

 

[Landy Andy]

Heating area too much?

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[PJGWiltshire]

When using our Carthago in the Winter and running the airblown heating, we get a lot of condensation in the large garage. It appears all around the frame of both doors. Every morning I wipe the whole frame down there are beads of water sitting there.I place four clothes on the bottom of each down frame to collect water runs. The garage is just too airtight to allow ventilation. I solved the problem when on a campsite by pushing one door back to where it nearly engages the locks. I then put a piece of Duck tap to hold the door closed but not locked snapped home. This then caused the garage not to be airtight. This solved the condensation problem

 

[Jack TGA]

When using our Carthago in the Winter and running the airblown heating, we get a lot of condensation in the large garage. It appears all around the frame of both doors. Every morning I wipe the whole frame down there are beads of water sitting there.I place four clothes on the bottom of each down frame to collect water runs. The garage is just too airtight to allow ventilation. I solved the problem when on a campsite by pushing one door back to where it nearly engages the locks. I then put a piece of Duck tap to hold the door closed but not locked snapped home. This then caused the garage not to be airtight. This solved the condensation problem

Thanks. Presumably that solution only works if it doesn't rain?

 

[Jack TGA]

I would not have thought that condensation would form under the plastic cover as there should not really be air under there if it’s a good fit. Is there any condensation on top of the plastic?

No condensation on top of the mat. But if the mat gets warm, and the wooden floor is cold I would expect the condensation to form on the underside of the mat, no?

 

[Jack TGA]

Only way to prevent condensation is either to leave the space cold or ensure you have adequate ventilation.
Ventilation in heated areas always seems to go against the grain but it’s actually essential.

I can't leave the space cold as that's where the heater is. The only way to ventilate it would be into the habitation area. And the only way to do that would be by drilling holes in the cupboards under the two single fixed beds or steps that go up to beds. Even then the garage would still get warm but less hot than it gets now. Any suggestions?

 

[PJGWiltshire]

Thanks. Presumably that solution only works if it doesn't rain?

No rain stays out. The garage door is tight and the rubber seal engages but obviously its not airtight so air circulates. I have not had instances where rain has got in. My garage door has two water seals

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[Jack TGA]

Heating area too much?

It's unavoidable if I want a warm habitation area.

 

[Jack TGA]

No rain stays out. The garage door is tight and the rubber seal engages but obviously its not airtight so air circulates. I have not had instances where rain has got in. My garage door has two water seals

I don't know what you mean by two water seals.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

I have seen some vans place vent grills on garage doors to allow circulation

 

[funflair]

No condensation on top of the mat. But if the mat gets warm, and the wooden floor is cold I would expect the condensation to form on the underside of the mat, no?

Correct but I would have thought a plastic mat would be pretty cold as well if it’s on a cold floor.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

I don't know what you mean by two water seals.

The inner section of the door has a large seal that when closed airlocks to the inner frame. The outer edge of the door has a seal that squeezes against the outside of the frame

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[Googlebot]

Do you have a Hymer?

Mine was leaking from the rear arch and I thought it was condensation.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

Hope this makes clear

 

[CazPaul]

Do you keep damp towels/etc,wet boots in the garage?

 

[Jack TGA]

Do you have a Hymer?

Mine was leaking from the rear arch and I thought it was condensation.

It's a carado. Could you see water discolouration on the walls? How did you find the leak in the end?

 

[Jack TGA]

Do you keep damp towels/etc,wet boots in the garage?

No, but I put the water tank filler hose pipe in there, in a tray in case there's any water left in it.

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[Jonno1103]

Cold floor against a thermal barrier equals condensation. If your not using your motorhome over winter I'd take the rubber mat out. Happens a lot in car boots, less so in hatchbacks due to air circulation within the cabin.

 

[SandraL]

2013 hymer with garage. Plywood garage floor with pvc cover over.
Soft wood adjacent to each of the 4 upright edges of the garage doors.
Softer wood in garage, rather than underneath.
My conclusion is moisture runs down door frame, sits on floor under the pvc and softens the floor.
Repaired one, 3 to go.

 

[Jasz]

I had a similar to your problem a few years ago, I now make sure that mats or solid flat objects are not directly on the floor and have had no problems since.

 

[landscaper]

Ww have a similar problem with our Carado T339 and have just tapped off the heating vent that goes into the garage - problem solvewd

 

[Stealaway]

I stopped heating the garage by sealing the garage heater pipework in the living area. Didn't see the point as there's nothing that needed keeping warm.

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[Landy Andy]

My garage is heated as the beds are above, and the idea being that the heat in the garage comes up to heat the bedroom. It’s not sealed as two areas.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

You could replace the thick plastic mat with a more natural 5mm ply sheet, possibly varnish it on the top side. I would place a thermal layer below that, like the gold foiled thin insulation foam they use under laminate flooring, very light weight and effective, this works on Sunlight built in the same factory, and to the same tech specs.
Mike

 

[Minxy]

We get similar under the rubber backed mats we use on the hab floor so I assume its down to the temperature difference of the top of the mats compared to the underside which is on the cold flooring, we just lift them every now and then and dry the area if needed and let it air a bit, it doesn't cause any lasting damage.

 

[Googlebot]

It's a carado. Could you see water discolouration on the walls? How did you find the leak in the end?

It always came in the front corner of the garage. No discolouration, eventually it rained heavy and water dribbled across the kitchen so I found it.

 

[Stealaway]

My garage is heated as the beds are above, and the idea being that the heat in the garage comes up to heat the bedroom. It’s not sealed as two areas.

I did insulate under the bed rails with 1" Celotex sheet just to be sure. The heating pipe's in my van run down the sides of the beds so they were easily sealed from the garage with pipe insulation into the gaps below them.

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