Panel Van Damp Checks

[Kingham]

Anyone had recent habitation damp checks done, can I ask what areas were checked and recorded.

Last year I received a booklet with depictions of my van, showing low readings around the floor, the sides & windows, the rear & windows and the roof & skylights.

This year the booklet shows low readings for the floor, but “N/A Steel” or “N/A Fabric” entered for all the other areas.

I’ve always had the full readings supplied for my previous coachbuilts with wood panels and just assumed the panel van was checked the same when I received last year’s figures.

I’m now wondering if this year’s minimal checks are the norm ?

 

[normanandsue]

I always damp checks on PVC were unnecessary

 

[Minxy]

We've just had ours done, due to the way the camper is constructed there's no way to get a damp reading on the windows as they have 'plastic' wall coverings right up to them so no where to probe, he did check the roof lights though. As coachbuilts don't have this plastic covering they can do it on them.

 

[Kingham]

I appreciate that panel vans are far less prone to water ingress, but it’s the disparity between a full set of readings last year, to the “N/A” this year, that has me confused, especially as both checks were at the same workshop.

I’m trying to work out if they did it incorrectly last year, or this year, or if it’s down to an individual engineer’s choice.

I’m going to ask AutoSleeper what their preference is, as they’ll be accepting or rejecting any potential warranty claims based on my service records.

 

[mfw]

Would of thought a pvc is more likely to have condensation damp on ceiling metal rather than any leaks - my old transit gets a lot of condensation on the roof - so dont know where all that moisture ends up in a pvc - although suppose you could keep a small dehumidifier in van to eliminate some of it.

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[Minxy]

Would of thought a pvc is more likely to have condensation damp on ceiling metal rather than any leaks - my old transit gets a lot of condensation on the roof - so dont know where all that moisture ends up in a pvc - although suppose you could keep a small dehumidifier in van to eliminate some of it.

There usually no ceiling metal on show on modern PVCs as it's all insulated and covered so shouldn't be any problems with condensation.

 

[mfw]

There usually no ceiling metal on show on modern PVCs as it's all insulated and covered so shouldn't be any problems with condensation.

I remember when people used to underseal vehicles to protect them but the underseal sweated produced moisture and they rotted under the underseal - so an enclosed metal box like a van / pvc produces a lot of moisture so where does it all go - winter time lot more moisture in the air - could understand using removable silica gel bag to absorb moisture at roof height but they dont do it - dry it and replace wouldn't take up much room either

 

[Minxy]

I remember when people used to underseal vehicles to protect them but the underseal sweated produced moisture and they rotted under the underseal - so an enclosed metal box like a van / pvc produces a lot of moisture so where does it all go - winter time lot more moisture in the air - could understand using removable silica gel bag to absorb moisture at roof height but they dont do it - dry it and replace wouldn't take up much room either

No MH or camper is totally 'airtight' with vents etc intended to allow some air flow to prevent major moisture issues, it's usually only if people block these all off that they get issues. Using the daft moisture pads are a total waste of time and money, as is using dehumidifiers IMV as all you are doing is removing the moisture that's immediately replaced with that coming in the vents.

The underseal issues is a different thing as it totally sealed the metal so any moisture trapped couldn't escape.

 

[mfw]

No MH or camper is totally 'airtight' with vents etc intended to allow some air flow to prevent major moisture issues, it's usually only if people block these all off that they get issues. Using the daft moisture pads are a total waste of time and money, as is using dehumidifiers IMV as all you are doing is removing the moisture that's immediately replaced with that coming in the vents.

The underseal issues is a different thing as it totally sealed the metal so any moisture trapped couldn't escape.

Apologies forgot about airflow through vents/skylights - just been using my unventilated transit as a comparison

 

[SpeedyDux]

The only significant amount of condensation in my PVC last winter was due to the snow lying on the windscreen for a few days.

I mopped it off, then put a couple of reusable silica gel bag dehumidifiers on top of the dashboard, but they proved unnecessary. The condensation seems to have been a one-off event. Lesson learned. Next time I will make sure that the snow gets brushed off ASAP. As Minxy says there is enough air circulating. When the sun shines the roof and most of the steel bodywork soon heats up which helps any moisture evaporate quickly.

With a PVC the main risk of damp ingress in the long term is probably cracking of the seals round the rooflights or windows. I don't see a need to pay hundreds for an annual hab check when I have my own damp meter. The "sniff test" can also be a useful indicator of the presence of damp. (Beware the pong of air fresheners in used MHs, this is a dealer trick to mask damp smells.)

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[Minxy]

Apologies forgot about airflow through vents/skylights - just been using my unventilated transit as a comparison

Better go drilling some bit holes and fitting some vents then!

 

[Mikeco]

I always damp checks on PVC were unnecessary

I did my own conversion 6 years ago but had damp in the ceiling around the roof light so I had to replace some of ceiling plywood lining.
In a PVC the roof lights are difficult to seal due to the corrugated tin roof so it’s worth checking around them.

 

[Minxy]

I did my own conversion 6 years ago but had damp in the ceiling around the roof light so I had to replace some of ceiling plywood lining.
In a PVC the roof lights are difficult to seal due to the corrugated tin roof so it’s worth checking around them.

Definitely worth checking especially as the rain water is held 'captive' in the groves if you have 2 roof lights fitted in tandem.

 

[John.]

The only Condensation we seem to get is on the front Windows if we use the internal silver screens in low temperatures but all seems fine when using the external silver screens.

 

[DBK]

Anyone had recent habitation damp checks done, can I ask what areas were checked and recorded.

Last year I received a booklet with depictions of my van, showing low readings around the floor, the sides & windows, the rear & windows and the roof & skylights.

This year the booklet shows low readings for the floor, but “N/A Steel” or “N/A Fabric” entered for all the other areas.

I’ve always had the full readings supplied for my previous coachbuilts with wood panels and just assumed the panel van was checked the same when I received last year’s figures.

I’m now wondering if this year’s minimal checks are the norm ?

I've had our PVC 6 years and never had a damp check done.
Coachbuilts constructed like a typical caravan with joints can leak and if there is wood underneath major damage can be done. A PVC isn't made like that. Though you can get leaks around skylights I think you would soon notice.

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[busby]

I always damp checks on PVC were unnecessary

You can still get water ingress around windows and roof lights.BUSBY.