Waterlogged wall

[bedsit driver]

We have a 3rd hand 2004 Swift Sundance with an added awning. I assume the awning light was also fitted later, just in front of the caravan door with bulb access from an inside locker. After 18 months of ownership I have found the locker filling with water after rain as the light fitting was loose. The 2 screws which clamp the inner bulb fitting to the outer clear plastic cover were loose because one was too big so could not be tightened at all! Replacement with a shorter screw and cleaning of the seal fixed the leak.

The problem we are left with is how to dry out the inside of the wall. The sandwich construction of ply and other material soaked up the rain for 18 months (or longer) until the entire wall was saturated. Only then did it leak into the locker showing that it was leaking at all. There are no signs of mould yet but how on earth can it be dried out? I have a dehumidifier which reduces the humidity of the motorhome considerably but cannot touch the water in the wall.

The vehicle is left in our drive when not in use so we can get to it easily but cannot garage it.

[chatterdog]

Have you seen those little tubs called interior dehumidifiers, all they are is a plastic tub with two compartments with crystlesor similar in the top half. Try B&Q or local hardware maybe even caravan shop.

They are small enough to fit in lockers and require no power I had to use them last year when we got a leak and they did work, I put one at a time in the locker and shut the locker again dried us out lovely with no warping . If you think its all down the wall is there anywhere at the bottom you could drill release holes to drain/help dry out and then fill them (maybe use rubber grommets) once you are happy its drained enough.

[Mel B]

Hi Bedsit driver and welcome ot the nut house!

 

You'll find you'll get more answers to your question if you copy it and post it on the motorhome forum.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think there is a quick fix, is there anyway of telling exactly how far the water penetration has gone? If its only a little way, a lot of airing of the interior and using a dehumidifier as close to the area as possible might help, however, if its quite a large area I fear you mean have to consider removing some of the wall-boarding to let it dry out thoroughly. I know you've said you can't garage it but I wonder if it would be worth seeing if a local garage has somewhere where you could put it to protect it from frost until it is dry? If there is a lot of moisture in the panels and frost gets in it could do a lot more damage that you have already. I hope it isn't too bad .... :-S

[Mel B]

Other questions - when you bought it, did it have a damp or habitation check carried out beforehand? If so, you might be able to get some redress from them if you can prove that they didn't do a proper job but this is very much a long shot. Or did you have one carried out yourself anytime? Do you have a warranty that may cover the cost of repair?

[Guest Tracker]

I would be inclined to seal the joint between the light and the van side with silicone sealant to prevent recurrence.

 

It may have been like it since new?

 

All you can realistically do short of removing wall panels - not easy to refix or replace with matching - is dry it out with a heater and a dehumidifier over time - how much time depends on how much water.

 

If there is furniture or a seat below the light fitting you might be able to drill a hole big enough to see into somewhere the wall out of sight and if it is wet take out a larger area to enable airflow, then cover or replace with a neat patch or panel if/when dry?

 

If wet has been there for a long time you will smell mustiness as caused by wet rot. These patches of wet rot can also be located, if they exist, by pressing on the panels feeling for soft patches of wall.

 

Water in a van wall can track a long way horizontally along joints or battens specially if the van is on any kind of slope, as well as downwards so it is possible that the water has spread far enough not to do any real damage.

 

It is equally possible that quite a lot of damage could have occured over 4 years.

 

Is there any trace of water coming out between the base of the wall and the floor either internally or externally?

 

Drain holes drilled through the floor, or the wall at floor level, and blocked again when dry is another option to consider.

 

Most caravan dealers have 'damp meters' if you really need to know but they do have a habit of giving a false reading in high humidity - such as a cold damp van in winter.

 

It may well be nothing to worry about unduly as lots of vans leak and dry out entirely unbeknown to their owners but then again - ?

[Brian Kirby]

You appear to have done the first, and most important, thing, which is to stop further ingress.  As you correctly say, the next stage is to dry it out as quickly as possible, to prevent the onset of rot.  I am not familiar with your van, but if the whole of the affected area is contained in lockers etc, I would seriously consider taking off the wall covering.  Not the ply, but the "wallpaper" most manufacturers seem to use.  In many cases this is a vinyl material, which will effectively prevent the moisture escaping to the inside.  If it is only a paper covering removal should not be required. 

I would remove as much of the furniture in the affected area as possible, and definitely take off all locker doors in the vicinity to promote as much air circulation as possible.  Also, strip the van of all interior cushions, curtains, carpet, mattresses etc: anything that can absorb moisture.  Close all the dashboard vents, and set the cab heater to the "recirculate" position, to close the dampers and eliminate outside air entry.

That done, work the dehumidifier as hard as you can!  Many dehumidifiers give off a little heat, so use that facility as well.  If your doesn't, add a small electric heater to raise the inside temperature a bit, just a few degrees above ambient, but don't get the van actually feeling warm, as many fungus spores like a bit of warmth.  Whenever the weather is reasonably warm and dry, open the van up fully, especially if there is a breeze, and get it thoroughly aired out.  However, don't take chances with this, and do keep the windows and vents tight closed while the dehumidifier is working. 

What you are trying to achieve, is the lowest attainable relative humidity inside the van.  This will create a moisture pressure, from the damp walls toward the dry air in the interior.  Adding a little warmth, as above, will gently assist the evaporation process.  You need to get the wall dry as quickly as possible, to reduce the rot risk, but without creating the ideal conditions for rot within the wall sandwich in the process.  Do not, under any circumstances, try to use radiant heat to speed the process.  Persistent and gentle, and using natural means whenever possible, will work best. 

Remember that the inner wall surface will seem to dry relatively quickly, but all the moisture deeper into the wall has to come out through the inner ply lining.  Once the inner ply is dry it will, therefore, act a bit like blotting paper, and draw moisture to it, but it is not very efficient blotting paper.  Remember also, that because of the construction of the wall, all the trapped moisture has to escape as vapour.  It will not come out as water.  If it visibly damp, or feels damp, there will be a lot more water trapped behind the surface you can touch.

I'd also say try to keep the damp side of the van away from the sun (whatever that is!), since it will merely warm the wall locally, and may induce further damage by causing excessive vapourisation within the wall, so the trapped vapour - being unable to escape so quickly through the ply lining, merely migrates elsewhere within the wall, and then condenses again.

It will take quite a time, and I would expect your wall to still measure damp into the early summer.  Only after it has thoroughly dried, replace the wallpaper if necessary, and then get the locker doors back on.  Good luck.

[bedsit driver]

Thanks for all your swift replies. As new users we assumed we may have to wait days for any response. It is a difficult problem and we will give serious thought to all that has been suggested. Good forum! Any more ideas are equally welcome. Thankyou all.

[howie]

All the above suggestions will help of course, but given the length of time and severity of this problem my first port of call would be to visit a reputable repair shop for a full examination on how much damage has been caused and the best way of putting it right. Not a cheap option, but having seen first hand how far and how destructive damp can be would do so if only for peace of mind.