AliB Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I saw in MMM a month or so back that a reader was advocating a way to keep a roof vent open e to provide ventilation while sleeping. We will probably have a vent open in the summer time but that is purely for cooling purposes. In the winter, never. As the van is big (over 7m) I guess there is plenty of circulating air so should not be a problem. What do other members do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audgreen Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 We have an 8mtr m/home and never open the roof when sleeping in it in the winter. We are still here so guess it's ok!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audgreen Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 We have an 8mtr m/home and never open the roof when sleeping in it in the winter. We are still here so guess it's ok!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Likewise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Same again when we had the Rapido and when it was windy I stuffed towels in the big vent as it was so noisy especially on the Cornish cliff tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I am presently working on reverse technology.................as I'm convinced that there is such a thing as perpetual motion :-|..................hence I have invented the.........."Fartbox"................although........still in the early stages :-S................due to er in doors making choking sounds *-)....................... But I wish to be the first to record such a chemical reaction ;-).............. and will retire happy on the proceeds from my inevention :-D.............. Gawd bless lawyers 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyS Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Two of us slept in a 6m motorhome in November with all the windows and roof vents closed with no problems at all - not even condensation. But it does have permanent air inlet under the cooker and a Heki roof vent with permanent trickle vent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerC Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 As far as I'm aware most, if not all MH have permanent vents built into the roof vent/roof lights (those window things not the elektrikery ones). Also I think you'll find vents built into the floor somewhere. Ours has two vents built into the floor either side of the bottom entrance step so even leaving 'everything' closed you are getting air flowing and ventilation occurring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Floor vents are a hangover from caravans UK manufacturers still keep trying to build Motorhomes Like caravans, you won't find them in continental vans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 lennyhb - 2014-01-23 6:55 PM Floor vents are a hangover from caravans UK manufacturers still keep trying to build Motorhomes Like caravans, you won't find them in continental vans. Got them on my Globecar, and I would guess every continental van has them, ours are hidden in the galley unit, only found them when I dismantled the unit to do some mods. Both our roof vents have built in permanent ventilation, combine this with the floor vents and there is always throu ventilation, and we wouldn't have it any other way. It has to be sub zero before we even close the vents down to this minimum level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 All commercially built European motorhomes will come from the factory with a minimum CSA of permanent ventilation, both high and low so there sohuld be no need to open a rooflight other than in very hot climes for additional cooling. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerC Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 lennyhb - 2014-01-23 6:55 PMFloor vents are a hangover from caravans UK manufacturers still keep trying to build Motorhomes Like caravans, you won't find them in continental vans. It's pantomime time so...........Oh yes you do (hehe) Ours is a 2010 Roller Team 600 and has vents built into the lower part of the entrance step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 RogerC - 2014-01-23 8:13 PMlennyhb - 2014-01-23 6:55 PMFloor vents are a hangover from caravans UK manufacturers still keep trying to build Motorhomes Like caravans, you won't find them in continental vans. It's pantomime time so...........Oh yes you do (hehe) Ours is a 2010 Roller Team 600 and has vents built into the lower part of the entrance step. Compared to new vans.................we have very little intentional ventilation :-S................just a few gaps round the door and the fridge vents 8-)...............Its a wonder we've survived *-)........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ipetchey Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I never realised the effect of good ventilation until we changed motorhomes. Our current 2 yr old Swift (Bessacarr) MH has two very draughty (in high winds) roof lights (mpk-kierspe.de). So draughty that in strong winds when I stand underneath them my hair blows and when cold outside feels very cold underneath, they are also very noisy when windy, making sleeping difficult. We never had a 'wind' problem with the roof lights on our previous (1 yr older) Elddis MH (different type roof light). Initially I thought the mpg-kierpe were so bad I looked at changing them for non vent / semi vent roof lights......... But then I began to notice we never steamed up inside!, previously even in summer, as soon as we stopped I would put the 'Taylor made' thermal front screen cover on, otherwise in the morning we would be steamed up, in our Bessacarr we found we only need the screen on when very cold outside (less than around 5 deg overnight). Because of the wind noise I made some 1" foam (roll up camp bed) inserts to snugly fit into the roof lights, these work a treat, no noise and no cold air..... Great, until I left them in one night when not windy. At about 4:00am my wife said the back wall (we sleep across the back) was wet, running with water.... It was raining, but I thought ventilation and immediately removed the foam inserts, in the morning the back wall was completely dry, and it was still raining. I now love the mpg-kierpe roof lights, apart from when very windy, they are great. When very windy I still put the foam inserts in (very windy is when the van rocks and rolls from side to side). We have floor ventilation by the step, inside cupboards and two further roof vents of another type that are not so draughty, so I know we still have ample ventilation when very windy. If you suffer from condensation, especially on cold windless nights, I would open up the roof light a touch. I have also noticed that in storage over winter our Bessacarr mattress and seat covers seem dry to touch, our Elddis seemed dampish to touch. I noticed last week how damp the mattresses were in our local dealers forecourt new vans were. I am sure it's not the van construction but the effective ventilation. We also thought about a MH cover over the winter, my thinking now is that, even with a breathable cover it would reduce ventilation, and ventilation is obviously so important.... So no van cover!. Anyone else experience similar findings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 Thanks for all your inputs. I'll continue to sleep soundly with everything shut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Well just to give a different answer - I always have the roof vent open at night, just about 20mm, & and the one in the bathroom is also open the same. This is the same all year, winter & summer. We rarely use any heating at night - only if we know the temperature will go down well below freezing eg when we're in the Alps skiing, then a small convector heating on a minimum setting. We do use two duvets in winter, one under one over. Never yet been cold. Perhaps we are cold blooded? We do the same at home with the small lights above the bed always open to allow a cooling/fresh breeze into our bedroom, which again is unheated through the night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 We always sleep with at least one roof vent slightly open for fresh air to come into the M/H, As Most Modern M/H have fly screens on all vent to prevent insects coming in its safe to leave open. I believe floor vent are put there in the event of a Gas leak I was once told Propane and Butane gases are heavier than air so sink down to floor level and the floor vents were to allow the gas to escape, and prevent a build up of the Gas, I always make sure the floor vents are not covered. Each to their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charabanc Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Fortunately for the fresh air fiends in the family, our Burstner windows include what is known as the 'draught' setting. Have found that even in the depths of winter everyone sleeps better when there are at least two vents open, possibly more, depending upon how many of the heavy breathing teenagers have decided to come with us. Husband is a fanatical opener of windows and door in the morning, too, and just will not appreciate the value of a good fug. However, we never seem to have much condensation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wills Wagon Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Lennyhb I thought all motorhomes with gas have floor level dropouts to let gas leaks escape. So there will always be some air movement from these. Also many vans have cut outs at the bottom of cabinets to let air flow from one part of the van to another to reduce/prevent condensation. Also most roof vents certainly Heki allow some air circulation in and out of the van even when closed. All of these help to reduce internal condensation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wills Wagon Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 See March MMM page 191 for info about your problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 If you have a gas grill and/or oven you must have drop vents and care must be taken not to block them. We had our fridge serviced by a Dometic factory trained service engineer. I pointed out to him that the fridge was not sealed fully so there was a draft coming through around the fridge which could allow carbon monoxide into the habitation area. He said I will seal it but there are enough vents in a motorhome to not cause any problem even with the grill, oven and fridge on full. There are vents around all the windows and roof vents, in the cab doors and through the cab heater but the vents under the cooker should always be kept clear to allow for circulation. The gas heater (apart from the pilot light) vents through the flue apparently. I would not block any vents but I would not sleep with the roof light on vent.. Only because of the noise from outside would keep us awake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 We use our Burstner all year- round, and it does have two fixed roof vents - which are a source of a lot of noise when driving in certain conditions, plus a hole in the floor vent under the fridge. We always have the kitchen widow on the draught setting, and when cooking often upen this fully, and also the skylight above it. Additionally most of the time we also have the rear windows ( 3 , two side and one in the rear of the van) open on the draught setting. we may close one or so of these depending on the strength of the wind. I would say 90% of the time at least two of these are on the catch overnight, but we do tend to keep the heating on low, and that gives for a very cosy low level of warmth within the van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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