Habitation check

[Smithy14]

Could any one tell me what damp checks should be carried out and where, for instance should the window areas be checked. My last check,last week only covered the top,eg where the wall meet the roof and the floor where it meets the wall. Previous checks have included the Windows.

[tonyg3nwl]

My answer is that you should check absolutely everywhere, and that includes under the kitchen sink, behind the fridge( unclip the vents from outside and check whole area as far as you can reach.

 

check around each body opening, including gas locker, toilet emptying area,, floor holes eg access to tanks, around wheel arches, above and below windows, and rooflights, and inside all lockers.

Above all DONT rely entirely on dealer checks ,watch them and see that they check everything mentioned above.. i bet they dont.. bitter experience shows that. Buy yourself a proper damp test meter, not one of those squealy ones, but one which gives proper digital readouts in numbers, not just red green leds.

 

aim to get readouts close to 10 percent, but above 20 percent should be traced and remedied..

 

From one who has been stung

 

tonyg3nwl

 

[Derek Uzzell]

The following links may be of interest

 

http://www.motorhomes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/01052012104851.pdf

 

http://www.approvedworkshops.co.uk/assets/AWS-Motorhome-Annual-Habitation-Checksheet-V4-SAMPLE-Part-1.pdf

 

My motorhome was damp checked in July 2016 to maintain the validity of Rapido’s ‘watertightness’ warranty. The AWS report (link 1 above) I was given shows percentage readings at ceiling-level along the length of the bodywork and across the rear, and down the sides of the rear wall. There’s no indication that checks at floor-level were made, but comments were added that all rooflights and windows had been checked and no readings above 10% were obtained.

 

There’s no doubt that (as Tony suggests) a more comprehensive examination could have been carried out, but it should be expected that checking every aperture, locker, cupboaed, etc. within a motorhome. and checking the vehicle’s underside too, will push the price of the procedure way up.

 

If the damp check is to meet a motorhome manufacturer’s warranty's terms and conditions, the scope of the testing should be what the manufacturer has specified. If a warranty is not involved and very thorough testing is required, the motorhome owner should tell whoever is to carry out the test what he/she wants done or follow Tony’s advice and DIY the task.

 

http://www.motorhomehabitationservice.com/damp-testing/