Been camping for a bit but now Mrs Billy fancies a caravan. I've done a fair bit of research and the damp issue is bothering me. There seems to be lots of info out there about caravan damp and it seems once you've got it it's hard to fully irradiate.
The question is though, how common is damp in caravans? There seems to be a lot of it out there.
At the risk of being controversial, I'd say damp problems are far more common in British caravans than continental ones. The number of posts on this website about damp problems in British caravans is quite frightening.
------------- Il vaut mieux vivre ses reves que rever sa vie
Quote: Originally posted by iwalani on 03/8/2011
At the risk of being controversial, I'd say damp problems are far more common in British caravans than continental ones. The number of posts on this website about damp problems in British caravans is quite frightening.
But is that because it is mainly a site of Brits that only have those vans and not of other countries who are not on here.
Quote: Originally posted by iwalani on 03/8/2011
The number of posts on this website about damp problems in British caravans is quite frightening.
My point entirely. On all of the forums I've read the number of posts about damp are frightening. It doesn't seem to have any rational prevention either. It just seems to be luck of the draw. That's what's worrying me.
People generally only ask question about damp on forums because they have it and want to get rid of it - when they don't have it they don't mention it...
Which possibly answers beanpark's assumption as well, many Brits do have German caravans - I happen to be sitting in one at the moment - I don't ask damp questions because, like may other German caravan owners, I don't have damp...
------------- Caravanning is a way of getting a cheap holiday out of an expensive hobby
Bailey pageant 1994 bought in 2008 rotten as a pear, completley stripped down and repaired.
Lunar zenith 4 2005 dry as a bone
Swift challenger 480 2006 also dry
Post last edited on 04/08/2011 00:35:20
------------- "I'm a fool for my dogs"
Adopt a rescue, rescue dogs make great pets, don't support puppy farms.
The road can be tough and rough,but what you put in you get back 10 x more.
We looked at 9/10 caravans in May last year. Each seller confirmed "no damp". Every single one had obvious signs of damp (turns out the sellers just assumed no damp - they hadn't actually thoroughly checked!) Bought one we thought was damp free only to discover earlier this year that it also has damp.
Big mistake we made - not using a damp meter! Love the 'van but now bought a trailer tent - much less stress!
Very interesting replies. Thanks everyone. It's interesting that so many have experienced damp issues. While I appreciate that people post to forums when they have issues there seems to be a general acceptance that damp is something that most caravaners will have to deal with in time.
Quote: Originally posted by c6cazzie on 04/8/2011
Love the 'van but now bought a trailer tent - much less stress!
We too are thinking about a trailer tent also. Unfortunately it doesn't meet all of our requirements but I'll definitely be looking at them at this years NEC.
One thing that does interest me - is there any surefire way to prevent damp or is it something that just strikes without warning? I appreciate ignoring broken panels is a sure way to encourage issues but would having the van serviced once a year mean I'm unlikely to experience damp issues?
we have looked at maybe 10 different vans over the last 12 months , not one of them was damp free , even though every one of the sellers claimed they were!Our current van was the first we looked at and is bone dry - so my advice take your time examining for damp , a genuine seller will have no problem with it
We had a Lunar Saturn for 14 years from new. Damp most of the time. It was damp when new - repaired under warranty. It was damp again within a couple of years - stripped down and repaired by Lunar. It was damp again a few years after that.
We now have a Burstner S500TS, bought new in 2005. No damp at all - ever. In fact, the dealer who services the Burstner says that he has NEVER found damp in a Burstner - which is more than he can say for Elddis caravans (for which he is a main dealer).
Quote: Originally posted by Billy... on 04/8/2011One thing that does interest me - is there any surefire way to prevent damp
Yep, buy German - Hymer, Burstner, Geist, Dethleffs and so on ....
I cannot say they never get damp in any of their caravans - but your odds of getting a dry one are greatly better than for (most) caravans manufactured in the UK.
You might find this 2005 Caravan Club survey interesting. Of the UK manufacturers, only Vanmaster are in the top half dozen. I know things have moved on in caravan manufacture since 2005 - but that will be just as true for continental vans as for UK ones.
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Topic: How common is damp in caravans
