I suggest Googling "dewpoint" and then decide if you need some heating ! When the temperature drops below a certain temperature, which varies with ambient humidity level day by day, codensation WILL form on any surface below that temperature. You therefore need to keep the temperature in the caravan above dewpoint. Ventilation will disperse some condensation if the outside air temperature goes up but on a damp day it will allow in cold, damp air which will form condensation when the temperature drops further. Sorry, physics says that to remain dry you have to have heating to above the dewpoint temperature.
------------- cramming for my finals in the twilight zone
The science might be correct but the reality is not. If you have a heater on inside an empty caravan it will not heat the inside uniformly & warmed air hitting a cold surface will in fact cause condensation, so just a waste of electricity, really. Having said that, a small amount of condensation on surfaces that comes & goes is no real problem & will not harm the caravan, provided you have good ventilation. The real enemy is damp caused by leaks in the external bodywork causing water ingress & this is a separate issue from what or what not to do regarding heating etc.
My caravan goes into storage when not in use I simply prepare for it on my last journey and remove water/heater bung and open taps I drain or use all the toilet bowl water by running it low on last visits. Everything that can be removed is. Then simply park in the bay at storage. Doors open windows n vents shut. I on occasion if I have time n the sun pops out will call in and open up for a short time but don't always have the time n have never had any problems no salt no heating no special devices. However I did leave pillows in a cubard last yr n they did go mouldy. This yr they went on beds n seemed fine
Mine is on the drive with the caravan heater switched on to 500w and the thermostat set at about 5 degrees.
It doesn't come on very often but it does stop any condensation forming and stops it smelling damp. I suspect it helps to stop any pipes freezing if there are any small water pockets in them too.
Agree with Tentz again, the inside air temperature of the van will be somewhat higher than any air entering, it has to be so or or none could rise out the top to allow cooler air in at the bottom. By the same token, in the unlikely event inside and outside are at exactly the same temperature, circulation must stop.
So when cooler air enters at whatever humidity, it's ability to hold more moisture will increase as it warms, even by a fraction of a degree, therefore it's moved away from what was it's dew point, and so, if not picking up any, it has little or no chance of it releasing moisture inside the van.
So it is also perhaps a little known fact, air in cold winter conditions is much dryer than in summer?
Simply it's all to do with that term 'Relative humidity', it may be 80% at 5degsC, but that's a lot less moisture in the air 'relatively' than 80% at 22degsC on a sticky summers day!
agree with tentz dont think you need any heating on just keep it well ventilated. my vans on the drive so i just open the door when we have a nice sunny day.
its empty now as i have now prep it for winter , but this is my first wintering of a caravan so was trying to keep it in good condition, you hear different things from different people . so i throught i would ask and see what comes out of the melting pot
I was told to use cat litter to take any dampness out of the air in the Van , I used it for one winter , didnt use it last winter , like Tentz says, made no difference.
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Topic: What temperature ??
