16 easy tips on how to deal with condensation in your Camper

How to deal with condensation and mold in your RV to feel more comfortable when traveling in winter.

Moisture can be a major problem in campers, leading to mold, mildew, and other issues. This is why it is crucial, to really take care of condensation while you are traveling.

How to deal with condensation in your Camper

What causes condensation in Motorhomes, RVs, and Campervans?

This is an easy explanation of what causes condensation inside RVs:

Condensation is caused by warm, moist air coming into contact with a cold surface. As the air cools, it loses its ability to hold moisture, and the water vapor condenses into droplets on the cold surface. This is most common in poorly ventilated buildings.

It can also occur in vehicles, such as campers, which may not be properly insulated or ventilated.

How to prevent moisture buildup in your RV?

To prevent moisture buildup and keep your camper dry and comfortable, there are several steps you can take and you actually should take them. Try out what works best for you:

• First, open windows, vents, and awnings to allow air to circulate and reduce heat gain in the camper.
• Make sure to clean windows and vents regularly to prevent dirt and dust buildup.
• You can use a fan to increase air circulation, as well as a fan heater to dry the air.
• To further reduce the temperature of the camper, turn off lights and unplug unnecessary appliances.
• If your camper is already damp, install a dehumidifier to draw moisture out of the air.
• Place towels or rags near windows and vents to absorb excess moisture.
• Insulate walls and ceiling with foil-backed insulation material to help prevent condensation.
• Regularly clean the condensation off surfaces to keep your camper looking and smelling fresh.
• Get a hygrometer and see how things you do affect the humidity in your RV.

There are more tips you should try out to keep condensation to a minimum inside your RV and also to keep the inside warm:

• Cover your windows on the inside with insulation like a reflectix and windshield reflectors on the outside.
• Cover your doors with heavy fabric on the inside to block the cold air to come inside.
• Check all the seals around windows and doors and make sure they are in good condition.
• Make sure you have a fan running inside your RV to have good air circulation.

Also, read the article How to keep your RV warm in winter. Make sure you know all the steps to be comfortable and warm when traveling in winter.

Tips to reduce dampness and condensation in your RV. How to deal with condensation in your Camper

There are some tips that will work better for you. So try all of them out and see what is the best solution for you and your situation.

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1 Air needs to circulate

Make sure all windows and vents are opened to allow air to circulate for a couple of minutes when you are inside the camper (especially when you are cooking).

Open up a window a couple of times during the day to allow dry air to come inside. Of course, pick a good time to do this. Don’t do it while it is raining. But this is the most important tip you can do in order to keep condensation to a minimum.

2 Get a Dehumidifier

Install a dehumidifier to draw moisture out of the air. There are various types of dehumidifiers available. Depending on the size of your RV, decide on what size of a dehumidifier to get.

Here are some recommended dehumidifiers:

Often it is better to get a couple of smaller dehumidifiers to be able to put them in various spots all over your Motorhome.

3 Make sure your windows are dry

Place towels or rags near windows and vents to absorb excess moisture. Wipe the moisture down often and place an absorber towel inside your windows to absorb all the moisture that runs down the windows.

Or, if you have a bigger Motorhome it makes sense to get a window vac. It really helps to keep the moisture off your windows.

4 Don’t shower inside your RV

Use your shower just sporadically. I recommend – if you can – to use the campsite facilities because hot water causes a lot of steam.

5 Don’t hang up wet clothes inside your Camper

Don’t dry your wet clothes inside your RV. If you can, use a dryer or dry your clothes and towels outside. Use a drying rack and place it in a protected area, maybe under the camper or below the awning.

6 Air circulation is important to have inside your RV

Use an electric fan to increase air circulation if you don’t want to open up a window or door once in a while. If you cook inside your RV, keep the fan on.

How to keep moisture out of an RV in winter

7 A fan heater in winter

Use a fan heater to circulate and also warm the air instantly. Of course, if it is very cold you don’t want to open up windows. Therefore, just use a fan heater to have air circulation and heat at once.

8 Cover up your windows

I replaced the valances in my Camper and added curtains. Because I installed curtain rods, I can exchange the curtains in summer and winter. I am using a heavy fabric curtain in winter to keep the cold out and something airier in summer.

9 Put a spacer under your mattress

A huge moisture-related issue that you could experience is moisture underneath your mattress. This happens when your mattress rests on a cold surface and the heat from your body warms it up while you’re sleeping and/or also when you heat up the camper.

The temperature difference between the cold surface and the mattress causes condensation on the underside of the mattress. You only notice this when you lift your mattress to check if the underside is dry.

If you ignore this, it can lead to mold growth, and in short, the wood underneath will rot.

Sleeping on a moldy mattress every night can have negative impacts on your health – so please go and check your mattress as soon as possible.

If your mattress is sitting on top of a solid wood box (like ours) it can happen that your mattress catches mold. Therefore make sure to put spacers underneath. I started putting pool noodles underneath during the day. Now I got this item for underneath my mattress and I just keep it all year round and have no issues at all.

10 Insulate the walls and ceiling

If you are fixing up a camper, make sure to insulate the walls and ceiling. No matter if you are a summer camper or winter camper, insulating walls and ceiling help to keep the cold out in winter or keep the heat out in summer. I would really invest in insulation, it doesn’t need to be expensive. Insulate the walls and ceiling of the camper with foil-backed insulation material.

How to keep moisture out of RV in storage

11 Don’t forget the cabinets

We have DampRid buckets or hanging pouches inside the cabinets because I don’t like to leave the cabinets open. As soon as our Camper is in storage, I put DampRid buckets inside the bathroom, the cabinets, and also inside the sink. Use hanging pouches inside your cabinets.

If you don’t want to use DampRid, leave the cabinet doors open during the night. Or make small holes in the doors to have some kind of airflow.

Even clothes can get mold. If you have paperwork inside drawers, make sure to open them up too to prevent it from getting moldy.

12 Protect your textiles

I use a lot of pillows and blankets and have them normally stacked on the wall. Therefore I have to be careful and move them away from the wall a little bit to have some airflow going around my cushions.

13 Don’t let water sit on your countertops

Make sure to keep your kitchen dry. I do my dishes often and wipe down countertops and cabinets to have no water standing anywhere.

14 Always check your roof for leaks

Of course, this is common sense not to have leaks. But it can happen so fast that a small hole can create a disaster. We keep Dicor sealant in our camper just in case we missed something and need a fast fix.

15 Wet shoes shouldn’t be inside your RV

Your wet hiking shoes should be stored outside under a cover until they are dry.

I keep all my shoes in a plastic box with lid outside the RV, also because I don’t have a lot of space for shoes inside my camper.

16 Put Your Vent Fans to Use often

You probably have a vent above your stove, as well as one or two on the ceiling of your RV. Make a point of opening them and running the fans a couple of times a day, especially during cooking.

17 A hygrometer helps know how much moisture is inside your RV

A hygrometer is cheap but really helps to see what can cause the issue and what you should reduce doing in order to keep moisture out of your RV.

30-50 % humidity is a healthy number. If you have a higher humidity inside your RV, take action as soon as possible. Because dealing with mold is no fun and so unhealthy.

Invest in a hygrometer to change some habits that help stay mold-free. There are a lot of different versions. Get the one that works best for you:

Summary of 16 easy tips on how to stop condensation inside your RV

To prevent condensation from forming inside an RV, it is important to ensure that the RV is well-ventilated, the temperature is regulated, and all windows, vents, and awnings are opened to allow air to circulate. Additionally, a dehumidifier and fan heater can be used to dry the air, and insulation can be used to keep the RV warm. With these steps, you can help keep your RV dry and comfortable.

Do you want to read more? Here are some articles you should not miss:

How to keep your RV warm in winter

10 items you can safely keep in your RV over winter

Ultimate Packing List for first-timers

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