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Old 10-16-2013, 05:14 PM   #21
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And yes, doesn't matter what size trailer...but the larger the trailer, the more dilution of the moist air.
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Old 10-16-2013, 05:51 PM   #22
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So it seems that a stick built trailer would be affected more by the condensation -- all that wood?
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Old 10-16-2013, 06:08 PM   #23
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Actually, since the sticky leaks like a sieve, moisture could escape.
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Old 10-16-2013, 07:16 PM   #24
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The colder the air outside vs the warmer the air inside, plus breathing, plus boiling pasta the greater the chance of condensation.. especially on single-pane windows. Sleep under warm bedding, wear warm clothes and crack a vent and a window.

I find condensation more of a nusance rather than a problem. That's why I'm getting double-pane windows and extra insulation. Hoping it curbs the nusance!
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Old 10-16-2013, 08:01 PM   #25
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Those smiley faces aren't really necessary. Escapes are tight as a drum. I bet the stick-built trailers do have considerably more natural "ventilation."
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Old 10-16-2013, 08:25 PM   #26
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One of the recent threads is about if a stove vent is needed. I absolutely believe it is if you camp in the shoulder season or the brrrr winter. Get that moisture outside as soon as possible if you're cooking inside. Don't drag it through the trailer or onto the inside vinyl if you can help it.
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Old 10-16-2013, 10:22 PM   #27
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Your Airstream would have had a lot more condensation due to it's metal interior walls bringing the cold into the trailer and moisture collecting on the the metal walls. Keeping you MaxxFan going and a window cracked will eliminate most problems. With the Escape's interior little is exposed to the outside temperature differential.
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Old 10-16-2013, 10:58 PM   #28
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We have a 17b, so fairly small. Last spring we spent a week in Santa Fe that happened to be pretty chilly. Highs in the low 30's and lows in the mid 20s (Fahrenheit) admittedly a dry climate, but there snow flurries two or three of those days, so after visiting museums etc. we would return to the trailer and read or watch movies. we kept the maxi-fan vent open just a bit, and used a pelonis disk furnace to heat the trailer (quieter than the propane furnace and we had full hook ups). two adults and Murphy-the-Dog. With our extra insulation, double paned windows and spray insulation on the floor, the only condensation I noticed was on the two windows at the front of the trailer (single pane), and on the rear window which is right above where I sleep at night. Easy enough to wipe up with a wash rag. We did use the stove vent when cooking, and I am sure that helped.
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Old 10-17-2013, 06:46 AM   #29
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So the warmer the inside of the trailer when it is cold out, the greater the condensation?
Actually, the opposite is true. The warmer the air, the more moisture it can carry, so the warmer it is in the trailer, for any given outside temp, the less condensation you will have on the surfaces.

Having warmer air gives you a better opportunity to vent the moisture laden air outside. Venting is very important in any colder environment if you are living in your trailer.

We have played with inside temperature setting lately while the outside temps were below freezing. Anything below 5°C (41°F) seems to allow too much moisture to accumulate. There is more condensation on the window frames, and even though we are warm in our cozy blankets things do feel a bit clammy. We now set our thermostat at 8-9°C overnight with the ceiling vent cracked open a bit, and find the furnace does not run too much, even at the -8° (17.6°F) temps we saw last Sunday night. When we get up, we kick it up to 12°C or so to help chase out any lingering moisture.
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Old 10-17-2013, 07:33 AM   #30
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The most important item dealing with condensation, regardless of the cause, is air circulation. I noticed that when some condensation forms on the metal frame around the windows, I open the shades and it disappears. Similarly around the bed, allowing air to circulate via a special vented mat, eliminates the damp walls, in the overheads, opening or installing a vent allow circulation to remove any moisture. Of course you need the MaxxFann open for exhaust, but the air movement eliminates most of the wetness found in winter camping. Try sleeping with the shades up, after nightfall, with the MaxxFann open and notice the difference, you will also see the stars and moon.
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Old 10-17-2013, 09:33 AM   #31
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Eric, I checked again today. No sag on ours, and no insulation gaps as far as I can tell (though I can only stand to be in the thing for a few minutes at a time given the LP alarm -- argh!)
Thanks for checking E. Since yours is a newer model and Reace is constantly making improvements - maybe these are areas he has already improved.
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Old 10-17-2013, 04:46 PM   #32
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As Glenn and Rosemary mentioned, there is a slight gap in the liner/insulation inside each cabinet. For folks who camp in warmer temps any of those gaps are pretty much meaningless and probably not worth doing anything about. Since we camp most often when nighttime temps are in the mid 30s to 40s, those gaps are worth closing up in my opinion. No matter how well we vent the trailer to get out excess humidity, in low outside temps, moisture is going to condense when the warm interior air hits cold surfaces. (That is why homes in cold climates need a vapor barrier on the inside.) Were the gap is large enough, like in the rear, I am going to glue in reflectix, where it is less that 1/4" I am going to caulk or may try a vapor barrier tape.

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Just returned from the NOG in Nehalem Oregon - here's what happened to us:

The first night out on the way down from the Island we spent in Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula (which granted, is a very humid area at the best of times.) Were really tired and neglected to open the vent or turn on the fan, which we have always done before. That's one mistake we'll never make again We woke up to sopping wet liner in every upper cabinet and underneath on all the uncovered reflectix. The gaps in every cabinet liner where you can feel the actual fiberglass shell were WET - not damp - completely saturated. Above the windows under the valences were dripping as well. Reminder that our 2102 19' has the extra insulation and thermopane windows

We pulled everything out from the cabinets, mopped up as best we could and traveled the rest of the way to Oregon with wet stuff strewn everywhere. (Actually did two showings with it in that condition.)

Windows wide, Maxx fan on exhaust, furnace and little electric heater fan blasting dried things up nicely. Once things were dried out we kept the Maxx fan going constantly with windows cracked open all the time. Even though it rained furiously some of the time while camped and we were inside a lot, we did not have any more issues.

Stopped at the same place in Sequim on our way home last night and, with the fan on and windows cracked open, woke up dry.

Lesson majorly learned - from now on we will ALWAYS have the fan on and windows cracked open - don't ever want to face that potential nightmare again!
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Old 10-17-2013, 04:51 PM   #33
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merging these two threads
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Old 10-17-2013, 06:57 PM   #34
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Glenn & Rosemary, sounds like your Escape is so tight there was no way for any moisture to escape. I'm glad you found a workable solution.
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Old 10-17-2013, 07:11 PM   #35
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merging these two threads
What two threads?
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Old 10-17-2013, 07:30 PM   #36
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Glenn & Rosemary, sounds like your Escape is so tight there was no way for any moisture to escape. I'm glad you found a workable solution.
Donna you nailed the quandary of our wonderful tight little trailers (and all new super insulated homes too) The tighter we make any human habitat, the more we keep in the moisture we make thru exhalation and cooking.

We worked with an expert energy auditor to make our 1970's home into an Energy Star level home. We now have amazingly small heating and AC bills, but in the process we also learned that as we made the place tighter and tighter, seemingly small moisture problems became much bigger problems. Let's just say I learned how to make my own interior weather systems....

As Glenn B said earlier, cheap stick built trailers don't have these moisture problems since most of them leak plenty of air in and out to take excess moisture out with it. This thread is a great resource for anyone who loves to camp in cool and cold temps.
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Old 10-17-2013, 10:20 PM   #37
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On 10/4/13 I suggested you should run your MaxFan all the time to reduce moisture, that was the second post on this thread. Even when towing you should run the fan.
Now you understand why I told you about running the fan.
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Old 10-18-2013, 06:57 AM   #38
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Chuck, I think that must depend on your climate. Pretty much the only reason I have ever run my Maax fan is to cool the trailer in hot weather. I find the regular ceiling vent just cracked a bit, with the the furnace running in colder temps, keeps the condensation down.

No need to run it anyway when nobody is in it, as there is no condensation produced.
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Old 10-18-2013, 07:43 AM   #39
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Chuck, I think that must depend on your climate. Pretty much the only reason I have ever run my Maax fan is to cool the trailer in hot weather. I find the regular ceiling vent just cracked a bit, with the the furnace running in colder temps, keeps the condensation down.

No need to run it anyway when nobody is in it, as there is no condensation produced.
Same for us Jim - with at least one window partially open, the MaxxFan open at bit
and either our portable electric heater or the furnace on we stay quite comfortably dry. Usually there is a bit of moisture on the aluminum window frames in the morning (and for now until I get it insulated on the bare fiberglass showing in the cabinet) that is easily wiped off.
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Old 10-18-2013, 10:02 AM   #40
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Thoer,

When you say 'insulated on the bare fiberglass in the cabinet' do you mean adding both insulation and liner or just the liner.
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