Fiat X2-50 Cab Owner'S Manual Download

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Motorhome Care

When condensation occurs

Condensation occurs usually in winter,
because the Caravan or Motorhome is cold
and because skylights, windows and doors
are opened less and therefore the moist air

cannot escape.

How condensation occurs

Condensation occurs often for short periods
in bathroom and kitchen areas because of
the steamy atmosphere, and quite frequently
for long periods in unheated areas; it also
occurs in cupboards or corners of rooms
where ventilation and movement of air is
restricted.

What is important

Two things are particularly important:

- To provide ventilation so that moist air

can escape.

- To use the heating reasonably.

How can you prevent condensation

Provide ventilation so that moist air
can escape.

a) Good ventilation of kitchens when

washing, cooking or drying damp clothes
is essential. Use the electric element of
the space heater will help, when washing,
cooking, or drying damp clothes, and
particularly when the windows show signs
of misting up.

b) If there is no mains electric supply and

therefore you cannot use the electrical

element of the space heater, open the
skylights or windows slightly, but keep the
door closed as much as possible.

c) After showering, keep the bathroom

window or skylights open, and shut the
bathroom door long enough to dry off the
room.

d) In all other areas provide some ventilation.

Fixed ventilation is provided in
accordance with BS EN 721: 1998 this is
through skylights and ‘heki roof lights’ in
the roofs and from ventilators through the
floor under cookers, motorhome step well,
doors and in bed boxes it is important not
to block these.

Too much ventilation in cold weather is
uncomfortable and wastes heat. All that is
needed is a very slightly opened window or
skylights. Opening a skylight or ‘Heki;
rooflights partially or windows opened to
about 1cm opening will usually be sufficient.

Provide reasonable heating

a) Do not use of portable paraffin or flueless

gas heaters at all.

b) If drying damp clothes or towels, open a

window enough to ventilate the area and
turn on the electric element of the space
heater but do not hang items over the
heater.

c) Try to make sure that all areas are at least

partially heated. Condensation most often
occurs in unheated areas.

d) To prevent condensation, the heat has to

keep room surfaces reasonably warm. It
can take a long time for a cold caravan or
Motorhome to warm up, so it is better to
have a small amount of heat for a long
period than a lot of heat for a short time.

e) Caravans and Motorhomes are left

unoccupied and unheated and can get
very cold. Whenever possible, it is best to
put the heating on at a low level before
setting off on a journey in the winter to pre
heat the vehicle.

f) In houses, the rooms above a heated room

benefit to some extent from heat rising
through the floor. In Caravans and
Motorhomes this does not happen.

Caravans and Motorhomes use only carefully
selected insulation materials but unlike most
rooms at home they have all outside walls,
so they lose heat through all walls as well as
the roof and floor.

Even in a well insulated Caravan or
motorhome with reasonable ventilation it is
likely during cold weather if the temperature
is less than 10°C that condensation will
occur. Ideally the temperature should be
kept about 20°C although this is not always
possible.

Mould growth

Any sign of mould growth is an indication of
the presence of moisture and if caused by
condensation gives warning that heating or
ventilation, may require improving.

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