The Myth which is Damp

Water Ingress  or damp is without doubt the biggest misconception in the caravan industry.  It strikes fear into the hearts and minds of pretty much every caravanner.  Lets get this straight, not all water ingress or damp is going to end up with the inside of your caravan being dismantled or costing you thousands of pounds.  95% of all cases which we see are easily rectified and relatively inexpensive.

Another misconception is that you can smell damp, again this is not the case, you can only smell damp if the wood behind has rotted which only takes place over many years of water ingress.   There are a number of different stages, all of which has a different cost of repair.

Stage 1
At this point any ingress/damp  is not visible and can only be detected using a moisture meter.  During this sage only a reseal is required, most commonly windows or awnings rails.  Not uncommon in caravans only a few years old.  

Stage 2
This stage usually occurs when the owner has missed a service or two.  It is quite possible that it is visible under the window rubber or there is pimpling of the wallboard.  It may also not be visible and depends on the location.  Method of repair will include resealing the area which is causing the leak ie window, awning rail, roof light and may also require some wallboard to be stripped and replaced. May be expensive but not always.  

Stage 3
This stage is why caravanners are terrified of the word ‘DAMP’.  It may well be noticeable by smell, the walls could be soft to touch and it will certainly be visible either by pimpling or water marks.  The walls could also be unstable due to the rotten wood behind.  The cause is neglect due to lack of servicing and proper maintenance.  Most cases which are at this stage are beyond economic repair.

Every caravan which comes through our gate as a trade-in is given a full damp test and a subsequent report is logged against the caravan.  If you are thinking of buying a caravan privately please ensure you have a damp meter at hand to thoroughly check the caravan over or risk a potential expensive bill even if the caravan is only a few years old.