I can't seem to keep the moisture and mold out of FWC, Help?

[Camperdude]

I have a FWC mounted on my truck, I can't see any problem spots where it is leaking but it is always wet in there. Anyone else had this issue?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

A bit more info would be helpful. Where is it wet? What type of roof (screws or one piece)? Where is the mold? Etc..

 

[longhorn1]

Is the camper on full time? Do you cover it when not in use? Where do you live? Do you use DampRid or other product to absorb mositure when the camper isn't in use? It is impossible to provide a sound answer without having good information to help. We live in Indiana. We get a lot of rain, cold temperatures. We have a bucket of DampRid that is in the camper when we aren't using the camper. We store the camper off the truck, and it is covered with a full size tarp. We have never had an issue with moisture or mold. It is very important to provide good information when asking for help.

 

[longhorn1]

Camperdude, Mr. Sage hit on another important point, what year FWC and which roof type, and where is the mold?

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

What year, make, and model is the camper ?

If the cabover bed area is wet, the mattress will usually be wet too.

First thing would be to get the wet mattress out (if that's what wet?), and bring it inside to dry out.

Next best thing would be to pop the camper roof up and run a fan, or a space heater and a fan inside to get it dried out. Let it run all day and all night if you can.

This will really help to dry things out like the folding lift panels, headliners, insulation, walls, wood, etc.

Then you might want to check the roof and make sure the screws are sealed up and tight, check the seals around the vent, and check for any holes in the camper roof. I was helping a friend with his older FWC the other day and ran into that. His camper is approx. 20 years old, the roof screws were all tight, and the entire roof was coated in some sort of RV roof coating. It looked good and I didn't see any issues. The next time it rained, there was water on the cabover bed mattress? I got a small ladder and looked at the roof again closer, and sure enough there was a small puncture about the size of a dime. Helped him patch it and seal it up, and he's good to go now. Start with the simple & easy things first and get the water out to stop the mold and musty smell.




.

 

[daverave]

After three years, Camperdude, I'm still having similar issues with mold and have been for 2 of the three years I've owned the camper. There is no visible moisture on the interior but even here in pretty dry Sacramento, (don't know how folks in OR and WA cope with this issue) I've got an ongoing battle against black mold growing on the wood battens on the ceiling. It's the only place it's growing. For the life of me I don't understand why FWC does not use a product there that is less conducive to mold growth. Sure wood may look good but plastic would perform just as well and not be prone to mold.

We have to regularly wipe the battens down with a 50/50 alcohol/water mix as directed by FWC to keep the mold in check. Despite that it has recently spread to the back end of the camper from the area above our heads at the bed so it's not like the mattress is to blame. The spots appear on the battens where they lay against the black panels.

FWIW, it's a 2016 Hawk. When on the road we dry everything we can when there is moisture present in the morning before bringing the top down. At home it is parked in our driveway when not in use so there is exposure to the elements but note that we often go from April to October with no rain at all and the mold is still relentless during those months. When parked we have two Eva-Dry dehumidifiers in the camper. We do not engage the roof clamps when parked to minimize stress to the vinyl... perhaps that is a mistake.

We wonder if our exposure to this mold, particularly right above our heads when sleeping, is a health issue. We also wonder what might be going on mold-wise above the ceiling in the interstitial space. Attached (I think) is one of the moldy battens AFTER wiping down with alcohol. It sometimes can be quite fuzzy if we haven't used the camper in a while!

 

[klahanie]

^ Hmmm, I'm in the PNW and never had that. Mind you I think our battens are covered with faux wood vinyl like the rest of the wood inside.

I'd think about painting with anti fungal paint, if it could be done without removal of the pieces.

 

[Vic Harder]

removal of the pieces may be a GOOD idea at this point! black mold, yuck

 

[klahanie]

Re read, not sure I wouldn't use a bleach mix. It might not discolour the liner.

In another life I was around equipment that used an isopropyl alcohol solution system. You wouldn't believe how ugly it could get inside if the system became contaminated with fungi.

 

[craig333]

Also in Sacramento and no mold problem. I keep mine latched.

 

[So Cal Adventurer]

I live in SoCal so I'm a tad spoiled with weather, but I often travel to cold and wet places to camp.

Have woken up quite a bit of condensation on several occasions, tried to the vent/fan while sleeping, no luck, still condensation.

I've just made it a habit to MAKE SURE when I get home, I open it all and run the fans for a few days to make sure its all totally dry before packing it away.

 

[knoxswift]

I have had camper storage success using Dry Paks:

https://www.deltaadsorbents.com/cargo-dry-pak

 

[daverave]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I am afraid however that once the mold gets into the wood that it will be near impossible to eliminate even with heroic drying attempts or topical treatments. If things keep getting worse I may resort to taking the battens off and replacing. It will be interesting to see what may be hidden on the other side and in the ceiling.

 

[ckent323]

There is a product called Mold Blaster (made by Ecolife) that seems to be effective in killing mold but one needs to also eliminate the source of dampness that facilitated the mold growth.

A friend gave me a leftover quantity after he used some in his basement. He said it worked well and the mold did not come back upon checking a year later. I have used it on my home and on a spot in the camper. As far as I can tell it works.

http://www.ecolifeproducts.ca/files/Ecolife%20cleaner%20info/Flyers/TDS-ecolife-Mold-Blaster1.pdf


Craig

 

[rubberlegs]

We have a dehumidifier I've been using when we return from a trip. It's like a refrigerator, except it's product is a bucket o' water. Frankly I'm not getting a ton of water, even when it's wet from condensation, but I think it helps. Fortunately our camper is under a car port and we have an electric outlet near by. So far, Pacific "Northwet" humidity hasn't produced mildew/mold yet, but I'm glad others have reported it so we aren't ignorant!

 

[Zirdu]

I don't have much problem with moisture or mold in my FWC camper, but probably because I live in Southwest and keep my camper in the garage in winter. Nonetheless, to be safe I use a couple of "Eva-Dry" dehumidifiers. These plug in in your house to dry them out, then they are good to go for a long time without any power in your RV. Look on Amazon for them, about $15 each.

For ventilation under the bed, has anyone thought of using the plastic mesh used in air conditioners or swamp coolers? Would this be firm enough to support the weight?

 

[ckent323]

The following is from the FWC manual:

12.2. Interior Always remove the upper bed cushions of the camper after each trip to allow any possible condensation to dry. Either put the bed cushions upright on the camper floor, or remove them to a well-ventilated area. If you leave the bed cushions stored up in the cabover bed area of the camper, and the roof is down, any trapped moisture could cause mold and mildew.

https://www.fourwh.com/New_2017_Four_Wheel_Popup_Campers_Owners_Manual.pdf


Craig