Mould
Just thought I would share my experience with you all as wish I had known about this!!!
Brand new Eriba 540. Covered it up for winter 22/23 leaving all the windows slightly open and opened it up fully about once a week. Then over Xmas and early Jan when really cold probably didn't open it for a month....big mistake!
Cushions had loads of mould on them plus work surfaces etc etc. Took me a long weekend to wipe it all down, washing covers, curtains etc!
After doing a lot of research with so many different opinions, I settled for a DESICCANT DEHUMIDIFIER. Yes there are 2 types of dehumidifiers!
Desiccant work at very lower level temperatures which are perfect for caravans and moisture. I bought a Brolin QT8 8L Quiet And Compact Dehumidifier from sunbelt rentals for £139.
I chose this one as it has a reservoir but also the ability to run a pipe straight from the machine to the toilet/shower outlet which is perfect and saves you having to keep emptying the reservoir, which believe me does fill up quickly. I have Eriba plugged in to mains, hence I can run the dehumidifier. Putting it on auto is great as it just kicks in and out when needed.
The general consensus, not just on Eriba forums but also the C&MC site, is not to use a dehumidifier. If you had a sealed box it may well work, but your Eriba has about 5 air vents in the floor, one in the roof, and you have the vents cracked open. Moist air will continuously be coming into the van.
The norm is to remove bedding, cushions, towels and clothes etc. Then open up all cupboards, move seat squabs and mattress away from the sides and hinge open the base units. This usually does the job. Some members decide on a small electric oil radiator, but warm air holds more moisture and the result is frequently mould.
Colin
Forum Moderator. aka Oscar - Audi A3 1.5 petrol _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.
Another alternative is to find it a nice home to spend winter in. Our 1998 Triton lives in a well-ventilated hangar. She's cosy and we have never experienced any damp or mould. Pop top up, windows on vent, all cushions etc left in place. We've had her since 2015. It doesn't cost very much and is well worth it, IMHO.
Betty, 1998 Triton 430 and Colin, a Renault Mégane.
UK caravan storage costs are typically high. If I had to find somewhere in Devon for our van I'd be expecting £400-500 and that would not be inside. Add on the change in insurance cover and it gets very expensive.
Colin
Forum Moderator. aka Oscar - Audi A3 1.5 petrol _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.
There's something that doesn't seem right here Marcel.
We have an older Eriba standing in a field behind the house. It is in a valley and faces South West and is directly in line with anything the Atlantic Ocean can throw at it. It is covered with a very old Protec cover (13 years old) and we don't bother to open any windows. We DO run a line of crepe bandage around the inside of the closed pop top where the canvas droops down but that's it. We ensure that the soft furnishings don't touch the side walls.
We've had no problems at all over the years and the van retains it unique sweet Eriba smell.
Randa
ERIBAFOLK POP UP EVERYWHERE 1999 Eriba Troll 530 pushing a VW Touran 2L TDi Match . FORUM ADMINISTRATOR
Crikey, Colin. We pay about 250e per year and it has no effect on the insurance!
Betty, 1998 Triton 430 and Colin, a Renault Mégane.
the thing about mould in the van is all a bit strange.......................
We have had our Troll since 2016 and (touch wood) have never had any mould develop in the van over winter, even though it is left outside on the drive in the very wet Ribble Valley. We bought a cover from Automotive Leisure when we got the van. We will probably leave this on for the next couple of weeks.
We move the seat cushions from the side wall of the van (although some years we have taken them out all winter but it seems to make no difference). We insulate the taps and drain everything very thoroughly.
We don't leave any of the windows open but try to remember to open up and go in every few weeks to check things.
Our neighbour who has a BWB puts an oil filled rad in all winter be we decided against this.
Don't know why we don't get mould when others clearly do. Perhaps our climate here is colder I have no idea.
MikeT
RE: Mould
in Anything Eriba-related Sun Mar 19, 2023 12:32 pmby Steve and Debbie • | 1.102 Posts
I'll try and remember to give some feedback in a couple of weeks time when the winter wrapping comes off and I open the van up. The rain here in Devon has been biblical and it is now totally obvious why everything is green, and not just things that grow. I've taken to using a toothbrush and diluted bleach on the lovely Mrs eribaMotters car rubber trims etc.
Colin
Forum Moderator. aka Oscar - Audi A3 1.5 petrol _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.
"Islay, there has to be something that costs more in France? It seems we get ripped off by everyone and everything here in the UK."
HAHAHA There must be. I think food has got very expensive. We are better protected by the state for electricité prices....petrol is about 1,80E per litre, but no, I won't tell you how little I pay for the caravan insurance Campsites are cheaper, wine is cheaper, houses are cheaper.....I think cars are more expensive! Paint is shockingly expensive compared to B&Q. Can't think of anything else...Remoskas are hard to come by. Washing machines are expensive. So, yes. Lots of things cost more here. All is not rosy, just rosé.
Betty, 1998 Triton 430 and Colin, a Renault Mégane.
Well, the day came, the cover came off, the van smelt fine and all looks good. I did find two odd bits of very light mould, one on the black materialised plastic carrier for my Cadac and the other a couple of spots on one of the seat bases where it had been resting against a plastic table.
My fear of frost damage has also passed. I've filled and sterilised the water system, turned the hot water boiler on and checked for leaks. All looks good. The van is very exposed, a bit of hedging and some trees shields it from an exposed farmers field with the Moors in the distance. We saw -9 this winter and the after effects of the heavy rain are still with us. I cannot walk on areas of the grass despite it desperately needing a cut as it's 4" long.
I've just got to wait now for some nice dry weather and I can start servicing the van.
Colin
Forum Moderator. aka Oscar - Audi A3 1.5 petrol _ ex 430, 552, camplet trailer tent, 310, now a nice white 2017 430.
Hi Colin
I think you need to speak nice and gently to your Triton after exposing it to this extreme culture shock of moving it from indoors in Sunny Southport.........................it must be like taking your youngsters from the warmth of their bedrooms to camping for the first time in a tiny Vango tent in a weeks worth of North Wales rain & wind on the banks of Lake Bala (apologies to Randa)
I'm sure that it will be idyllic in a few weeks and you'll be able to cut grass to your heart's content
Enjoy
MikeT
Well my cushions looked like stilton on them! Eriba only 6 months old. It is stored North facing and under a cover.
I think the dehumidifier is the way to go because the amount of moisture that comes out of it is a lot and now this one has a constant drain which I will run in to the shower drain, I am hoping it will solve the problem for next winter!
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