Care of your caravan
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in strong sunshine. Thus can the acrylic
panes be enjoyed again.
It is a popular misconception that
caravan windows are vacuum sealed.
This is not the case.
The windows in a caravan can be
susceptible to condensation if the
temperature difference between inside
and outside is changed quickly and
dramatically, such as when a damp or
cold caravan heats up quickly via a heater
or the sun. This can be exaggerated
particularly if the ventilation is not allowing
the temperatures to balance.
The caravan window, unlike a glass
window is not completely diffusion-proof,
which means it is permeable to the water
vapour contained in the air. That is to say
that water is initially absorbed from the
air on the surface of the panes. The water
molecules then penetrate by diffusion into
the material itself and then end up on the
inside of the pane. Here they are absorbed
by the air trapped between the two panes.
If the water vapour in the air surrounding
the window is high enough, this procedure
continues until the air in the window is
completely saturated.
In view of the fact that the quantity of
water vapour which can be absorbed
by a volume of air decreases when
the temperature falls, as soon as the
temperature drops the water condenses
at the coldest points of the window where
it becomes visible as droplets. When the
pane heats up again, the water evaporates.
It is in fact still there but invisible. If the
air around the window becomes very
dry, then the diffusion procedure starts
up again through the acrylic in the other
direction. Most of the moisture disappears
from the window.
It should be noted that the diffusion
procedure through the window is
relatively slow.
It is true condensation can be the
result of window delamination but for a
quantity of windows to delaminate on the
same caravan would be extremely unlikely
and the real test is “do the windows
eventually clear”.
Condensation actually occurs when the
humidity inside the caravan exceeds 60%
and the ventilation is not sufficient. To
help overcome this some of the following
actions can be taken:
• Leave the rooflight open.
• Put windows onto night vent position.
• Leave doors between compartments
open.
• Keep temperature at night to minimum.
• Increase ventilation above normal in
inclement weather.
Interior Walls
Your caravan interior walls are finished
with a vinyl coating and will only require
a wipe over with a damp cloth, using a
mild detergent, to keep them in a good
condition.
