The Power Of Water...Statistics & Related Problems
"Will It Rain Today?" A question us Brits ask most days due to our incessant need to talk about the weather. However unless you had stayed on Mars you will be highly aware of the catastrophic flooding the UK has seen during December 2015. The deluges we have experienced recently (and continue to do so!) have also caused additional problems for Caravan and Motorhome owners in the form of Damp.
It was not until I started doing a little research on the statistics of Storm Frank etc that the horror became apparent to me. Yes, of course I had seen the news footage on the TV showing countless homes under water, bridges collapsing and historic buildings teetering on the edge of swollen rivers. But I hadn't really considered how much water had come down! So perhaps like me you might be a little shocked to know that the latest information from the Met Office have confirmed that December has been record breaking in terms of warmth (yes I did wear a t-shirt on Christmas Day!) as well as the rainfall. We have even put a
dehumidifier in our truck to soak up the damp which has come in through the
window sealsThe UK's average temperature for December was 8C which was 4.1C above the long term average (the previous record was 6.9C in 1934!). This in actual terms means that December felt more like April ....maybe that's why I didn't feel that festive this year!
Did Santa Bring You Welly Boots Too?
I couldn't fathom why my Christmas cheer was not a shade on what it had been in previous years and eventually I put it down to the weather! We don't tend to get a lot of snow here in Devon but I am happy to settle for a few hard frosts...sadly these didn't materialise either and all we had were days of rain and muddy puddles for the children to play in. Thank goodness Santa brought new Wellies for us all! Now I mustn't complain as many people have had a far more miserable time and continue to do so. However, when I am surrounded by christmas cards depicting snow covered hills and cheery robins on frosted branches it certainly didn't help my mood.
A Few Met Office Statistics
Having done my bit of New Year moaning, I will move swiftly on to the rainfall and give you an idea of the three worst affected areas according to the Met Office:
1. Capel Curig in Conwy had a staggering 1012.2mm of rain compared to the previous record of 612.8mm in 2006
2. Shap in Cumbria was next with 773.2mm compared to 504mm in 2006
3. Keswick had 517mm, nearly 3 times as much rain as the previous record of just 173mm in 2013.
But what affect has all this water had on those intrepid caravan owners and their prides and joy and what Caravan Repairs are they having to do? Having seen the worst case scenario documented on the BBC where the footage shows one Caravan being swept helplessly down a river only to smash into a bridge I started looking at lesser (but still worrying) problems associated with inclement weather that owners may be dealing with.
There are approximately 550,000 Touring Caravans, 205,000 Motorhomes and 330,000 Caravan Holiday Homes in the UK alone and from reading a variety of opinions online, there appears to be a consistent problem with leaks, water ingress and the damage that occurs when the water lays on the internal fabric causing rotting....even the most diligent owner who has winterised their caravan has not escaped problems.
So What Advice Can We Give You?
Well thankfully and logically Modern Caravans don't have nearly as many problems with water ingress as some of the older models (although I imagine those owners with new caravans who have experienced damp in their first year will be spitting their tea out in horror at having read that!) There are however measures that can be taken to prevent excess moisture. Winterisation is one, but left unchecked, damp can potentially mean the death of your beloved holiday vehicle.
Basically there are a number of causes of damp which include moisture penetrating through structural damage (I hark back to the Caravan and Bridge footage...me thinks that one was a lost cause!). Faulty plumbing, spillages and condensation also contribute to damp issues. Performing regular maintenance checks and making sure there is good ventilation and airflow can help. It may be worth paying a professional to check for structural damage or wear and tear and perform any necessary caravan repairs while doing the annual service.
However if you do your own checks then here is a brief list:
1. Check along joints
2. Around awning fixings
3. Around lights
4. Around grab handles and vents
5. Under the trim
6. Around doors, windows and wheel arches
7. All corners of the caravan
It's also a very good idea to reseal or better still replace
window seals regularly. You can find an extensive selection here in our store at very affordable prices. This form of caravan repair is a cost effective way of reducing the risk of water ingress. Also if you do have a damp caravan then instead of using a heater, which can produce condensation which of course adds to the problem, try a
dehumidifier These units extract the water from the air and are great at reducing if not eliminating the damp from your caravan. Click on the link to see the range of cheap portable dehumidifers we have in stock - it's worth having one in the caravan as a precaution anyway.
However if your caravan shows more extensive water damage then you may well require expert assistance, so check your manufacturer's warranty in order to determine the best course of action.
With the New Year just starting it would be unthinkable to plan your adventures only to sleep in a damp bed!
