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What Is The Greatest Dehumidifier for Your Camper? I Tenting World Weblog


It’s no secret that extra moisture inside your RV is unhealthy. Nevertheless, when most individuals take into consideration water moving into their camper, they consider points with the roof or partitions. We are likely to overlook concerning the moisture within the air – humidity. 

Extra humidity may cause harm, similar to a roof leak. This is the reason preventative moisture and condensation administration in an RV is vital. On this article, we’ll overview every little thing you’ll want to find out about prevention, from cracking a window to utilizing the finest dehumidifier for an RV to maintain humidity at bay.

How Does Humidity Get Inside an RV?

steaming pot on stovetop
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There are lots of methods humidity can enter your RV. For starters, humidity is attributable to respiratory, so that you’ll by no means cease it utterly. It happens when cooking; moisture is expelled from meals and into the air. It accumulates from showers, which will be amplified with extra folks staying contained in the camper. 

If you happen to reside in a damp surroundings like Florida, you’ll possible have extra issues than somebody residing in Montana. The way in which the RV is constructed additionally performs an element. RVs with poor insulation really do a greater job of eliminating moisture attributable to higher circulation. You’ll by no means cease all moisture from coming into your RV, so that you’ll must take steps to monitor and take away it.

Keep in mind that you don’t wish to take away all moisture from the air; your purpose must be to have a humidity stage between 30% and 50%.

Why Is Humidity Inside An RV a Downside?

Black mold on white wall
Photograph by Getty Photographs

There are lots of causes to take away extra moisture from the air in your RV. It could actually make you’re feeling scorching and sticky in the summertime and even make respiratory tougher. If the moisture will get trapped behind the partitions and ceiling, it will possibly result in delamination, mildew, and mildew. Mildew and mildew are larger points whereas your RV is in storage, the place your camper can sit for a number of months, normally coated.

Spring and summer season are usually probably the most humid seasons as a result of heat air holds extra moisture, however humidity may trigger issues within the winter. Condensation can happen, leading to water droplets on the home windows, doorways, and counter tops. 

Stopping and Getting Rid of Humidity

Coleman portable dehumidifier
Photograph by Tenting World

There are lots of methods to take away humidity inside an RV. The most important helper is your air-con unit. Humidity is made worse by a scarcity of circulation, and your air conditioner does an important job of circulating air all through the RV. Nevertheless, you possibly can’t at all times depend on this alone. Listed below are another useful methods:

  • Open a roof vent to let moisture escape when showering.
  • Crack the closest window close by when cooking.
  • Use your vent fan to flow into air all through the RV when climate permits. 
  • Go away home windows open in a single day when circumstances allow.
  • Complement your RV air conditioner with among the finest dehumidifiers for RVs.

Let’s look additional into this closing choice.

Sorts of RV Dehumidifiers

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The 2 major kinds of electrical dehumidifiers for RVs are compressor and desiccant. The compressor-style pulls air by means of a filter and passes it over a set of cooling coils, which acquire water because the air condenses. Then again, desiccant dehumidifiers pull air in and push it by means of a rotating wheel, which comprises supplies used for drying air, similar to “silica.” 

Let’s have a look at among the execs and cons of every sort:

Professionals Cons
Compressor Value Efficient
Very Environment friendly
Noisy
Not Efficient in Chilly Temps
Desiccant Quiet
Works Nice in Chilly/Heat Temps
Excessive Energy Consumption
Extra Costly

Listed below are three of our top-selling electrical RV dehumidifiers:

There are additionally non-electric desiccant-style dehumidifiers. These don’t require an influence supply, which makes them nice for storage or on a regular basis use since they don’t steal energy from different home equipment or take up flooring/space for storing. Nevertheless, these trailer dehumidifiers should be changed periodically as they aren’t reusable.

Do I Want a Dehumidifier for RV in Storage?

Securing RV cover
Photograph by Tenting World

Sure, a dehumidifier for a camper is essential whereas it’s in storage, because the probabilities of mildew and mildew buildup are increased. A scarcity of circulation normally causes this attributable to an RV cowl blocking the vents. Cracking a window or vent whereas in storage is sensible, however you’d nonetheless wish to use a dehumidifier whereas sitting for prolonged durations.

If you happen to can entry shore energy in storage, you should use an electrical dehumidifier. In any other case, you’d want to make use of a non-electric desiccant dehumidifier, additionally generally often known as a moisture absorber.

Listed below are a few of our picks for the very best moisture absorber for RV use: 

Selecting the Greatest RV Dehumidifier

Electric vs. desiccant dehumidifiers
Photograph by Tenting World

Dimension is an important issue when deciding on a dehumidifier for RV residing. This consists of the dimensions of the unit and the quantity of sq. footage it’s rated for. Let’s look nearer at dimension/sq. footage score and different elements to decide on the very best dehumidifier for a journey trailer or some other RV sort.

Dimension and Sq. Footage Ranking

If you happen to select a dehumidifier that’s too small, it can run continuously and battle to control humidity ranges. If you happen to select a unit that’s too massive, it will possibly take up extra flooring area and have increased wattage necessities. Though an outsized dehumidifier is best than a small dehumidifier for RVs, it’s finest to get the proper dimension. 

You will discover the proper dimension by measuring your RV’s inside size and width to get the sq. footage. For instance, in case your RV is 30’ lengthy x 9’ huge, you could account for 270 ft². Subsequently, a unit rated for 300 ft² could be the proper selection. 

Tank Dimension

Tank dimension can also be vital to think about when deciding on dehumidifiers for campers. The smaller the tank, the extra continuously you could empty it. Nevertheless, a bigger tank means the unit takes up more room. 

If you happen to plan to go away the unit working for an prolonged interval, you’ll need an RV dehumidifier with a drain hose so it doesn’t shut off when the tank is full. Most settle for a normal backyard hose, which you’ll be able to path to the closest sink, permitting the dehumidifier to empty into your RV’s grey water holding tank. Because the drains are gravity-fed, you could place the dehumidifier on a counter above the sink. Go away the waste valve open to stop overfilling your grey tank. 

You could possibly additionally drill a gap in your flooring should you don’t wish to set it on the counter, however the former is most well-liked. If you happen to reside in an space with chilly temperatures under freezing, contemplate a non-electric dehumidifier to stop water from freezing within the tank and features.

Energy Supply

Electrical dehumidifiers require an exterior energy supply, normally 120VAC or 12VDC. If you happen to spend most of your time on the campsite hooked as much as shore energy, 120VAC is the best choice. Nevertheless, should you camp off-grid with out entry to shore energy, you’d wish to contemplate a 12v dehumidifier for RV use.

If neither energy supply is on the market, don’t fear—there are nonetheless loads of power-free desiccants to select from.


You’ll by no means get rid of all of the humidity inside your RV, nor will you wish to. The purpose is just to observe and management it. Some issues you have already got that may assist with this like opening a window or working the vent fan, however they need to even be supplemented with a dehumidifier. 

Listed below are a couple of extra assets that will help you hold your RV at a cushty temperature:

We hope you discovered this text useful. Tell us within the feedback under about your experiences with humidity in an RV.