Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I am new here and I could not find any sections asking about mold prevention techniques. Maybe I missed over it and someone can send me in the right directions? If not, what can you experienced peeps and or "folks" tell me about the different mold prevention methods on a basic wood frame? Pros and Cons perhaps?

Cole

Cole,

I must be getting very old, as a "PEEP" I've never been called...
Not sure I like it...sounds like something a bird would say...okay for birds and a gathering of young people, but perhaps not the most enticing address when seeking advice from old grumpy people

Mold is a direct result of an overly wet environment.

If your intent is to prevent mold from growing on/in a wood frame trailer, study and understand what causes leaks in trailers.
Once thus armed, it is very easy to prevent water intrusion, which leads to mold.

Rob

48Rob wrote:Mold is a direct result of an overly wet environment.

If your intent is to prevent mold from growing on/in a wood frame trailer, study and understand what causes leaks in trailers.
Once thus armed, it is very easy to prevent water intrusion, which leads to mold.

Rob

+1 anda big AMEN to that'n.........................................................

Moisture in a trailer doesn't have to be the result of leakage, it can result from condensation of moisture from your breath on cool/cold objects.

I have condensation issues with my all-aluminum teardrop if I don't run the ventilation at night. The previous owner experienced mold problems with his mattress

<Chas>

Colesss wrote:I am new here and I could not find any sections asking about mold prevention techniques. Maybe I missed over it and someone can send me in the right directions? If not, what can you experienced peeps tell me about the different mold prevention methods on a basic wood frame? Pros and Cons perhaps?

Cole

Hey Cole,

So the mold question was answered.... Prevent moisture intrusion.

Did your question result from a particular moldy frame?

Encapsulating wood with epoxy prevents rot. I've also used tea tree oil to treat mold, tea tree oil is not toxic and it will slow, if not stop, mold from growing again.

My apologies 48rob I should have said folks or something probably more appropriate. I edited my post to include a more appropriate address.

Studying the way leaks occur is a good advice. My boyfriend is an indoor air quality inspector. He works with houses, buildings, and businesses to eliminate an atmosphere that encourages mold. 95% of the mold growth problems that occur in houses is caused from poor ventilation.

Would you say that would be an important aspect to consider while building a teardrop?

Also, is there a thread regarding leak prevention during both stationary time periods and driving time periods?

Cole

Steve,

Actually my question stems from Dan, my boyfriend, and his work regarding mold. Since he deals with mold on a regular basis. I have learned some of the causes and affect of what mold does. I wanted to know preventive methods rather than eliminating an existing problem. However, there might be people who want to know about eliminating an existing mold problem.



Cole

Cole,

Being you live where it actually rains for long periods of time the solution you desire is easy, put it in a garage and keep it dry.

(I'm down here in Oregon, but lived in Gig Harbor for awhile, IT RAINS WAY MORE UP THERE THAN DOWN HERE)

My trailer is 4 years old, it is kept in a dry barn. Mold has not been an issue

John

John,

I do not have a garage and I do not think that we would ever have the opportunity or room to add a garage to the house. I might be able to keep it under a covered area.

Cole

One alternative is a cover made for the tear Paha Que Design can do that, and using an air dryer.

Cole,

Thanks for the edit!

Here is a link to a piece I wrote on my vintage trailer board a few years ago about condensation in trailers.
Rob

http://repairingyesterdaystrailers.yuku ... ers-Page-2

There is more than mold to consider when discussing Teardrop trailers. My brother lives in the Seattle area (Federal Way), and he performs leak checks regularly on his 1972 Roadrunner (not a teardrop, but a vintage tiny travel trailer, or ttt).

I purchased a teardrop from Washington a few years ago, and after about a year the trailer started coming apart. The issue wasn't mold, it was de-lamination of the plywood from the moisture.

First sign of trouble



I ended up tearing the whole thing down and rebuilding!


What I found upon inspection

Yep Cliffy is right I am going thru that heart break on Chubby. The pretty 1/4 luan veneer I glued over the osb sub walls is coming apart in shreds. I resorted to oil base tractor paint to fill and glue together what is left for another year. I imagine this will be the last season for this exterior. I will remove all lights and exterior adds and remove the luan with a lot of cussing and sanding and reapply FRP panel in smoked grey or tan to go with the bronze / black lexan roof. My fleet lives outside rain sleet sun and snow and I have been most fortunate that the roof coverings are all plastics of some sort except for the barn which is aluminum. My latest builds are FRP exteriors and I love this stuff. Looks great and no place for mold that can not be bleach washed away.

...first you encapsulate the wood to fight off water intrusion...then you make sure your outer skin(on the tear) is as close to waterproof as is humanly possible to make it and finally, ventilate, ventilate, ventilate...ventilate when you are in the tear keeps moisture from building inside the tear and ventilate when it is sitting for the same reason...if you have no "DRY" place to store, you may wanna get a can of DampRid dessicant from one of the big box stores...as far as threads that address this problem, look at almost any build thread since this is probably the number one concern(or near too it) of all teardrop builders.......................
madjack