Just getting started, need to move into CT with pets

[jisincla]

I'm pretty sure it's leakage. We've had a lot of rain recently. And nobody has stayed in the trailer since last summer, when it was just me with the cats, no dogs. I want to get ventilation and moisture-proofing set up *before* we start living in it. That is why we are still at my mother's house (staying inside her house) and have not gone home yet.

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

I wonder if all and sundry occupants of the house now living in the much smaller cargo trailer, isn't just going to create an accelerated version of what happened in the house.

Glen
I'll bet the shirt off my back your right ,
but Jim is gonna build the trailer ARK .... No matter what we say brother

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

Jim

You might wanna get a few of these so your most vuable assets dont get lost


http://www.whistle.com/gps/

[jisincla]

Glen
I'll bet the shirt off my back your right ,
but Jim is gonna build the trailer ARK .... No matter what we say brother

Yep. And it would sure be nice to get help to do it right, from people who aren't betting on me to fail.

And as I already explained to Glen, nobody has stayed in the trailer since last summer, so the water in the window today cannot be accounted for by animals living in the trailer.

Jim

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

[color=#FF0000]

Yep. And it would sure be nice to get help to do it right, from people who aren't betting on me to fail.

so the water in the window today cannot be accounted for by animals living in the trailer.

Jim

Jim we are not betting against you ......your not doing a good job listening !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I told you INSULATION INSULATION INSULATION .......

You totally zoned out & jumped straight into step # 2 ventilation , so your doomed before you start,
By your own doing & NOT LISTENING !!!!!

If your not gonna do the insulation right - then just forget the hell about ventilation.
HEAR ME NOW - BELIEVE ME LATTER !!

Cheers Jerry

[Chilly Willy]

I'm just going to skip over drama.
Moisture settling at your window seam could be from between the window and the frame it sits/slides in, or it could be from where the frame meets the trailer, or it could also be from any point above that on your trailer and is flowing to that spot. I've heard of that sort of thing in old automobiles that leak in one spot, as you tear out the interior to solve the leak you find it travelled from another point altogether.
If and as you pull off the plywood walls to install your insulation you should be able to find evidence of the water travelling if that was the case... if no evidence exists then you've pretty much isolated the problem at the window.
I imagine at that point you treat it like an automobile mechanic troubleshooting a mystery problem... fix the easiest thing first and see if that worked, then work your way up. If the window frame is easily dismantled then perhaps add new sealing material... (no experience here, could be caulking or tape, a gasket *shrugs*)
If it turns out to be a small amount coming from between the glass and the frame, rest assured you'll be getting more water there from simply breathing later on. It's a major leak behind your walls you should definatley be concerned about.

For small amounts of water, keeping the interior warm and dehumidified should cause it to simply evaporate. If you're dealing with little puddles like the one in your picture often, make sure you're cleaning the surface regularly too, before anything takes root.

Editting for another P.S. I believe he said his intention was to work on what he could at his current location, enough to allow his cats to live inside (this being our spring/summer), and when he travels back home his housemate will help with insulating.

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

I'm just going to skip over drama.

Editting for another P.S. I believe he said his intention was to work on what he could at his current location, enough to allow his cats to live inside (this being our spring/summer), and when he travels back home his housemate will help with insulating.

Once you do it that way its just easier to skip step # 1... latter
But I hear what your saying.

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

Jim

if you really wanna do it perfect 10,000% then do this...
I'm closing my advice shop NOW - good luck


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhhYqGh8l2k




http://plantsforhumanhealth.ncsu.edu/2012/08/20/pack-n-cool/

[warnmar10]

...
I wonder if all and sundry occupants of the house now living in the much smaller cargo trailer, isn't just going to create an accelerated version of what happened in the house.

Accelerated, concentrated and putridated.

[Rainier70]

Let's work with how the poster wants to do HIS trailer.

NOONE else has put the amount of money and insulation in a trailer like Over the Top has. But not everyone does everything the same way. That's okay.

For OTT, Here's the bad side of spray foam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2ns7mXG_-E

Jim, both reasonable ventilation and insulation are important. The ventilation is necessary to remove moisture before it settles into your walls and molds. No matter how much insulation you have, moisture will create problems unless it is ventilated. All houses and living spaces have to deal with the balance of ventilation and insulation. A cargo trailer it is much smaller, so ventilation becomes even more important.

Could you post a picture of the window? Is the water in the frame of the window? Most windows have "weep holes" on the outside of the frame that drains any water. Looking at the outside of your window are there slots at the bottom? Are they clogged? Sometimes they mistakenly get sealed up. Or are the slots on the top of the window frame? If they are, your window was put in upside down.

Is the water the result of collected moisture on the inside? Just breathing, one person puts out an amazing amount of water.

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

NOONE else has put the amount of money and insulation in a trailer like Over the Top has. But not everyone does everything the same way.

NOT TRUE - MtnDon has followed my instruction & has even thicker foam in the floor.
but I do have the most money in the Trailer

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

Cindy

insulation & ventilation are 2 totally separate concepts, not even closely related to each other. Like apples & oranges

EXAMPLE: Thermos vs a reg drinking glass.

http://www.amazon.com/Under-Armour-Dominate-Insulated-Stainless/dp/B005H0R5M4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401914877&sr=8-1&keywords=thermos+under+armour

Now order this thermos & fill it with ice cubes and or ice cold water if you like
Compared to:
Filling A plain glass with ice cubes and or ice cold water.

The filled plain glass will sweat like hell on the exterior, the thermos will be bone dry & may even feel warm on the exterior.
The plain glass ice & water will reach room temp in 1-3 hours max, The Thermos will still be ICE COLD - 12-24 hours latter.
I don't care how much you ventilate the room - with the glass of ICE water - it will still sweet like hell.
Try it outside - now you don't even need ventilation because your in the open air.


if its -40 outside, I don't see how lots of ventilation is gonna keep your warm UNLESS you install a $2,000 air to heat exchanger.

[Chilly Willy]

Not sure if you're picking up bits from different posts or I'm misreading. I suggested that in California you could solve humidity building up in the trailer by simply ventilating at a higher rate.

For a cold climate you'd want to ventilate enough that you aren't suffocating, or being poisoned by your heating mechanism (fossil fuel exhaust). Dehumidifying is probably the way to go, unless you're active enough that the door is being openned often.

For this particular gentleman I am hoping that the trailer becomes a moot point before winter sets in though. Even if he solves every challenge with flying colors, like you suppositioned, a trailer that size is hardly adequate living space for a single talking monkey, let alone the extended family of 8 medium sized carnivores plus anchovies.

In the mean time, moving in a table, chair, sofa, tv, bed... some screen doors, and maybe a screen dining tent outside and you could camp the warmer months away in relative comfort.

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

Not sure if you're picking up bits from different posts or I'm misreading. I suggested that in California you could solve humidity building up in the trailer by simply ventilating at a higher rate.

In the mean time, moving in a table, chair, sofa, tv, bed... some screen doors, and maybe a screen dining tent outside and you could camp the warmer months away in relative comfort.

Hello Chilly Willy

I thought that about Calif too , but I was wrong my first metal trailer was like Niagra falls as it dropped below 45 deg F.
I know for a fact that Jimmys Noa's Ark is do able , but you would need to foam the trailer, need a good mini split AC - heat pump by Fijitsu & also you would need an EXCELENT air to air heat exchanger running 24/7, so a easy $10,000 would make it do able. My feeling is that Jimmy wanna build Noa's Ark for about $250

Your option with local camping is perfect for the next 90 days

[Chilly Willy]

You'll probably find my project interesting when I begin a build thread. Somewhat similar needs, though fewer pets and more extreme climate.

Difference will be a much larger trailer, more extreme climate, and fairly relaxed cost constraint.

Been gleaning information from this board for about 2 years now, but forbid myself from posting until I at least purchased my tow vehicle.
Right now I'm forbidding myself from beginning a build thread until I can decide if it'll be a cargo trailer conversion, or custom from the wheels up.