For several of our camping stops this summer we decided to book full-hook-up sites in hopes it would make life a little simpler while we are on the road for so long. And I have to admit, being able to shower in your own camper without hauling everything to a shower house is nice. However, we have learned the hard way that showering in your camper does have unintended consequences … condensation!
Condensation in a camper is a HUGE deal! If you “google” condensation and full-time RVing, you will get a number of search results. This is because showering, cooking, running a propane furnace, and even breathing all generate water vapor (especially when the temperature is cooler outside). What we learned the hard way is that condensation will build up between the inner walls of the camper and the exterior lamination. When the sun bakes this water off, it destroys the glue that holds the laminate in place and you end up with serious delamination issues. While this is more of an aesthetic issue rather than structural, it can be very expensive to fix.
So why am I telling you all this? Because the best way to combat condensation is to get rid of it by properly venting your camper. Doing so, however, can be problematic when it is raining and an open vent creates a puddle on the floor. So what is the solution: camper vent covers.
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Below is a step by step of how I installed this vent cover. With the right tools it only took me about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Step 1: I removed the screen from the vent inside and cranked the vent all the way up. By removing the screen I was able to then twist the vent open and closed from the roof without going back into the camper.
Step 2: Center the vent cover over your vent and mark where the screws need to be.
Step 3: Lift the cover back off the vent and use the brackets to mark where to drill into the metal flange of the camper vent.
Step 4: Drill holes into the metal flange.
Step 5: Use the included hardware to attach the brackets to the metal flange. TIP: Make sure to have the bolt that will hold the new cover already threaded through its slot BEFORE you tighten the screws holding the bracket to the metal flange. Otherwise it will be difficult to get this bolt into the bracket without unscrewing things (see picture below).
Step 6: Place the cover onto the screw brackets and use the attached hardware to secure the new vent cover to the screws.
Step 7: Put the rear screen onto the new vent cover.
Step 8: Replace your screen on the inside of the camper and you are finished! No more rain in the camper! And hopefully no more condensation!
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