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Old 07-07-2018, 10:44 AM   #1
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Best way to dry out flooded camper?

So we are camping and I was woke up at 230am to the bathroom sink over flowing and the floor with water all over. Water went down through the ductwork and was leaking out through the canvas fabric under the camper. We dried everything inside. Any recommendations on drying out the underneath fabric and insulation on the outside? Thanks for suggestions.
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Old 07-07-2018, 10:46 AM   #2
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Get a good sized dehumidifier and set it to the highest setting which should pull the moisture out of the walls.
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Old 07-07-2018, 11:12 AM   #3
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Get a good sized dehumidifier and set it to the highest setting which should pull the moisture out of the walls.
Thanks, we have it open right now at the campground with a fan under the bed drying out the storage area. I don't think it is in the walls. I think it is just in the underside insulation and black fabric. I already cut small sweep holes in the sagging points of the fabric and it was draining out of there.
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Old 07-07-2018, 01:17 PM   #4
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Curious as to what was the cause.
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Old 07-07-2018, 01:56 PM   #5
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To dry it out quick you could take it for a drive through Arizona

If that's not practical then open the cover on the bottom of the trailer and set a couple of blowers like they use to dry out carpets where they send lots of air in under the trailer. They can be rented from most tool and equipment rental shops. They are not "fans", but blowers that have an oval discharge port that sits at ground level and sucks in air from the sides. Keeping lots of air moving through for at least a day or so will dry out the bottom. The Dehumidifier inside will take care of whatever remains inside from floor up.

It may not be as bad as you think. Usually the floor is finished with sheet vinyl and then the cabinets and such are added. Only place water can get below is at the few holes where water lines and electrical are run into the space below the floor. In short, the "wet" below the floor may be localized rather than through the entire area.
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Old 07-07-2018, 02:19 PM   #6
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A couple of months back I did something similar...

I was filling up the bathroom sink and walked away for a for a few seconds...which I know you should never do in an RV.

Anyway, a minute later I realized and ran into the bathroom to discover Niagra Falls running over the edge of the sink and right down through the furnace vent and directly into the furnace and soaked a bunch of stuff in the basement!

Of course, the inside of the furnace was wet (so I immediately shut the furnace off), then started to clean up my mess.

Luckily, I was in New Mexico, so it was pretty dry (humidity wise) and it wasn't going to get that cold at night, so my electric heaters were more than enough!

I just opened up the basement doors and left them open all day and didn't use the furnace for a couple of days and all is well!
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Old 07-07-2018, 02:26 PM   #7
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If you have some kind of loose insulation blanket between floor and belly (canvas fabric?) and its widespread, You can't dry it out, of at least it would take days upon weeks... if you are in a dry region. If this happened in FL, it will never dry out, at least not until its full of mold. Again, if its actually insulation that's soaked. Inside the coach can be dried using fans and dehumidifiers.
ww
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Old 07-07-2018, 07:56 PM   #8
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Thanks everyone. It is a travel trailer. 2017 Cherokee 274DBH. It appears everything inside is looking good and dry. I'm going to continue to run fans during the week. I'm just debating what to do with the fabric (black tarp material) and insulation that is under the camper. It is summer in Wisconsin, so we will get heat and humidity. Like I said before, so far I have cut small holes to let the water drain. Just not sure if I should cut it in each section with bigger cuts to expose the insulation. If I do, what would be the best way to seal the cuts afterwards?
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Old 07-07-2018, 09:53 PM   #9
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Thanks everyone. It is a travel trailer. 2017 Cherokee 274DBH. It appears everything inside is looking good and dry. I'm going to continue to run fans during the week. I'm just debating what to do with the fabric (black tarp material) and insulation that is under the camper. It is summer in Wisconsin, so we will get heat and humidity. Like I said before, so far I have cut small holes to let the water drain. Just not sure if I should cut it in each section with bigger cuts to expose the insulation. If I do, what would be the best way to seal the cuts afterwards?
That black stuff on the bottom of the trailer is called coroplast.

Be very careful cutting or drilling holes in it as you may puncture one of the tanks or cut some plumbing or wiring.

You should be able to loosen some screws and drop it some to allow air in...

That would be your best bet!
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Old 07-08-2018, 01:37 PM   #10
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Best way to dry out flooded camper?

You mentioned the underbelly is sealed with tarp like material. That is the vapor barrier.

I would use a box knife and cut 3 sided openings (hinge side facing forward).

Pull out the insulation (under tanks) and either dry it out or replace it.

Use scrimshield tape to repair the slits that you cut. )scrim shield tape is woven plastic water barrier that has an adhesive backing
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Old 07-08-2018, 01:39 PM   #11
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Yep, removing insulation now. It would have never dried. Thx.
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Old 07-08-2018, 02:03 PM   #12
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That black stuff on the bottom of the trailer is called coroplast.!
Not Coroplast.
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Old 07-08-2018, 02:12 PM   #13
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Curious as to what was the cause.
Somehow I left the sink running. I'm normally the detail person, but I was the last one in there so I must have left it on. Or someone in the camper was sleep walking!! I went to bed at 1130 and was woke up by my sister in law at 230 because she was going to go to the bathroom. For the life of me, I still can't believe I did it....but I was the last one in there. Weird part, it was kind of spraying out of the faucet into the sink and even at full blast, I couldn't get it to do it the next day. Bizarre!!
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Old 07-08-2018, 02:17 PM   #14
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Not Coroplast.
Must be a smaller trailer...
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Old 07-08-2018, 02:19 PM   #15
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Somehow I left the sink running. I'm normally the detail person, but I was the last one in there so I must have left it on. Or someone in the camper was sleep walking!! I went to bed at 1130 and was woke up by my sister in law at 230 because she was going to go to the bathroom. For the life of me, I still can't believe I did it....but I was the last one in there. Weird part, it was kind of spraying out of the faucet into the sink and even at full blast, I couldn't get it to do it the next day. Bizarre!!
I have cats that camp with me and I had to train them to NOT rub their chins on the bathroom faucet as it is a stick handle type faucet...not with hot and cold knobs.

One of them liked to drink out of the faucet and figured out how to turn it on by himself!
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Old 07-08-2018, 02:19 PM   #16
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Must be a smaller trailer...
Yep, I think they may use the coroplast on them if they have the cold weather package. Mine is just the vapor barrier with an inch or so of insulation.
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Old 07-08-2018, 02:47 PM   #17
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I always leave both gray water valves open because of that same reason. Close a day before we leave and rain the following morning. If they don't have enough water for a good drain I run the faucets.
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Old 07-08-2018, 02:49 PM   #18
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I always leave both gray water valves open because of that same reason. Close a day before we leave and rain the following morning. If they don't have enough water for a good drain I run the faucets.
Unfortunately we didn't have sewer hookup, but that is a good idea when we do. I will start that!
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Old 07-08-2018, 02:57 PM   #19
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I always leave both gray water valves open because of that same reason. Close a day before we leave and rain the following morning. If they don't have enough water for a good drain I run the faucets.
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Unfortunately we didn't have sewer hookup, but that is a good idea when we do. I will start that!
And it is not a good idea to leave either tank open...ever!

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Old 07-08-2018, 03:38 PM   #20
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You mentioned the underbelly is sealed with tarp like material. That is the vapor barrier.

I would use a box knife and cut 3 sided openings (hinge side facing forward).

Pull out the insulation (under tanks) and either dry it out or replace it.

Use scrim shield tape to repair the slits that you cut. )scrim shield tape is woven plastic water barrier that has an adhesive backing
X2^^^ Very good suggestions all. If there is insulation above it then it is most likely fiberglass. Pull it ALL out that is wet. It will take a LONG time to dry itself out. Just replace it and put it back together in a day or two.
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