Winter storage in Pacific Northwest - mold concerns?

[happygrrly]

Hi all,

This is my first post to the forums and I'm excited to be here!

I have just been gifted (yes, you heard that right ;-) a 1971 27' Overlander Intl. It hasn't arrived yet, but I have a question about storing it for the next few months.

It will be parked outside in a driveway (paved or gravel) on a forested lot with no electricity or water access.

I have read multiple threads about winterizing, and it seems most people have not found the need to heat a stored Airstream over the winter.

However, the person who gifted the trailer to me thinks that I will need to heat it over the winter to prevent mold from occurring. I've done a bit of research on kerosene heaters as an alternative, but it looks like the cost of kerosene (or propane) over 3-6 months will be more than my budget will allow.

This will eventually become my full-time live-in home, so I'm pretty concerned about the potential for mold.

I would love to hear your opinions about this, esp. if you are a Pacific Northwesterner who knows how damp and rainy it is here in the winter, and any suggestions/alternatives for non-electric heat sources would also be appreciated.

Thanks!
Barb

[goransons]

Granted we are not on the wet side of the mountains here, but we use Dry-Z-Air which are available at hardware stores and RV stores. Canister that uses crystals to pull excess moisture out of the air and trap it in a cup below. 3 of those in our trailer keeps it dry each winter.

I certainly wouldn't want 3-6 months of kerosene smell to get out. Maybe others have ideas that may be of more help.

[cameront120]

Welcome! I'm just across the water in North Vancouver. All you need to do is blow the lines of any water. If you like you can fill them with anti-freeze. For the last cople of years, I simply let an oil-filled electric heater set at 55-60 degrees run inside my trailer. This kept the inside from getting damp. This winter I'm living in mine, so it isn't an issue.

[happygrrly]

Thanks, goransons! Great idea - I'll try it for sure :-)

[happygrrly]

Cameron,

Thanks for your reply! I agree that the oil-filled heaters work well for heating trailers; that's what I'm currently using in the one I live in now.

I will get my brother to help me blow the lines as well so the Airstream doesn't get itself into trouble if it freezes.

Great house project you're working on there in North Van! Hope you and the labs are doing well.

Cheers!
Barb

[cameront120]

Thanks fopr the kind words, Barb. After looking at your website, I just realized that you're related to Marcus (brother?). I don't personally know him, but he commented on my house blog. He does some terrific looking furniture.

If the Airstream is going to be used through the winter, you can use the propane furnace to heat the space. The ductwork runs adjacent the plumbing to help keep them from freezing. Not that we get a lot of freezing weather in our part of the world. Although I was in Nanaimo yesterday and it felt as though it could snow!

[dogpound]

Hey Barb:
Welcome to the forums.
My first A/S was a 1971 27' and to winterize it was pretty easy. The fresh water inlet is at the rear of the trailer near the bumper. You can get a connection at any r.v. shop to screw into the fitting. That will let you use a compressor to blow out the lines. The thing we found out was that those models did not have a hot water heater bypass so when you blow it out you will hear the hot water heater bubbling and gurgling because you are blowing air through the hot water heater. It will still let you get the lines blown out which in that year are copper lines. Make sure you operate each faucet valve and toilet valve to get the water out of them. In your country you shouldn't have to worry about a hard freeze so the anti-freeze shouldn't be needed. I agree with Scott and Megan that the Dry-Z-Air will do wonders. When we attended the International Rally in Salem a few years back we used a couple of them and they helped immensly. Being from a higher dryer climate we weren't used to the humidity.
Hope you enjoy your new possession. We keep thinking we should not have sold our 71 unit when we got the 98 because they all have different features that make them unique.
Bob
Member Four Corners Unit/CAC
WBCCI # 10105
AIR # 28748

"Life is an adventure, live it to the fullest"

[74"Twinkie"]

Hi Barb- Welcome
I agree with the others about the Dry-Z-Air and blowing out the water lines (including the hot water tank) with compressed air. I also make sure that the holding tanks (fresh and waste) are emptied. After that I pour a bid of rv anti-freeze down the tub/shower and sink drains to make sure the p-traps don't freeze and a little in the toilet to keep the gasket from drying out. These things have worked for me. Good luck and happy camping.

[Mike Leary]

We are NW natives, and have had four Airstreams up there. You need the dry heat, not the suburban or kerosene heat. The little ceramics are good, but the radiators are the way to go. Keep all of the doors open for circulation, use the little fans to circulate air. The rear end is where the moisture can build up quick & rot the floor. When we are north we stick a ceramic under the beds to keep the moisture down.

[vinstream]

When I was a kid we stored our RV in the old missile silos in central Washington. They were fully heated and sealed from dust and grime. Just an idea!

[happygrrly]

Wow - thank you all for your generous help and suggestions! I feel much better prepared now to receive my new "baby" and make sure she is set for the winter months.

All the best,
Barb