Operating instructions

77
Furniture
Moisture in the air can cause damage to furniture
as the wood expands or contracts with an increase
or decrease in the relative humidity. A relative
humidity of between 40% -60% is tolerable. If
values are maintained outside this range for a
sustained period damage to the furniture may occur.
To prevent damage, assure relative
humidity of air is not too high for a
The damages can be visible if the relative
humidity is higher than 80% for a long
time. To prevent damage, ventilate
the van, using dehumidiers or water
adsorbent substances.
When wood is wet, wipe it dry. Do not
just wait for the sun to dry it. The longer
the water stays on the surface, the more
damage it can do.
Defects caused by swelling, bowing,
twisting or delaminating generated by
high temperature or high relative humidity
of air) will not be accepted as warranty
Humidity
Air contains moisture – this is called humidity.
The higher the temperature of the air the more
water it is able to hold. Air at 20°C can hold a lot
more moisture than air at 10°C. The term ‘relative
humidity’ describes how much moisture air contains
at a given temperature. 100% relative humidity
means the air is holding as much moisture as it can
at that temperature.
The more humid the air is in your caravan, the more
energy it takes to warm your van because it is also
warming the water in the air. This means it will be
more expensive to heat!
A good range of indoor humidity for comfort and
health is between 30-60% during cooler months
of the year. Mould is likely to occur if the relative
humidity indoors is 70% or more for long periods of
time. Keeping humidity levels under 50% also helps
to minimise or control dust mites.
About Condensation
When the humidity is high inside a van and it is
cold outside the water vapour condenses on
cold surfaces. What can causes dampness and
condensation in your van?
Lack of adequate ventilation and/or heating.
Water coming in from the outside through
leakage, seepage or open windows
High levels of moisture/water vapour being
produced inside the caravan
Humid air and condensation can also be generated
by things people do on a daily basis.
Cooking Up to 3 litres per day
Showers and baths 1.5 litres per person
Washing dishes Up to 1 litres per day
Breathing, active adult 0.2 litres an hour per
person
Breathing, adult asleep 0.02 litres an hour per
person
How to keep your caravan dry and avoid
condensation
There are lots of things YOU can do to minimise
dampness and condensation in your caravan.
The key actions:
Provide ventilation and/or reduce relative
humidity of air by , particularly in moisture-
prone period of year (especially winter time)
and when the moisture is produced in the van
(cooking, shower)
Reduce the amount of moisture produced in the
van
Increase heating to raise the temperature of the
air and the cold surfaces
On dry days open some windows to allow humid air
to ventilate out of the van. It is better to open a few
windows a little throughout the whole caravan. This
helps the air to move through the caravan. One
window open wide may not be as effective. Try to
do this as often as possible (at least once a week),
but keep windows closed on wet days as damp air
may increase indoor humidity.
High temperatures
High temperatures can also damage the surfaces of
your worktops. Protect them with protective table
pads or place-mats when utilizing extremely hot
utensils or dishes.
Hinges and Catches
Lightly oil occasionally
Caravan Keys
Each Unicorn model is supplied with two identical
keys. In the event of both keys being lost these
cannot be replaced. In this instance a new lock will
have to be tted with a fresh set of keys. These two
keys are also for use on the other exterior access
doors.