I really want to try the RV life, but...

[Not dead yet!]

I'm quite convinced that mold is an issue for me. So I looked at RV's, container homes, and vanlife type stuff for several days.

But moving to an RV or a converted cargo trailer has some issues for me. I really don't do well with primitive bathroom conditions. I'm not going to pee in a bottle or container. I'm not going to forego an immersed bath, which at this point is my one reliable pleasure in life. Maybe I could have a detached bathroom with a hot tub. That I could handle. But I"m not "moving a van from place to place" to sleep at night. Because first, I'd have to reliably sleep at night, lol. And second I'd have to have the focus and energy to move the van.

Anyone have advice for non-primitive mold free container or RV life?

Seems like the old Norse way of life is the way to go: community kitchen / facilities... private homes. Although I admit they also shared their home with animals. That's another thing I won't be doing, heh.

 

[Vaporization]

@Not dead yet!, Human beings exhale significant quantities of water vapor daily. That can result in mold problems wherever you live.

Anyone have advice for non-primitive mold free container or RV life?

Be rich!

You might enjoy this,

 

[Not dead yet!]

@Not dead yet!, Human beings exhale significant quantities of water vapor daily. That can result in mold problems wherever you live.



Be rich!

You might enjoy this,

Well in comparison to many others I am rich. I was thinking more that most of the online resources talk about money saving ideas. I'm by no means against that. I made my peace with gypsies in a town near Great Adventure in NJ when I was a kid. As a Romanian I'd say that's pretty broadminded of me. I now find gypsies fascinating just like many Americans and the English do. However, I'm really not able to go without sanitary facilities, or make bargains with cleanliness while at the same time, being under the thumb of an illness that inlcudes "immune compromised" as a feature.

As for the exhale thing, yeah the mold can just live in the lining of your sinuses. I've already created a plan for that and use it: I crushed a Fluconazole tablet and put it in my nasal spray. Clears my sinuses like nothing else can. If you think outside the box, you can find a way to get anti-fungals. But even if you take them every day, if your environment is re-infecting you, or you're being overwhelmed with it, then it's just a waste of time and money. The real question is how can a person sensitive to that become less sensitive? I think a period of time without the irritant is key.

Although everything has fungi, bacteria and viruses in it all the time, the questions is, are they the harmful ones that make you react or not?

 

[Homina]

You can build or buy a van with a shower and composting toilet
A shower is a challenge for builders
If you know any builders that can do that let me know

 

[Vaporization]

As for the exhale thing, yeah the mold can just live in the lining of your sinuses.

Not very likely, due to the plethora of microbes in your sinuses.

I am referring to the volume of water vapor that we exhale and then condensates on cooler surfaces. Cooking, and bathing are big sources of interior moisture. Those sources, however, are typically well vented. The moisture we exhale is not. This can result in mold problems in any housing.

If money isn't a problem you're gonna have fun with RV living.

 

[Abrin]

I'm quite convinced that mold is an issue for me. So I looked at RV's, container homes, and vanlife type stuff for several days.

But moving to an RV or a converted cargo trailer has some issues for me. I really don't do well with primitive bathroom conditions. I'm not going to pee in a bottle or container. I'm not going to forego an immersed bath, which at this point is my one reliable pleasure in life. Maybe I could have a detached bathroom with a hot tub. That I could handle. But I"m not "moving a van from place to place" to sleep at night. Because first, I'd have to reliably sleep at night, lol. And second I'd have to have the focus and energy to move the van.

Anyone have advice for non-primitive mold free container or RV life?

Seems like the old Norse way of life is the way to go: community kitchen / facilities... private homes. Although I admit they also shared their home with animals. That's another thing I won't be doing, heh.

I can tell you that when it comes to RVs that mold is a real problem because frankly they generally aren't built well with quality materials and that it is really hard to get rid of the mold once it takes hold.

 

[Still Here]

I live in an RV! Before that, I lived in a van.

I think the big thing to preventing mold is, of course, preventing moisture. Suggestions:

• One or more dehumidifiers - we have two small ones, I'll probably need to get a larger one for winter though. If in a dry climate this might not be as important, but I'm in Seattle where it rains a lot, and can't always open the windows for ventilation.
• Preventing leaks. Roof leaks - re-seal roof every few years. Plumbing leaks - we've already had two. I'd recommend a water leak alert alarm. You put the spot sensors or the cable sensor underneath where your plumbing is, hot water tank, and anywhere else that could leak. When it senses water, it goes off similar to a smoke alarm. This can prevent water damage and water doesn't sit there long enough to mold.
• Mold spray/concentrate. I work at a bed and breakfast for folks with severe MCS and/or mold sensitivities, so we do a lot there for mold prevention. One such product is called EC3. We use the concentrate in every load of laundry, and use the spray on surfaces and in the air of the rooms between guests.
• Keep the place well heated, and make sure to open all cupboards and doors regularly so the heat reaches them too. Make sure to only put items in the cupboards that are totally dry.

The two plumbing leaks we had were pretty scary. It helped a lot that we had a few small space heaters we could turn on it, and the dehumidifiers to clear it out of the air as it dried.

Remember, too, RVs emit formaldehyde! I've got suggestions for that as well, but this post is long enough as is.

 

[Remy]

I have this dream that someday I will sell this house and buy an RV and spend the rest of my life traveling with my dogs. I'm not very brave though in some ways so I wonder if I could make it work. Maybe try a rental first?

 

[Abrin]

I think your tips are amazing! If you know that the RV is mold free when you purchase it there is no doubt that it would keep it mold free.

You do have to be SUPER careful in purchasing a used RV though. I actually know someone who is allergic to mold and who bought a used RV that turned out to have a major mold problem in the floor. The place that sold it to them just covered it over with laminate floor covering to hide the mold problem. My friend ended up in the hospital and had to be put on oxygen for over a month because living in a small space caused the mold spores to ended up in everything she owned. .

I live in an RV! Before that, I lived in a van.

I think the big thing to preventing mold is, of course, preventing moisture. Suggestions:

• One or more dehumidifiers - we have two small ones, I'll probably need to get a larger one for winter though. If in a dry climate this might not be as important, but I'm in Seattle where it rains a lot, and can't always open the windows for ventilation.
• Preventing leaks. Roof leaks - re-seal roof every few years. Plumbing leaks - we've already had two. I'd recommend a water leak alert alarm. You put the spot sensors or the cable sensor underneath where your plumbing is, hot water tank, and anywhere else that could leak. When it senses water, it goes off similar to a smoke alarm. This can prevent water damage and water doesn't sit there long enough to mold.
• Mold spray/concentrate. I work at a bed and breakfast for folks with severe MCS and/or mold sensitivities, so we do a lot there for mold prevention. One such product is called EC3. We use the concentrate in every load of laundry, and use the spray on surfaces and in the air of the rooms between guests.
• Keep the place well heated, and make sure to open all cupboards and doors regularly so the heat reaches them too. Make sure to only put items in the cupboards that are totally dry.

The two plumbing leaks we had were pretty scary. It helped a lot that we had a few small space heaters we could turn on it, and the dehumidifiers to clear it out of the air as it dried.

Remember, too, RVs emit formaldehyde! I've got suggestions for that as well, but this post is long enough as is.

 

[Vaporization]

I have this dream that someday I will sell this house and buy an RV and spend the rest of my life traveling with my dogs. I'm not very brave though in some ways so I wonder if I could make it work. Maybe try a rental first?

How about a reverse bucket list fantasy.

Skoolie.net

 

[Still Here]

I think your tips are amazing! If you know that the RV is mold free when you purchase it there is no doubt that it would keep it mold free.

You do have to be SUPER careful in purchasing a used RV though. I actually know someone who is allergic to mold and who bought a used RV that turned out to have a major mold problem in the floor. The place that sold it to them just covered it over with laminate floor covering to hide the mold problem. My friend ended up in the hospital and had to be put on oxygen for over a month because living in a small space caused the mold spores to ended up in everything she owned. .

That's so horrible @Abrin! Very sorry for your friend.

We lucked out on buying one 10 years old from my partner's aunt, who had purchased it brand new and maintained it impeccably. The older they are, and the more owners they've been through, the more likely they are to have mold.

Knowing what I know now, I would seriously consider investing in an ERMI mold test kit before buying a used RV. Or...before moving into any new space, for that matter. We use them at work whenever there is the remotest inkling of a possibility there might be mold contamination. It's not cheap, but cheaper than purchasing something that will only make you worse.

 

[Not dead yet!]

Not very likely, due to the plethora of microbes in your sinuses.

I am referring to the volume of water vapor that we exhale and then condensates on cooler surfaces. Cooking, and bathing are big sources of interior moisture. Those sources, however, are typically well vented. The moisture we exhale is not. This can result in mold problems in any housing.

If money isn't a problem you're gonna have fun with RV living.

Oh I see.

I was thinking of the person recently who posted a "I'm cured, this is how I did it." type of resource. He had converted a cargo container to a home that was free of any kind of water/drains. If I did that, I'd have to do it next to my house so I could go in the house to use the lav. lol

However, my location is not ideal, since we're in a microclimate zone in NC. The outdoors have a higher mold count in all seasons than the indoors. However, I suspect the indoor ones are the nasty black ones. I've eradicated several hiding places and I use two large humidifiers but I'm thinking I will have to seal the slab thickly before I make any headway there.

 

[Vaporization]

Oh I see.

I was thinking of the person recently who posted a "I'm cured, this is how I did it." type of resource. He had converted a cargo container to a home that was free of any kind of water/drains.

That's a brand new home essentially. Give it time, and poor engineering, and you'll have a mold nightmare. And as @Still Here pointed out, formaldehyde is a big problem with new construction today. Sort of a, "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.

Look at windows, single glazed, during the winter. That's interior moisture reaching the dew point. Engineers have to design housing for the region it is in, such that the location of this dew point doesn't experience high humidity conditions or that it will not induce mold, like the window.

The point is, this shit ain't easy. Not for those who design housing, and even worse so for those of us who are dependent on mold-free housing.

I have an Ozone generator. With it I can destroy mold,.... and accelerate the oxidation of every material in my home, especially electronics. I use it sparingly, or not at all. I rely on clean and dry, damn that sounds cheesy. Air circulation, and sunlight (UV Exposure) are tried and true preventatives for mold.

I could be wrong, it has happened , but I think the healthiest housing for us may be an Earthship.

 

[Farmgirl]

I'm quite convinced that mold is an issue for me. So I looked at RV's, container homes, and vanlife type stuff for several days.

But moving to an RV or a converted cargo trailer has some issues for me. I really don't do well with primitive bathroom conditions. I'm not going to pee in a bottle or container. I'm not going to forego an immersed bath, which at this point is my one reliable pleasure in life. Maybe I could have a detached bathroom with a hot tub. That I could handle. But I"m not "moving a van from place to place" to sleep at night. Because first, I'd have to reliably sleep at night, lol. And second I'd have to have the focus and energy to move the van.

Anyone have advice for non-primitive mold free container or RV life?

Seems like the old Norse way of life is the way to go: community kitchen / facilities... private homes. Although I admit they also shared their home with animals. That's another thing I won't be doing, heh.

Funny, at first I looked at your post and thought you meant Retroviral (anti)....ha