29 Oct Caravan Water Leaks: 5 Places to Check Before Your Next Trip
A small drip inside your caravan might not seem like a big deal. Maybe it’s condensation. Maybe something spilled. Maybe you’ll just keep an eye on it and see what happens.
Sound familiar?
The trouble is, when it comes to caravans, a little bit of water can sometimes be the first sign of a much bigger problem.
Water has a habit of finding its way into walls, cabinetry, flooring and structural areas. And to make things trickier, the spot where you notice the moisture isn’t necessarily where the water is getting in.
What starts as a slightly damp smell, small stain or soft patch can turn into a much more involved caravan repair if moisture is left sitting unnoticed.
The good news is that catching it early can make a big difference.
So, before you hitch up and hit the road, here are five areas we think are worth giving a once-over.
1. Check under your sinks and around plumbing
First stop: the kitchen and bathroom.
Open the cupboards underneath your sinks and take a good look at the plumbing fittings, pipe joints and base of the cupboard. Run the taps while you’re there and watch for any signs of moisture or dripping.
Keep an eye out for:
- Moisture around pipe joints or fittings
- Water sitting at the bottom of a cupboard
- Swollen or discoloured timber
- Damp or musty smells
- Signs of previous water staining
Even a small amount of moisture around a fitting is worth paying attention to.
If something looks a little suspicious, don’t shut the cupboard door and hope for the best. It’s much easier to investigate it now than discover a bigger problem halfway through your next trip.
2. Check your roof seals and joins
Your caravan roof cops a fair bit throughout the year, hot summer days, rain, wind and plenty of changing temperatures.
Over time, seals and sealant around roof hatches, air conditioners, antennas and other fittings can deteriorate.
Have a look for:
- Cracked or split sealant
- Gaps around fittings
- Lifting or peeling sealant
- Discolouration
- Areas that look noticeably different from the surrounding seal
Here’s where caravan water leaks can be a little sneaky: the source isn’t always directly above the spot where you notice the problem.
Water can travel through different areas of the caravan before eventually becoming visible inside. So that damp patch you’ve spotted? It may not be telling you the whole story.
That’s why finding the actual entry point matters.
3. Check your windows and door seals
Next, make your way around the windows and doors.
Take a look at the rubber seals around each one. If they’re cracked, damaged, loose or looking well past their best, they may not be creating the seal they once did.
Pay particular attention to the corners and lower sections of the frames, and then check the same areas from inside your caravan for staining, swelling or dampness.
Again, don’t wait for water to start dripping down the wall before doing something about it.
If a seal looks damaged or there are signs that moisture may be getting in, it’s worth having it checked before your next trip.
4. Open those cupboards and storage areas
Yes, even the cupboards you may not have opened since your last camping trip.
Water damage isn’t always immediately visible, and enclosed storage areas can hide some of the early warning signs.
Have a good look around and pay attention to:
- Dark or discoloured patches
- Soft or swollen timber
- Swelling around edges and joins
- Damp or musty smells
- Visible mould or mildew
- Moisture around corners and cupboard bases
And don’t underestimate your nose.
If you open a cupboard and get that unmistakable damp or musty smell, it’s worth investigating. And if you leave clothes or bedding in your van, give them the sniff test too. If they smell a little like they’ve been forgotten in the washing machine for a week, moisture could be hanging around somewhere you can’t easily see.
Even if there’s no obvious dripping water, it’s worth checking.
5. Don’t forget underneath your caravan
You’ve checked inside. You’ve checked the roof, windows and doors. Now have a look underneath.
If you can safely inspect the visible underside of your caravan without getting underneath an unsupported vehicle, look for anything that seems unusual around the flooring and underside of the van.
That might include water staining, swelling, deterioration or areas that simply look different from the surrounding materials.
And remember, finding moisture underneath doesn’t necessarily mean that’s where the water got in.
The source could be somewhere else entirely, which is why it’s important to investigate the cause rather than simply repairing the spot where the damage has appeared.
Found something? Here’s what to do next
You’ve found a damp patch. Now what?
First, don’t assume the spot you’re looking at is where the leak started.
Water can travel along framing, behind cabinetry and through flooring before it finally becomes noticeable.
Take note of where you’ve found the problem and snap a few photos if you can. Then have it investigated before reaching for the sealant and covering up the most obvious spot.
Finding the source is the important part.
Once you know where the water is getting in, you’ll have a much better idea of whether you’re dealing with a relatively straightforward repair or whether moisture has affected the surrounding materials too.
The sooner you investigate it, the better.
Not sure where the water is coming from?
Sometimes there are warning signs that something isn’t quite right, but finding where the water is actually getting in can be the tricky part.
Patto’s RV Centre offers standalone water ingress testing and seal inspections to help identify potential leaks before they lead to more significant damage.
Our team can inspect seals, roof hatches, windows and external fittings, while checking for signs of moisture intrusion that could affect your caravan or RV’s structure over time.
It’s also worth checking your manufacturer’s requirements, as water ingress testing may be required to maintain some RV warranties.
So, if you’ve noticed a musty smell, staining, moisture or a suspicious-looking seal or you’d simply like some peace of mind before your next trip, a water ingress inspection can help you get a clearer picture of what’s going on.
A small leak can become a much bigger repair
A deteriorating seal or leaking plumbing fitting may be relatively straightforward to address when it’s caught early.
Leave moisture sitting inside walls, flooring or cabinetry for long enough, though, and things can become considerably more involved.
This is particularly worth remembering if your caravan has been sitting unused or in storage for a few months.
Before the warmer weather and holiday season arrive, give your van a proper once-over and deal with anything that doesn’t look, smell or feel quite right.
While you’re at it, it’s a good opportunity to check the rest of your caravan too. Our guide to why spring is a good time to service your caravan covers some of the other things worth looking at before you get back on the road.
Give your van a once-over before you hit the road
It doesn’t need to take all afternoon.
Before your next trip, spend a few minutes looking under the sinks, opening the cupboards and checking around your windows, doors, seals and flooring.
And if something smells off, feels soft or just doesn’t look right, don’t ignore it.
It might be nothing major.
But if it is a water leak, you’ll be glad you caught it sooner rather than later.
Need someone to take a look?
Patto’s RV Centre provides water ingress testing, seal inspections, caravan servicing and caravan repairs in Geelong from our Moolap workshop.
If you’re local and getting ready for your next trip, coming down from Melbourne or already travelling interstate and passing through Geelong, we’re here if something doesn’t seem quite right with your caravan.
Whether you’ve spotted a leak, noticed a suspicious damp smell or simply want something checked before you keep travelling, give the Patto’s team a call.
We’ll help you work out what’s going on and what your next step should be, so you can hopefully get back to enjoying the journey.