Damp is an issue that plagues the people of the United Kingdom from north to south, with it having a massive impact on the property, belongings and even health of those who struggle to remove it from their homes. However, it’s not only inside the buildings of Britain that damp rises; it can also appear in cars, and if yours is suffering from a damp problem, it can have huge repercussions. Here’s how to get a handle on your car’s damp and remove it altogether.
Whether your car has been damaged by excessive damp or during an accident on the road, Scrap Car Comparison can find you the best price for it, offered by scrap and salvage dealers in your local area. Our network of buyers covers 99% of the UK, so wherever you are in the country, get a quote to find out how much your car or van could be worth. Free collection is offered as standard for every customer, and you could have money in the bank in just a few days! Give our sales team a call on 03333 44 99 50 or use our scrap car price calculator to find out how much you could make from your old vehicle now.
Why Is My Car Always Damp Inside?
When hunting for the source of damp inside your vehicle, condensation can be to blame. It’s possible that wet items, like clothing, could contribute to dampness, particularly if the car has been parked in the sun and allowed some of the moisture to evaporate. Despite the Sun setting, leaving these items in the vehicle until the next day could also be the reason why your windscreen is wet inside in the morning and explain how to stop condensation gathering on your car windows overnight. However, unless you’re regularly leaving wet clothes on your back seats (if so, why?) it’s unlikely that this would cause a long-term issue.
What is more likely to contribute to a damp problem? Faults with the car itself, with sealant problems being a common complaint. If you’ve got loose, damaged or broken seals around windows, doors or the sunroof, it’s likely that water could be leaking into the vehicle. Of course, if your sealant is significantly damaged, it’ll be obvious during a rainy drive that you’ve got a leak, but if it’s minor, a very small amount of water could be entering the car and gradually soaking through your upholstery without you even realising until the damage is done.
Internal moisture could also be due to a coolant leak, with there being plenty of openings inside the cabin of a car through which this liquid could pass if it’s leaking under the bonnet.
Read More
- Why Is My Car Windscreen Frozen On The Inside?
- How to Clean a Car Air Filter
- How to fit and clean windscreen wipers
What To Do If My Car Doors Are Leaking
Leaky car doors can be a major problem for car owners, with puddles of water regularly appearing in the footwells of afflicted vehicles. This is uncomfortable at best, but could be dangerous at worst – clutch control with slippery rubber soles? Risky business…
If you’ve identified your doors as the source of a leak, you’ll need to know how to rectify the problem. Inspect the door seals and, if that’s the specific cause of the leak, you might need to replace the weather stripping to ensure any gaps or breaks are repaired. If you want to keep your weather stripping in good working order to prevent further leakage, keep it clean and apply a silicone-based spray to condition it for wet weather.
A similar issue involves the seal around the inside of the car’s windows. If this is damaged, water will be able to enter the car.
If your weather stripping is intact but you’re still getting water dripping in, the problem could actually be inside the body of the door. While it’s totally normal for water to get into a door, there are holes at the base that it will usually drain from. However, there’s also a membrane inside that is supposed to prevent any water that does build up from penetrating through and soaking the inside of the door. You should be able to feel any moisture that’s soaking through.
How To Get Rid Of Moisture In My Car
Getting rid of moisture in a car works the same way as it would if you had a damp problem in a house, whether it’s from condensation or even something as serious as flooding. The first thing you should do is increase the airflow into the vehicle by rolling down the windows and, if possible, leaving the doors open. Of course, you should only do this if the weather report for the day is dry throughout, otherwise you’ll only be making things worse!
However, there are alternative methods that work better with the windows up and the doors closed. Get hold of some silica gel packs and place them around the car where the dampness is worst, so that they can soak up the moisture. If you can’t get your hands on those, baking soda can work very well, too. Open up a box and leave it somewhere inside the car, sprinkling some onto the dampest areas if you’re prepared to hoover it all up the following day. It’ll work in a similar way to the silica gel packs.
Of course, you could always introduce specialised dehumidifier devices, with larger electronic ones good enough to dry out a car in no time… the only problem you’ll have is finding some way of plugging them in!
How To Prevent Damp And Condensation Build Up In My Car
It might sound obvious, but one of the best ways to prevent the build up of moisture in your car is to regularly check it for leaks. After all, we’ve established that water leaking directly into your vehicle will be a surefire way to rapidly accumulate damp. If there are other sources of moisture, like wet clothes, in the car that can’t be removed immediately, keep the windows open with air circulating as much as possible.
You should also be wary of where you park your car, even if that’s inside an enclosed garage. If said garage has a damp problem itself, then this could quite easily expand into the vehicle. It would be advisable to use dehumidifiers inside the garage, or cover the car when it’s not in use.
Adapting for different weather conditions is also important for keeping damp at bay. Remember, air circulation is good, so the windows should stay down when they can, but what if there’s moisture in the air outside? In this case, keep the windows closed and the air con on, even if it’s blowing out hot air. This allows the system to keep itself clean and fresh, without a build up of anything nasty inside the pipework.
Can Damp Cause Long Term Damage To My Car?
If your car is damp for an extended period of time, some further problems can develop that are even more difficult to tackle. One that is known all too well by those who’ve suffered with damp in their homes is mould. Mould, the black spots or patches that like to appear in damp, dark corners just out of view, loves to grow in these conditions and not only is it a pain to completely get rid of, but it’s also damaging not only to the surface that it’s on, but also to your health.
Black mould is proven to cause health issues, too, with respiratory problems linked to this horrible fungal problem. The NHS addresses this, so if you feel like your car is making you ill, it might not be as crazy as it sounds.
How Do I Get Rid Of Mould In My Car?
Mould-covered plastics might only require a simple wipe, but if it’s gotten onto your upholstery, whether that’s mouldy car seats or carpets, removing it can be a much tougher job. There are several cleaning sprays on the market designed for doing just this, but take care – many of them contain bleach and could do even more damage to the fabrics!
If you want a more homebrewed alternative, purchase a bottle of white vinegar and dilute it with water. Gently rub the mould on the car seat or carpet area and once it’s suitably soaked in, leave it alone for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, wipe it clean with a wet cloth, or better still, use an upholstery cleaner to vacuum-wash the affected area.
Remember, once you’ve removed the mould from your car seat, make sure the interior dries out thoroughly using the steps above, or it’ll grow right back!
If this is a persistent problem, it’s possible that your car is simply not cut out for even the UK’s fairly tame weather conditions, probably due to age and deterioration. Get a quote today from Scrap Car Comparison and find out how much money you could make by selling your car as scrap or salvage. Our buyers are posted all over the UK, allowing us to find you the best price offered for your vehicle whilst also including the collection of the car or van at absolutely no extra cost! Give our sales team a call on 03333 44 99 50 or use our scrap car price calculator to find out what your old car is worth now!
