Slushy weather in the off-season, the appearance of gaps in the joints between the parts, poor-quality dry cleaning, spilled liquids cause unwanted moisture to appear in the car interior.
Consequences: foggy windows and puddles underfoot are the lesser of evils, but the unpleasant smell of mold and body corrosion is already a more serious problem. Moisture management depends on the scale of the disaster and the source of the problem. Among them there are those that are easily implemented in a domestic environment, and for some you need to contact specialists.
All over Germany, mud and water invaded homes. Many homeowners have to repair damage from their own resources because they are not immune to flood damage. To keep costs as low as possible, it is important to act quickly but carefully. Not every drying method is beneficial. What you should consider when drying out your basement. This shows what people should be thinking about now.
Eliminate the flood as quickly as possible
"Wet basements should now pump up and drain as quickly as possible," advises Thomas Penning, president of the Private Builders Association, in the face of flood damage across the country. "The longer the water is in the home, the more likely homeowners can expect collateral damage, especially from mold." According to the experience of the building inspector, houses with increased thermal insulation, that is, inhabited, basements, are at particular risk. "While a simple composite floor layer dries up again after water ingress, water in a thermally insulated basement usually remains between the floor slab and the thermal or impact sound insulation."
A general advice for all car owners whose car contains water or other liquid not specified by the manufacturer is to drive the car into a warm, dry room and leave it there for several days with the doors and trunk open. If the time of year and the weather permitting, then you can simply leave the car in the sun. In this case, you need to take out the rugs, remove the seat covers and open the windows. However, not many have such opportunities.
Danger of mold due to latent moisture
This is treacherous because the residents are usually unaware of the problem. They removed the damp carpet and wiped the tiles dry, thinking everything was fine. In fact, there is still a messy broth in the floor structure. And it's all in it: Mold experts assume that a bacterial infection will begin in a week. In two weeks, you'll have a mold problem in this room, Penning warns.
This can only be avoided if the water is removed from the basement as quickly as possible and largely without residue. This not only means pumping out, but also removing water that has penetrated under the screed. To do this, the screed is drilled out at different points and hot air is introduced. The humid air is blown out of the floor through the joints around it, and then the humidity is removed from the air using condensate dryers.
High humidity due to weather
If people in wet clothes often got into the car, loading was carried out in the rain or snow got into the cabin, then after a while the moisture will begin to evaporate and settle on the glass, impairing visibility. With a small amount of moisture in the cabin, you can get rid of it yourself and at no great expense.
For effective drying, rooms should be closed. Otherwise, the volume of air to be dried is unreasonably large. The basement stand is longer underwater must reckon with mildew. The moisture under the floor must then be dried so that germs or mold spores cannot enter the indoor air. For this purpose, drying processes are necessary, which should only be consulted with specialized companies.
Again, it is important that the affected areas are isolated from the rest of the home, otherwise there is a risk of contaminated areas such as the ground floor and first floor becoming contaminated, Penning warns, adding: confirm the spread of moisture as measured on the bottom plate, after drying, it must be confirmed by re-evaluating the drying success. "
You can dry the interior using the car's climate systems. When the machine warms up, you need to turn on the stove or air conditioner (if it has the appropriate operating mode) for maximum heat and let them work in this mode for a while. If there is seat heating, it can also be activated. In damp weather, the intake of external air must be excluded. Sometimes drying takes a few minutes, sometimes it can take more than an hour. When heated, moisture will evaporate and settle on the glass. If you collect it with a dry napkin, the process will accelerate.
Popular drying method is unhealthy
It is advisable to consult a professional for both mildew removal and drying of wet basements. An auditor assesses the nature and extent of water damage and advises on the correct drying or repair method. The rest depends on specialized companies. Anyone who tries to dry the cellar with a blower risks damaging their health. “The most commonly used blower drying method can be particularly hazardous as it primarily distributes pollutants and mold spores throughout the home,” the expert warns and advises that local contractors are entrusted with the job. Flood disasters are always on the move and provide their services at the front door to avoid injured parties.
You can collect excess moisture using two paper bags of salt. After drying the pack on a battery or in the oven, you just need to put it in the salon. After each trip, the packages are changed until the salt absorbs the water.
Residual moisture after dry cleaning
More intense moisture should already be removed with towels or absorbent sheets. When the machine is poorly dry after cleaning, there is a chance to extract moisture before it has absorbed into the deeper layers of the foam. You just need to put in a well-absorbent material and press it down. For the seats themselves, flat heavy objects are suitable, for example, you can put a box with tools or several volumes of an encyclopedia on cellophane. It is more important to process the backs in the lower part, since moisture gradually flows down there. You can just sit on a "wet" place, making yourself an optimal press.
Humidity is often a "homemade problem"
The same problem before every ride: lateral and windshield are wet and hazy. Especially in winter, many have to deal with humidity in the car. In the fall and winter, many cars that are parked outside day and night are converted into a wetland biotope. Most of the time it's a domestic problem, says Dietmar Klisters of the Rhein-Neckar-Odenwald Automobile Guild. The number one reason is negligence in car maintenance.
Klinsters says: "Leaves should be regularly removed from cracks and voids in the body." This is especially important in the sink between the bonnet and the windshield, where wipers are usually installed. Because there are rainfall processes that can be clogged with deciduous residues.
For spot and faster drying, you can use heaters like "breeze" or "good heat", powered by a cigarette lighter. The first ones are something in between a hairdryer and a fan, and are usually helpers with weak stoves. A warm stream of air should be directed to a damp place. The second is panels with built-in heating wires that need to be laid or leaned against the seat. If this device itself has an absorbent surface, then you must not forget, then dry it too.
In the test, the yellow angels found that the remaining range values deviated from the actual value. Why you shouldn't rely on a fuel gauge. The dampened water can then flow into the ventilation vehicle because humid air enters the car through the blower or seeps out of the ventilation ducts into the legroom, explains the expert.
If this is not the case, car owners may try to thoroughly clean the drain. A soft wire or a plastic cotton swab is suitable for this, says Vincenzo Luca. "Never use a screwdriver or other sharp tools, you may damage the vehicle."
You can use the suction vacuum cleaner to dry carpets on the floor. The result of its use will not be perfectly dry surfaces, but it significantly reduces the amount of excess moisture.
Puddles on the floor
In snow or rainy weather, water with mud is brought into the salon on shoes. If you do not shake off the excess before planting, knocking your feet against each other, then at some point the liquid may seep under the mat through the fixing holes or in the area of the jammed edge. To reduce the impact, you need to put newspapers or absorbent sheets or special rugs under your feet. The main thing in this method is not to forget to periodically throw away the impregnated materials. If it's freezing outside, then it is better to do this while the interior is warm. Otherwise, frozen newspapers or bed sheets are torn, and cleaning of them becomes a separate problem.
Especially with older cars, water penetration through porous or torn rubber seals on the doors, boot lid and sunroof is at risk. “For vehicles with an antenna on the roof, the antenna socket is another weak point through which rainwater can enter, ”says Klinster.
It is impossible to prevent technical defects
Check the condition of the seals periodically. Anyone who cleans rubbers after every car wash and occasionally uses a grease pencil can store them in good condition and save repair costs. With only a few exceptions, careful monitoring and car care does not provide protection from a wet interior.
Gaps between body parts
If the upholstery of the floor, pillars or shelves under the glass become wet in any rain or snow, it means that somewhere the sealing of the cabin is broken. Most often, the joints of parts leak due to outdated seals or poor-quality assembly after body repair... This problem can be "cured" by a bulkhead, replacing worn parts, or using a sealant. And to deal with the consequences, which are usually not very significant, but unpleasant, you can use the above methods.
Bacteria and fungi can form due to moisture
The more moisture gets into the car, the longer it stays there, the more noticeable the consequences. They range from foggy windows and musty odors, usually caused by bacteria and fungi in constantly damp car ventilation or in carpets and upholstery, to small lakes on the floor. “At the lowest point in many of the front seats, puddles can form under the insulation mats,” says Luca.
In extreme cases, water swells on the surface of the carpet when pressure is applied with a hand or foot. Otherwise, motorists without rifle knowledge have little chance of finding such lakes themselves. Indoor carpets and insulation mats underneath are generally not easy to lift.
Global immersion
Situations in which the car "sipped" water can be completely different: from overcoming a deep puddle to a broken flask. First you need to drain the remaining water. To do this, you need to open the drain holes provided in each car (you need to see their location in the instructions) or scoop out the liquid. If the water has been in contact with the passenger compartment for a long time, it is highly likely that it has been absorbed into the deep layers of the interior upholstery - noise and heat insulation. These are porous materials that perfectly absorb moisture and are in no hurry to give it away. The surest solution is to disassemble the upholstery and dry all layers. This process is not too complicated, but time consuming, it requires attention, free time and a place in which you can put the filmed materials. At the same time, there is a high probability that it will be possible to avoid the appearance of an unpleasant odor and foci of mold.
With cushions and mats against moisture
To successfully remove moisture from a car, you must first find the cause and eliminate it. Newspapers under the rugs help dry the carpet in the footwell. For good ventilation of the vehicle forced ventilation in the trunk should be free. They usually hide behind a side panel and can be accidentally blocked by luggage, for example.
Special pillows also help against mild moisture. "They cost 10 euros in trade and indicate when they are saturated", Svenja Frike, head of the guild automobile vehicles Osterode. “They are also good decision if your water resource has been damaged ”.
General Tips
Whatever the scale of the disaster during the fight high humidity it is better to remove all unnecessary from the passenger compartment and trunk. Rugs, covers, child seats, and just rags are better to take home. In a warm room, they dry faster, and also will not interfere with the drying of the car interior.
After actively fighting water, you need to check the cabin filter and the air conditioner filter. If they are just wet, then dry at home. If they are, moreover, with noticeable dirt - change. Cabin filter most often located behind the glove compartment, i.e. to change it, you need to remove the glove compartment.
“If you can't get rid of the moisture in your car after three to four days, you should go to a workshop,” Klinsters recommends. Because next to the loss of comfort, the safety risk of fogged windows and the health hazard of mold spores threaten damage to on-board electronics and the formation of rust.
Do you have stains under your car and do not know what it is and what to do? We have already told you how to distinguish different liquids... We have also introduced you three liquids that may drip from your vehicle: oil, fuel or brake fluid... For all three: from the workshop with you and your car!
If the windows often sweat in the car, then at the end of the trip you need to hold the door open for a couple of minutes so that the warm air with moisture “leaves” the passenger compartment. But in wet weather, it is better to limit this time, or not use the technique at all.
Do not keep wet items in the cabin. If there is no other way to transport them, then try to hermetically pack them in cellophane. If it is a rag, which is often used for cleaning car windows, etc., then it can be placed under the hood. The main thing is to make sure that it is pressed down and does not fall into moving parts.
Coolant under the car
But you don't always have to accept the worst. It can also be harmless stains. Water under the vehicle may indicate a radiator hose leak. The coolant is usually colored, so a colored thin liquid indicates this defect. And also the hose can be exchanged using the skill itself. Cooling hoses are not the only ones that can leak.
Even the radiator itself is subject to natural wear and tear and over time can lead to smaller or larger puddles under the car. Smaller leaks can be repaired with a liquid radiator sealant. If that doesn't help anymore, it means that going to the workshop brings clarity. Because a faulty cooling system is no joke. If the engine gets too hot because there is too little coolant in the cooling circuit, you can stay there.
From tips on the net
"Buy lots and lots of silica gel in bulk, scatter at positive temperatures, collect with a vacuum cleaner";
“Whenever there is an opportunity (an autumn / spring day at a temperature“ + ”or a trip to a distant place in winter), I put corrugated cardboard on the floor under the rugs (packaging from large household appliances) - it absorbs moisture. The main thing is not to forget to throw it out later, so that it does not turn into mush and freeze ”;
The coolant contains toxic glycol. So you have to soak up the mess from sawdust or sand and then dispose of it properly, namely hazardous waste! Damaged Mop Water Source: Motor Talk. It is also possible that the squeegee hose is leaking. What your smelly water smells like and what color the additive is, you probably know best from the very last refill. Depending on the addition, it flickers in place so red, green or blue. Otherwise, just look into the water tank, then you know exactly what might be leaking out there.
“The batting had to be cut into pieces and put into the washing machine for spinning - it was not possible to squeeze and dry it in a natural way. Then I collected everything neatly - it turned out clean and dry ”;
“Open all the doors and on one side - a couple of heat guns. Let the hot air blow through the interior ”;
“Another tip - in hard-to-reach places you can collect moisture with diapers or, sorry, pads. "
Basically only one hose slid out of the holder, but it is easily plugged in again. Of course, it could be that the marten crushed your hoses. Then you have to either replace them yourself or update them in the workshop. Since in windshield alcohol-only water evaporates relatively quickly, the stain is therefore not the end of the world.
By the way, if you notice that there is water under your car immediately after your arrival, it may be completely harmless. Condensation can cause the air conditioning system to cause simple condensation on the floor. When it's hot outside, the air conditioner needs to work a lot. If the system dries up after stopping, warm air will condense on the cold lines. And then he falls to the floor. This is normal and not a cause for concern. You don't have to go to the workshop to do this. In addition, condensed water evaporates easily.
If you do not get puzzled in time with the problem of how to dry the car interior under the rugs, you can get big troubles from this seeming trifle. The foul smell of stagnant, rotten water is the least of them. The constantly soaked upholstery of the floor will begin to whine on the sly, adding olfactory "joys", and in the long term - a constriction of the bottom.
But this is not enough: constant humidity wins even car painting, and not taken measures turn into welding work - the bottom and sills simply rot. And the liquid in the cabin appears not only as a result of all sorts of accidents such as the breakthrough of antifreeze, but also naturally - through leaky seals on the windows or on the shoes of riders in the form of snow.
By the way, it is in the cold that the puddles under the rugs pose the greatest danger. In the summer, even a salon flooded with a sudden downpour dries out without assistance, in a natural way. In winter, however, the problem is resolved spontaneously only by owners of heated garages or by drivers who have access to warm boxes. If you postpone drying until warm days, in the spring you can poke a hole in the bottom with your finger. Or get something pulmonary by this time from constant inhalation of mold spores.
How to dry the interior of the car under the rugs? Several popular methods have been developed - by those who have already encountered similar troubles.
initial stage
Before applying any selected drying, you should try to remove maximum amount water from the salon. For this:
- We remove the rugs (at the same time you can check if they have had time to get moldy and wash them);
- Lift the carpet and lay several layers of toilet paper under it. The newspaper option is cheaper (there is an abundance of spam in the window), but less effective - it absorbs such paper worse. Women's pads used by some originals are more effective, but they will hit the pocket sensitively. You can fill the space with hygienic litter for a cat litter box - it absorbs perfectly, but then you will be too busy to pick it out from under the upholstery. Those who have the carpet permanently fixed can take such a step only after a serious dismantling, which not everyone will decide on. If you skip it, further actions will take more time;
- The carpet is laid in place and covered with the same toilet paper, as thick as possible;
- Further, the resulting "pie" must be carefully trampled, squeezing out the water. Several approaches may be needed. Our goal is to remove water from the floor as much as possible. The carpet and the top of the bottom will still remain wet, but it will be easier to dry them in the future, since you do not need to evaporate a certain amount of water.
Variety of methods
If we had a heated garage close at hand, we could just leave it overnight open doors(of course, by turning off the power). Since there is no such luxury, you have to work with your hands.
Fast way... A hairdryer is taken (preferably a building one, and not borrowed from his wife) and the entire surface is dried section by section. The highest vigilance is shown - the temperature at the unit is about 400 ° C, so a fire can be easily started if inattentively.
A way for the lazy... The fan heater turns on, the doors close - and so on for 3 hours. The disadvantages include: the need to connect it somewhere (so the garage, albeit cold, should still be there); uneven drying; the difficulty of directing exactly to the floor. However, the latter can be overcome simply by longer fan operation.
The way for those who have air conditioning... The car starts up, the stove is turned on, the air conditioner is turned on for recirculation, the windows and doors are closed, and the owner walks around, breathes deeply and explores the familiar surroundings. A single heater will not save: humid air will circulate through the cabin, since the vapors simply have nowhere to go. The air conditioner will extract them and remove them overboard.
If you take care of dryness regularly, and not in an emergency mode, then a regular stove available in every car will be enough. Just before leaving the car, you need to wrap or remove the rugs, raise the windows and turn on the stove for 10-15 minutes to the maximum. Then one window is left ajar (1-2 mm so that it is not visible from the side and no new water leaks), and the owner can go to sleep.
While the heater cools down, it will dry out the remaining moisture. In the end, let's return to the one mentioned at the beginning of the article. emergency with antifreeze. Here you cannot do with half measures, since you can dry the car interior under the rugs, but the chemistry remaining in the carpet will continue to slowly poison you. Removable upholstery will have to be dismantled and washed at home with good powder. With a non-removable option, it remains only to pay for the dry cleaning of the salon.
