Chemically Sensitive - RV-Dreams Community Forum

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Chemically Sensitive

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm not sure you are going to have any luck. Most RVs are built using the same process and materials, sure some are Eco friendly but they are not 100% and it's the stuff that isn't eco-friendly that makes sensitive people sick. It's the adhesives and sealants that cause most folks problems. Some of this goes away eventually.

You may be better off looking for an older high end 5th wheel that has been well cared for and well aired out... One with lots of real wood cabinets, tile flooring...etc.

Just A thought....I have experienced strong smells when entering newer RVs that have been closed up. However, it seems that once all of the windows, vents and doors are opened the smell goes away. You may want to ask a dealer to air out an RV in the morning and then you tour it in the afternoon to see how you feel.

Good Luck with your search.

-- Edited by The Bear II on Tuesday 30th of September 2014 03:41:02 PM

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I agree with The Bear II for the most part. Although they can air them out, the minute you close up, the smells will come back. One issue we found was that on some of the used units, they had used very strong cleaners, etc. which bothered us more than the new smells so something to think about when getting something off the lot. The more simple the unit the better and I would avoid carpet like the plague. Mattresses, pillows, upholstery fabric will all have chemicals too. If you will be able to be open and keep the air circulating it will be a better situation but if you need to stay closed up, it will tough. I have noticed that the deeper and over dyed fabrics are worse - think the smell of over dyed denim like when they are black. Will you be full-timing immediately in the unit that you purchase?

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you, that is a good idea asking the dealer to air out and then come back. I just got done looking at some Mobile Suite online, we would have to go back to a 2007 to afford it, but it would be worth it. Thank you for the advise!

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yes we will be full timing right away in it, so I am being very picky about what we get. And yes cleaners really bother me as well. I only use vinegar and baking soda to clean with. I have found when I open the cabinet and door on the units they cause me an instant headache. So yes we will start looking at the higher end used since they use more real wood. Thank you for the advice!!

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

This thread does come up with the Evergreen which is out of your budget but it has other good info so if you haven't seen it: rv-dreams.activeboard.com/t26413326/eco-friendly-rvs-trailers-looking-for-reviews/ I am not sure that high end will make a big difference. I would stay away from OSB, myself and I am sure you know what that is and when we were looking at Jayco, that was what really was a turnoff. After all, it is wood chips glued together. Make sure that you look at the websites of the manufacturers because many have the specs with drawings of what comprises the different layers of the floor, roof and walls. They use SO much glue anymore. If you have the Fantastic fan, you can seriously move air out of the unit and still important will be your ability to have windows and vents open. Look for interiors that you can really wipe down. They now have almost an aisle in Wal-Mart for sprays, etc. for making sticky not stick and I'm thinking - just clean it and don't cover it.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hopefully you will not have to build your own bus conversion. That was how a friend solved a similar problem. Luckily he does really nice woodwork. His wife has to wash all his new clothes before they come into the bus.

kb0zke · RV-Dreams Family Member

Kevin and Dana, the advice above about getting a high-quality coach is spot on. First of all, for the same dollar amount as a cheap new rig you will have something that will stand up to daily life. Second, most people don't get it quite right the first time around, and that used coach will depreciate a LOT less than the brand new one in the same time.

We have some friends who were ready to go full-timing, so they bought a new popular brand of motor home. Less than a year later they realized that their coach simply didn't have the quality to stand up to full-time use, so they traded it even-up for a ten-year-old Foretravel. They are much happier now.

The one thing you will have to realize about the high-end 5'ers is that they are heavy. Use the gross weight of whatever you look at, NOT the empty weight the sales person will quote, to figure out what sort of truck you will need. Figure about 20% of the gross weight as the weight that the coach will put on the rear axle of the truck.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

All new rigs will off-gas for a certain period of time. Fastest way to off-gas them is to shut up the rig, turn up the heat and let them 'bake' for a few days, then open everything up and let them air out.

A used coach of around 5 years old will have had most of the volatile compounds off-gas, assuming the previous owners didn't smoke in them. By looking at a higher end used rig, you will be lessening the problems that you have. My daughter has an extreme sensitivity to isocyanates, which are found in a lot of the adhesives - - going into a shoe store is a real problem for her. You will hear a lot of talk about formaldehyde in the adhesives, but isocyanates are just as bad.

Barb

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Barb: Very interesting about the isocyanates as the big talk now is "no formaldehyde" yet one can sense that something is present. I am always concerned about excessive amounts of "glues" and their relatives.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

In addition to isocyanates, methyl methacrylate is another monomer that is used in glues and can be a sensitizer for a lot of people.
There is no such thing as 'non-toxic', even water and oxygen are toxic in the wrong concentrations, and different people will be sensitized and have allergic responses to different compounds - and that can change over time.

Barb

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank goodness I am not that sensitive! We are going to look a couple of DRV this weekend, hopefully one will work out.

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you for the advice, I must have a problem with that chemical too because I feel the effects when I go into a shoe store as well. I have a built in radar, my upper lip starts burning and itching. We live in such a toxic world!

Dog Folks · RV-Dreams Family Member

kdkarch wrote:
Thank goodness I am not that sensitive! We are going to look a couple of DRV this weekend, hopefully one will work out.

If you have to have a camper "aired out" with open windows, just to look at it, what are going to do when you start living in it?

You will have to close the windows at some point.

Choose carefully.

-- Edited by Dog Folks on Friday 3rd of October 2014 11:36:58 AM

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

kdkarch wrote:
Thank you for the advice, I must have a problem with that chemical too because I feel the effects when I go into a shoe store as well. I have a built in radar, my upper lip starts burning and itching. We live in such a toxic world!

You might want to take a Benadryl before you go shoe shopping it will help reduce the reaction that occurs when your body perceives the adhesives.

Barb

Dwb · RV-Dreams Community Member

At this point you may have already made your decision, but I'll put this out there for any chemically sensitive person looking for a rv/travel trailer. As background, my wife is highly chemically sensitive and allergic to most things on earth. We researched rv's for a long time, visited rv shows etc. Seen the evergreens and airsteams, wife could not even walk into them. Although evergreen in green and made from recycled materials, that does not mean they are chemical free.

We came across an article on this subject about Livinlite trailers, in Wakarusa, IN. Livinlite.com. They are truly all aluminum trailers, cabinets and all. No wood in the trailer. We contacted the company and they knew exactly what we were talking about and were more than willing to build a trailer and customize it to meet my wife concerns. They replaced the laminate counter tops with aluminum counter tops, installed a washer/dryer (wife cannot use washers that other had used scented cleaners in), replaced all the gas appliances with electric and even used non toxic caulk that we provided. They even made suggestions we didn't think about like wrapping the plumbing joints with tape so the glue on the joints would be sealed. They provided us with samples of everything they use in the construction so my wife could see if she had a reaction to any of them. We did have them put in any of their seating, instead we use metal outdoor chair with cushions and the mattress we got from the Futon Shop..all organic cotton mattress with no fire retardants. even with the customizations livenlite quoted us a great price, under 35k for a new 30ft toy hauler. Don't know if they'd match that again, but they would be reasonable and do the job right. Brian McKibbin at Moore's custom Trailer in Nappanne, IN was the dealer we worked with, great guy. I did need to go to IN to pick up the trailer to save the delivery charge.

We expected to have to have the trailer out gas for several months, but wife was able to make the first trip right away. Hope this helps someone.