Where does the water come from?

Well Primarily it is already in the AIR and of course everything organic has moisture in it, paper, and more especially cardboard has loads! Also, fabrics, soft furnishings, bedding, mattresses, carpets, wooden pallets.

What about ventilation and air flow?

If sufficient dry air is allowed to flow around your goods, condensation can be minimised, or eliminated altogether. However, in our mild Maritime climate ventilation is only part of the solution.  

Before loading the container!

Check that all the items you are going to store are dry – for example, if storing household effects, emptying clothes washing machines /dishwashers of water and check the pipes are empty. Remove all moisture and ice from fridges and freezers.

Any damp object wherever it’s placed in the shipping container has the potential to cause condensation or mould so be very thorough in checking for damp items.

Pack all books and small items in good quality cardboard boxes, ex-supermarket boxes may have more water contained in the cardboard in them after they have been used, so be selective or better still buy new.

Mattresses can hold a lot of moisture, so do not put them (or soft furniture) in plastic bags, even those made for that purpose - they will warm up and draw the moisture out of the mattress/covers and cause mould. Best to cover these items loosely with old blankets or cotton sheets.

 If the container is going to be filled right up, leave an air gap at the top between your stored items and the ceiling of the container, of about 9” throughout this will allow the Dampsticks to operate more efficiently.