Mould and mildew is a reality for all building types throughout New Zealand.
Glamping structures are constructed with many of the same principles as any traditional building therefore face similar challenges in the wetter months of the year. A combination of proper construction and adding the right additional elements to your dwelling can help to avoid mould and mildew on the inside of your Geodesic Dome twelve months a year.
Avoiding Mould in an Off Grid Glamping Dome
- Include a Wood Fired Heat Source
- Use a Dehumidifier
- Add a Solar Fan
- Practice Conscious Cooking & Cleaning
- Professional Building Principles
While looking at at these solutions it’s important to also reflect on your own circumstances that will contribute to condensation and moisture build up.
- Size of your dome
- Number of people occupying the space
- Amenities being built inside vs. elsewhere
- Frequency you’re able to physically be there
Being realistic about this from the beginning is how to build a space that is easy to maintain — whether you are living on that property or hours away!
Now, let's dive into!
Include a Wood Fired Heat Source
Fires aren’t popular purely to make for a more cozy off grid experience, they have some major benefits in preventing mould and mildew!
Many people building off grid pair our geodesic dome with solar, which is why in the wetter months, when solar is precious, a wood fired stove can provide one of the best sources to help maintain a warm and dry environment as it provides great warmth and naturally dries the room by helping to expel moisture. (if you have your own wood it’s also free!)
Use a Dehumidifier
For the more power-conscious off grid setup (more panels and battery) you may even look to run a dehumidifier from time-to-time like you would at home or in an apartment.
For a dehumidifier to have the best impact on your space you would likely want to run it for the better part of a whole day. So, choosing a time when you’ve got a full battery and a day or two of consistent sunshine is ideal (with a proper kit such as Freedom Kit or Lifestyle Kit from Grid Free)
Add a Solar Fan
Regardless of whether you’re nearby your dome or live far-far away, Cedar Spring Recreation's purpose built Solar Fans are one of the best accessories to add to any Geodesic Domes.
These units attach directly to any geodesic and automatically circulate air. This is particularly helpful for spaces that are used intermittently (personally or in lower occupancy months for resorts and Airbnb’s
Conscious Cooking & Cleaning
This is particularly important for our larger domes that may look to have things like kitchens and bathrooms or toilets built inside they dome itself.
It’s always worth remembering, without ventilation any condensation from cooking, cleaning or washing has nowhere to go easily. Look to add electrical ventilation where practical, be conscious with these process inside and look to see what can be done outside can have a dramatic effect on inside moisture
Professional Building Principles
All of the first four tactics are designed to help combat the realities any type of small inside space is going to deal with regardless of if it’s a geodesic dome, yurt, tiny home or a small traditional structure.
These issues are going to be demonstrably worse if you haven’t built a structure designed to keep moisture out in the first place. Fortunately the outer shell of our domes are built with 850gsm PVC so the priority for your build is creating the same for the foundation and your raised geodesic structure.
- Properly fasten the dome itself to the foundation you're building. The bottom of the cover extends down past the frame and wraps around the dome foundation.
- Lay down a waterproof layer between your plywood & the ultimate flooring you are wanting inside your build
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If you would like additional information on how to power an off-grid geodesic dome using solar power we recommend you have a look at this article by Grid Free New Zealand.