This article focuses on the healthiest trailers. The first priority is that the trailer holds up to mold. If it doesn’t hold up to mold, no amount of natural wood, or wool, or other eco-friendly material really matters.
Conventional trailers are extremely mold-prone. They use wood within the walls, roofs, and floors with a design that is not airtight. Condensation usually forms in the cavities. They are also prone to leaks.
The Designs That Best Hold up to Mold are:
- Sandwich construction – Airtight cavities of metal or fiberglass with rigid foam insulation. Ideally laminated together.
- Fiberglass shell campers – Solid fiberglass body trailers are single or double hulls. A single hull has no hidden cavity where condensation or mold can form. The double hulls can work well too. I list brands that have minimal wood or where the wood does not become a mold risk.
Low-VOC Trailers:
No well-made trailer is extremely low in VOCs. Some are better than others.
The interiors of all-metal trailers can be lower in offgassing compared to trailers with other wall materials. But don’t underestimate the odors of the glues used in all metal trailers.
There is no getting around the offgassing. The best strategy is to give it some time to offgas or buy a used one if you are highly sensitive.
You certainly can compare models though if you are chemically sensitive since we all are reactive to different chemical combinations. You definitely could find some brands more tolerable than others, even if the total VOC count is the same.
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