Condensation under floor mat

[Shimmy]

I'm running the rubber floor mats from our popular vendors. I've started routing my speaker/amp wires. Naturally, I lifted the rubber mat and discovered a decent amount of condensation on the floor boards. Enough that i had a bar metal spot (scratch) that had started to rust already.

Whats the solution for this? Should I have put a barrier or padding of some kind?

EDIT: my bronco is stored in a garage.

 

[spap]

Do you have ac

 

[56f100bbw]

Had the same problem with my 72 1/2 cab it sat all the time before I bought it and water under the mat rotted out the floor both sides bronco was bought new just for deer hunting and sat the rest of the time . 1/2 cab roof dril rail needed work also

 

[Shimmy]

Do you have ac

i don't.

 

[Lawndart]

Rubber will do that.
While it may rattle some, floor mats, carpet, OEM type stuff does that - traps water in a vehicle that is not water tight. One of the few things the PO of mine did correctly is remove all of that stuff. Saved it from rusting in my opinion. I now run removable floor mats and removable rubber in the back. Any and I mean ANY time I am caught in the rain or spill something - all of it comes out and dried.

 

[1970 Palmer]

It's so common, that Ford issued is technical service bulletin back in the early days about the collection of water. The cure was to drill drain holes in the floor pans, seriously!

Someone will come up with the original copy of the TSB.

 

[Shimmy]

so what does everyone do?

 

[Slowleak]

I don’t think you have a condensation problem. I expect you have a water leak. Condensation forms where warm humid air contacts a cold surface. It would be on the outside, like on a beer can, not under a mat. I have never had a condensation problem with a Bronco or pickup with mats.
Make sure your drivers side vent is not leaking around the cowl. Water from the cowl can run down the firewall and under the mat. Another likely spot is the seal between the top and the body where the quarter panel meets the rear of the door. Water will run inside, down the door post and under the mat.

 

[BGBronco]

If you drive in the rain, I would also make sure your vent box is sealed.

 

[Shimmy]

I don’t think you have a condensation problem. I expect you have a water leak. Condensation forms where warm humid air contacts a cold surface. It would be on the outside, like on a beer can, not under a mat. I have never had a condensation problem with a Bronco or pickup with mats.
Make sure your drivers side vent is not leaking around the cowl. Water from the cowl can run down the firewall and under the mat. Another likely spot is the seal between the top and the body where the quarter panel meets the rear of the door. Water will run inside, down the door post and under the mat.

my bronco is only driven in sunny weather. it's never seen rain.

 

[EPB72]

my bronco is only driven in sunny weather. it's never seen rain.

have you ever washed your bronco? maybe pull mats wash it and see if you can spot any water leaks ,,take it for a little drive and see if air movement forces any residue water into cab area..

condensation? maybe consider dehumidifier ,small heater to warm garage??

 

[Shimmy]

have you ever washed your bronco? maybe pull mats wash it and see if you can spot any water leaks ,,take it for a little drive and see if air movement forces any residue water into cab area..

condensation? maybe consider dehumidifier ,small heater to warm garage??

full wash, no. i do "no rinse" wipe downs or use quick detailer.

 

[Slowleak]

my bronco is only driven in sunny weather. it's never seen rain.

It doesn’t take much to get moisture under the mat and it will stay for a long time. If you really think that somehow condensation is forming under there while it sits in the garage just do a test. Pull the mat, dry the floor, put the mat back in and let it sit. Then check again.

 

[spap]

Learn something new, I never thought you could get that much moisture under the mat s, definitely must be a geographical thing.

 

[DirtDonk]

When I bought my 71 it was only five years old and had only the single piece stock rubber floor mat that was not sealed at any edge.
Looked underneath it the day I bought it and it was a veritable swamp under there.
Even with the slightly rusted through floors (a patch here and there) liquid was still there.
It had spent its early life in Montana and New York, and it’s later life in California when I got it.
No way to tell how the water got in there for sure, or how long it had been there. But it definitely did leak in the rain.

In my case it was probably too much to be condensation, but it’s hard to guarantee that because even in dry weather it would take forever to dry out.
Pretty sure it just got put away wet from all the usual sources and suspects.

 

[DirtDonk]

Regarding yours and it’s fairly benign living conditions, I would lift the mat up dry it out completely, let it air dry fully, then put the mat back down and check it every month.
If it’s coming back then it’s hard to argue against condensation sitting in the garage. Unless you have young kids that are sneaking water around into places it shouldn’t go of course(!) condensation would seem the only other possibility in theory.

At that point if you’re just running rubber directly over a floor, I would put a layer of insulation in there. Most jute backings or whatever those types of insulation are called have antibacterial/fungal/mold/mildew properties. So no mold will build up and maybe it leaves a little breathable air space.

 

[m_m70]

Could always use this when stored............

https://www.lowes.com/pd/DampRid-Ha...b5PGW3X3ccJfzg98PxQaAkNcEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Shimmy]

I think what has me baffled is that its nice out the other day... mid 70s. My son and I took the bronco out for some errands. Later that day i started my "audio project" so i partially turned over the rubber mat on the passenger side; freakin wet! my thought was the heat from the headers/exhaust might be causing the condensation.

I'll take the front seats out and see if i can air this thing out.

 

[m_m70]

heater core maybe??

 

[Shimmy]

heater core maybe??

my heater core and box are removed.