RVing in cold weather climates

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Angelbunnie13182

Angelbunnie13182

Well-known member
Joined
May 11, 2014
Posts
96
Location
Clarksville, TN
I am wondering if anyone had a list of tips to do with our 5th wheel when it came to living in it during winter. Last year, living in TN, apparently according to long time residents, had the worst winter weather in like 12 yrs. Lots of snow, and too many days to count school and base were closed due to ice. How do ppl fair in an RV in this type of weather? Oh and did I mention the power outages caused by all the downed trees?
 
Have you ever heard the term "snowbird"? That's what most of us are so we don't have to deal with winter weather. RVs have almost zero insulation and don't fare well in cold weather. Pipes can freeze.

Every year at least one person joins the forum because they are planning on buying an RV and living in Canada or Minnesota or some place like that for the winter. They have grand plans for wrapping the RV in something, putting on skirts, wrapping the pipes etc etc etc. Usually there are a few people who try and explain that RVs don't work well in cold weather but they are ignored. The funny thing is we never hear from these people again to tell us how wonderful their winter in an RV was :-\
 
We weren't planning on wintering in freezing weather in our fiver this winter, but plans changed and we are still in Arkansas.  We had one of the coldest winters I can remember.  Lows in single digits and we even had wind chills below 0 a few nights.  I won't lie - It was trying, but we made it. 

Double insulated the water hose and left faucets dripping at night.  Set electric heater in basement on low.  Open bathroom cabinets and strategically positioned two electric heaters inside the fiver.  Electric fireplace ran constantly, in addition to the furnace.

Filled garbage bag with straw and packed around faucet and covered with large rubbermaid tub. Filled a second smaller trash bag with straw and packed in the area where hose connected to camper.  Ran a dehumidifier to prevent condensation from forming on the inside of windows AND FREEZING.

I think that pretty much covers our winterization . . .

I can't tell you how many times I looked at hubby and said, "You know - We were supposed to leave before it got this cold."

We were actually quite comfortable in our Montana and didn't have any frozen pipes, but it took constant attention.
 
Well.. I go to South Carolina myself.. Just a short day out of TN (on my way south my last night "On the road" was spent in, I thinkm, Viola, TN. less than 200 miles from Seneca, SC  200 of which about 150 was Foothills driving,, (Not the easiest, nor the hardest, roads I have ever trod).

One option is to winterize (I like the dry method) the fresh system and carry water inside the heated RV.. of course this leaves your exposed pipes at risk if you have any but they can be protected.

A 100 watt light blub or two can put out a lot of heat.. Just make sure it is the old fashion kind, not the new fangled low-power ones  Or a 150 watt Infra Red spot or flood.  But be careful with those in enclosed spaces (DO NOT USE)

You can take a coffee can, a block of wood (or metal) a porelin lamp base, a large coffee can and some flat black paint.

Paint the can inside and out
Put 75-100 watt lamp in light fixture (Actually a porcelin ceiling/wall type fixture on a box nailed to a say six inches of 2x6 might work well  or fill the base with plaster)

Makes a fairly good low wattage heater.  (But I do not cover my light-bulb-heaters.. I let the light shine on what I want heated, Works better that way)
 
http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=58114.msg534542#msg534542

Review this thread it might give you some ideas.
 
vmyoung61 said:
We weren't planning on wintering in freezing weather in our fiver this winter, but plans changed and we are still in Arkansas.  We had one of the coldest winters I can remember.  Lows in single digits and we even had wind chills below 0 a few nights.  I won't lie - It was trying, but we made it. 

Double insulated the water hose and left faucets dripping at night.  Set electric heater in basement on low.  Open bathroom cabinets and strategically positioned two electric heaters inside the fiver.  Electric fireplace ran constantly, in addition to the furnace.

Filled garbage bag with straw and packed around faucet and covered with large rubbermaid tub. Filled a second smaller trash bag with straw and packed in the area where hose connected to camper.  Ran a dehumidifier to prevent condensation from forming on the inside of windows AND FREEZING.

I think that pretty much covers our winterization . . .

I can't tell you how many times I looked at hubby and said, "You know - We were supposed to leave before it got this cold."

We were actually quite comfortable in our Montana and didn't have any frozen pipes, but it took constant attention.
Click to expand...


Thank you very much. I appreciate the help and advice!
 
John From Detroit said:
Well.. I go to South Carolina myself.. Just a short day out of TN (on my way south my last night "On the road" was spent in, I thinkm, Viola, TN. less than 200 miles from Seneca, SC  200 of which about 150 was Foothills driving,, (Not the easiest, nor the hardest, roads I have ever trod).

One option is to winterize (I like the dry method) the fresh system and carry water inside the heated RV.. of course this leaves your exposed pipes at risk if you have any but they can be protected.

A 100 watt light blub or two can put out a lot of heat.. Just make sure it is the old fashion kind, not the new fangled low-power ones  Or a 150 watt Infra Red spot or flood.  But be careful with those in enclosed spaces (DO NOT USE)

You can take a coffee can, a block of wood (or metal) a porelin lamp base, a large coffee can and some flat black paint.

Paint the can inside and out
Put 75-100 watt lamp in light fixture (Actually a porcelin ceiling/wall type fixture on a box nailed to a say six inches of 2x6 might work well  or fill the base with plaster)

Makes a fairly good low wattage heater.  (But I do not cover my light-bulb-heaters.. I let the light shine on what I want heated, Works better that way)
Click to expand...

Very interesting idea John! ?
 
Another question.....What does it mean when you tell the dealership to put something like a "polar package" on your RV? I was told at a dealership in Nashville that meant they were ready for yr round living.

Never mind if found the answer in the article above lol Thx Marsha! ?
 
Heh..polar...

There's winter and then there's winter in Minnesota.  Spent one night in my trailer at -10 but had the water off and everything drained.

Even in truly cold weather it can be done but not much fun and you will go through propane like you can't believe.
 
Spent some nights in a KOA at the west entrance of Yellowstone one November, in a 28' Terry Trailer.  Got down to around 5 or10 degrees above at night.

The trailer had two built in RV propane heaters - one in the bedroom and one in the front end.  I also had a plug-in 1500 watt portable heater working.  As long as all three heaters were on, it was fairly comfortable.  As soon as any one of them cycled off, though it was INSTANTLY cold in the trailer.  I don't mean like within a couple of minutes, I mean instantly.  If the electricity would have failed, or the propane had gone out, I think we would have been in a lot of trouble. 

Should I expect my Monaco to be much different?
 
The Artic or  Polar package real means you can get 3 seasons of use.  Winter is still out unless you do other things like skirting, extra heaters, window coverings, etc.
 
Bob.n.Carolyn said:
Spent some nights in a KOA at the west entrance of Yellowstone one November, in a 28' Terry Trailer.  Got down to around 5 or10 degrees above at night.

Should I expect my Monaco to be much different?
Click to expand...

No, but check your Monaco water compartment as some have had no insulation on the bottom, just a thin sheet of plastic.  Country Coach had the same issue on some models. 

Check all outside surfaces to be sure of what you have.  Also the vent pillows help a lot.
 
Bob, your Monaco Windsor will likely have styrofoam sprayed on the outside (underside) of the wet bay. It will also likely have a built-in heater in the bay, with controls labeled 'Systems heat' in the cab area (ours is above the entry door). Of course, the heater will only work if you have shore power.
 
It is as you described, Tom.  This topic has just made me wonder how well the heating system works inside the coach.  I've never had either of my Monaco's in anything like cold weather.

BTW: What's a vent pillow? 
 
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