Slides out in the Cold

[ruthandken CDN]

We are picking up our 5th wheel tomorrow and parking in the driveway to start packing up for our migration.  Now I don't plan on leaving the slides out if we get snow, but what about cold.  I also plan to have an electric heater and the furnace, set on low, going in there.  Is it advisable to bring in the slides in the cold.  I live in souther Ontario so we can get cold days and especially nights.  Up to now we haven't had any temps below 28 F.  Any thoughts on this?  Thanks.

 

[hoozerman]

I'm not sure I understand your concern. Is you 5er winterized? Are there water lines in the slides that may be more exposed? I wouldn't think it would make any difference if you've winterized it.

 

[Wendy]

We often Pull in the slide when we're someplace very cold - less space to heat.

 

[ruthandken CDN]

it is winterized, yes.  I guess as stated it would be harder to keep warm if the slides are out.  I'll bring in the ones I can and still be able to work in there.  Thanks.

 

[warsw]

We are picking up our 5th wheel tomorrow and parking in the driveway to start packing up for our migration.  Now I don't plan on leaving the slides out if we get snow, but what about cold.  I also plan to have an electric heater and the furnace, set on low, going in there.  Is it advisable to bring in the slides in the cold.  I live in souther Ontario so we can get cold days and especially nights.  Up to now we haven't had any temps below 28 F.  Any thoughts on this?  Thanks.

I have found that having the slides out in cold weather is not a problem unless you stand the chance of getting snow or ice. Snow and ice must be cleared before bringing a slides back in (very hard to do in freezing weather). Even a slide awning doesn't help much. It will keep most of the snow and ice off the slide but the awning itself will not roll back up properly.

You are better off leaving the slides closed if you can get to everything while packing IMHO. What we do is when we need to get to some of the cupboards in the kitchen and bedroom is open the slides just enough to get to them and then close them when we are done.

The cold weather itself doesn't seem to have any effect on the use of the slides.

 

[Quillback 424]

If you are not going to get any snow you are doing exactly what I will be doing later this month. I may take a couple of days to warm (external tank) and load, and watch a football game or two, but then I'll be ready to go. I've had slide problems so I will exercise them numerous times before I finally pull out as I will exercise all of the systems that I can. Have a good trip.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Like during the winter time my RV turns into the man cave. I flip on the furnace kick the slides out and watch movies or just play with the laptop. I've got no problem heating a RV up with the furnace then using a 750w heater to maintain temp at 70-75*F even though its colder than hell outside. If its snowing I keep the slide in. But I've been known to kick the slide out in the winter and enjoy the RV.  If it does snow in the slides you'll have to broom it off before sliding it back in.

 

[Seajay]

A tiny piece of advise.......
Our coach is about 12 years old and the gaskets are not what they use to be on the slides.  If we get caught in cold climate and put the slides out, we take plastic bags and stuff them around the slides to help prevent heat transfer outside the coach.  This will work if the slides are ''IN'' or "Extended out''.    Here is a test you might like to perform too see the efficiency of your gaskets.

At night, ask your wife to go inside the coach and turn off all the lights and take a bright flashlight and simply shine it around the slide out.  You will be amazed at how much ''light'' you see between the wall and the slide out.

Remember this ........ ALL SLIDE OUTS LEAK HEAT AND COOLING DUE TO THE FIT OF THE SLIDE OUT. 
This valuable information will cost you ten cents and you must pay me the next time you see me.................
Christmas is coming.......  Lets all remember our brave troops stationed around the world that will be away from family and friends.  God bless them for their service ......cj

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Interesting thought there CJ... I'll have to try that sometime. My Jayco appears to have good solid seals around the slide.

 

[Foto-n-T]

Several years ago when we were preparing to migrate south for the season I had the slides out and didn't bother to bring them in one night. That happened to be the night we got 3 or 4 inches of white stuff. It sucked standing on the gunwale of my truck with a shop broom trying to clear the slide-toppers so I could bring the things back in without falling off the truck.

Seriously though if you're worried about heating it leaving them in will decrease the area that needs to be heated. That and slides are notorious for being poorly insulated in the first place, just try parking in Lake Havasu City Arizona in May with your slides towards the southwest and you'll find that it's like living in an Easy-Bake oven.