Hi, all!
Many folks successfully use their RVs in cold weather, but it takes a bit of preparation to stay toasty when it’s freezing outside. This month’s column will address some issues surrounding winter camping.
Hi, Mark:
I am spending four months this winter skiing at Mammoth Lakes, Lake Tahoe and Breckenridge, Colorado. Two of the RV resorts include electric in the monthly rental. The RV resort in Colorado charges a monthly rate plus electricity. My question: Is it cheaper to heat my RV (29-foot Winnebago Minnie) using propane or electricity? Thank you. Tom
Hi, Tom:
Manufacturers of electric resistant heaters generally claim that the input of one kilowatt/hour produces about 3,400 BTUs, assuming 100 percent efficiency. Most electric heaters come fairly close to that. Each gallon of propane contains about 91,700 BTUs of heat energy. A typical RV forced-air furnace is probably only about 75 percent efficient, so a gallon of propane burned in the furnace will produce about 69,000 BTUs of heat. If you are operating a vent-free heater, like a blue-flame heater or a catalytic heater, those approach the 100 percent efficiency level. So let’s see now, my calculator says that it takes about 22 KW of electricity to match the heat output of my forced-air furnace burning a gallon of propane. It would take about 27 KW to match my vent-free heater’s output. Armed with those numbers, it’s easy to figure out whether electric or propane is cheaper at your location. For instance: If I’m using my furnace and the cost of electricity is $.13 / KWH, once the cost of propane reaches about $2.85 a gallon, electric starts to be the better value. In the example above, the break-even point would be about $3.50 a gallon if the vent-free heater was being considered.
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Mark:
What is your suggestion on keeping my holding tanks and water lines from freezing in the winter? I’m going to have to live in my RV this winter for work in Wood River, Illinois. Also, at what temp are these items good before freezing and causing water-line breaks and leaks? John
Hi, John:
It’s been my experience that most RVs tolerate nighttime temps down into the 20s fairly well, as long as the daytime temps get above freezing. The problems start when the mercury stays below freezing for days on end. Temperatures in the teens or below require special preparation and operation to prevent damage to your RV. That’s a bit beyond the scope of this newsletter, but check out some of the winter camping links I provided. There are folks out there who know how to rig an RV for extreme cold weather operation! For suggestions on protecting tanks and hoses, check out the answers below.
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Mark:
I would like to know how to survive the winter months in the Northeast in an RV. How do you keep water from freezing via the hose even though we have a polarized package RV? Mike
Hi, Mark.
My wife and I are retirees who have decided to go full-timing. I would like to know what has to be done to the motorhome to make it usable in the winter. We plan on spending the winter on Vancouver Island, where the temperature drops below freezing only on a few occasions. Will I have to use a heat tape on the water line coming into the motorhome, and will I need to put anti-freeze in the holding tanks? Thank you. Brian.
Dear Mark,
We are planning to full-time RV in the near future. What can we do to fully insulate? Piping and undercarriage (close in), not skirting or underpinning. We are open to any advice or suggestions. We’ve also read about others using ceramic heaters instead of their propane heaters because of having to refill the tanks so often. Just need advice over how to stay warm in 30-degree temps. Thanks. Bill & Judy
I have received a number of questions like those above. Seeing how winter is definitely approaching, let’s talk about ways to survive the winter in your RV.
Let’s start by keeping that cold weather outside and the warm air in. To do this, you need to increase insulation and reduce cold air infiltration. Your windows are a great place to start. Most RV windows are single-pane, and many do not seal well. Some sort of storm window is needed, and there are a lot of possibilities. Some folks use foam core board to cover the windows from the inside. This works well, but it’s pretty hard to see through! Other folks use sheets of Plexiglass or Lexan cut to fit the windows and held in place either with small brackets, Velcro or tape. This helps seal the windows and you can see through them, but then you will be faced with storing the storm windows during the summer.
A simpler solution is to use shrink film on the insides of your windows. This film is readily available at home supply and hardware stores. It is a clear film that you cut to size and affix to the window frame using double-sided sticky tape. Once the film is stuck down good, you use a hair dryer to shrink it until it is smooth and tight. This not only slightly improves the R-factor of the window, it makes the window airtight. This will eliminate those annoying cold drafts and also help reduce condensation on the insides of your windows. After the winter, you simply peel it off and throw it away. It’s a great, inexpensive storm window and is relatively easy to apply.
Now that the windows are covered, let’s do something about those roof vents. Most vents really don’t seal well, and we all know that warm air rises, so what can we do to stop it? Again, there are lots of possibilities: That same shrink film can be used, or some fiberglass insulation can be cut to fit and held up with a piece of cardboard. There are also nifty little pillows that are designed to fit snugly into the vent opening to seal and insulate it. These are great, as they are easily removed when you want to have the vent open.
Finally, we need to seal all those other places where cold air can enter our rig. Any compartments that open into the inside of the rig need to have good weather seals. Under the rig, there are many openings where water and gas lines enter the living area. These openings need to be sealed, and some of that aerosol self-expanding foam is great for this. Alternately, foam rubber can be forced into gaps to help reduce air leaks. Finally, the entry door needs to be checked to make sure that it seals properly. Adding some inexpensive foam tape or weather-stripping will really help seal those air leaks.
Now that we’ve gotten the rig pretty airtight, we’ve got a new problem to deal with. Moisture from cooking, washing and just our breathing raises the humidity inside the RV. As it gets colder, this moisture condenses out on cooler inside surfaces, like window frames and doors. This can lead to mold and mildew, water stains or even worse. The best way to prevent condensation is to avoid introducing excessive moisture into the air. A good practice is to always use the range hood vent when cooking and the bathroom vent when showering. This will draw most of that moisture out of the rig. It may be necessary to keep a roof vent open slightly to provide some ventilation and keep condensation in check. Insulating exposed surfaces that tend to collect moisture will also help. A small dehumidifier or some of those little tubs of desiccant crystals may be necessary, depending on the RV and how many are living in it.
This discussion of condensation brings up a related subject: the method of heating that you use in your RV. When propane is burned, it releases combustion byproducts, and one of those byproducts is a surprisingly large quantity of water vapor! Most standard RV furnaces are vented to the outside of the rig and will not add any moisture to the inside air. This is not true of any unvented propane heater, including popular catalytic heaters. Using your stovetop burners also adds moisture to the inside air. If you intend to heat your rig using an unvented propane heater, you will have to provide a larger amount of ventilation to remove the additional moisture added to your air. Most unvented heaters are pretty nice for milder climates and are great for taking that morning chill off. Using them as your primary source of heat in really cold weather can prove to be a challenge because of the potential for condensation problems.
Many folks choose to use portable electric heaters to heat their rig. This method of heating doesn’t add condensation to the air and, depending on the cost of propane, may actually be slightly cheaper to run. Great care must be taken not to overload the wiring in your RV or the electrical system in the campground. Most parks will either put you on an electric meter or charge extra for electric heat. Use only UL-approved heaters and keep combustibles away.
Now that we’re warm, draft-free and, hopefully, dry inside, let’s deal with the stuff outside your rig. The first thing we need to do is keep your freshwater hose from freezing. If you are traveling a lot, simply use the hose to fill your freshwater tank and then disconnect it each night. If you are parked for a longer period, consider heat taping and insulating your water hose. Standard 110v heat tape can be wrapped in a spiral along the length of the hose and then covered with either round foam pipe insulation or fiberglass batting wrapped with tape. Don’t forget to wrap the faucet to protect it, and add a pad of insulation where the hose connects to your RV. In moderately cold weather, this should keep your water flowing. If it gets extremely cold (below zero), it may still be necessary to let a faucet drip overnight.
Sewer lines need special attention in subfreezing weather, too. It’s necessary to support the hose and provide a continuous slope from the RV sewer connection to the park sewer hookup. That way, water will drain from the hose and not create an ice plug at the low point. Alternately, you can use a straight section of thin-wall PVC sewer pipe and the necessary fittings to complete your sewer hookup. The PVC will stand up to cold temperatures better than your plastic hose and is fairly inexpensive.
If your RV has exposed tanks, you may need to take extra steps to protect your freshwater and holding tanks from freezing. In milder climates, where the temperature routinely rises above freezing during the day, you can usually get by with keeping your fresh tank topped up and keep both the gray and black tank valves closed until you need to dump them. If it gets down into the single digits at night and rarely rises above freezing during the day, then you will almost have to drain your freshwater tank to protect it. You will also need to insulate and/or heat your holding tanks or use significant amounts of RV antifreeze in them to keep things flowing. If you are parked for a while, tank insulation for exposed holding tanks can be fabricated from fiberglass insulation and light plywood. Just build a small lightweight box around the tank and line it with fiberglass. A small electric light bulb can be used to provide a safe source of heat. For RVs with enclosed tanks, it’s often enough to provide some source of heat in the tank compartment, and small electric bulbs can be used here as well.
Regardless of your RV’s tank design, if you plan to do a lot of winter camping, look into electric heating pads that are designed for RV holding tanks. They can be purchased from many RV parts dealers or camping catalogs and will allow you to use the holding tanks as you normally would with no fear of freeze-ups. Check out www.ultraheat.com for some examples.
OK, all of that information applies only as long as you are in a relatively temperate location. However, there are a number of hardier souls who gladly brave the snow and cold and stay well north all winter long. For those of you who intend to winter in extremely cold parts of the country, check the links provided below for some first-hand tips from folks who like their RVing with a topping of snow!
http://www.your-rv-lifestyle.com/winter-rving.html
http://www.rverscorner.com/wintercamp.html
Hi, Mark:
I am planning a ski trip with my family in February. Where we are going, the temperature could dip as low as zero. I have a 2005 Phaeton, 40′, with quad slides. What should I do to make sure that I have no freezing damage both as I travel and camp (full hookups). Thanks. Dan
Hi, Dan:
If your tanks are exposed under the RV, try to travel with holding tanks empty and freshwater tank full. A full freshwater tank will resist freezing weather longer than one that’s only partly full. If it’s going to be really frigid (subzero), it’s best to drain the freshwater tank and winterize the freshwater system. It may be necessary to add RV antifreeze to protect exposed holding tanks. Electric tank heaters can also be added if you will be camping regularly in really cold conditions. If your tanks are enclosed in compartments or are covered by insulated belly panels, it’s less of a problem. Most RVs with enclosed tanks provide some ducts from the furnace system to help keep tanks warm, so run your furnace for heat rather than using an electric heater or auxiliary propane heater. When you park, consider placing a small 120V light bulb (25 watts is usually large enough) inside the compartments where tanks are enclosed. This additional heat source will keep things from freezing up. It’s usually best to use your freshwater hose to fill the onboard tank, then disconnect it and drain it to keep it from freezing. Remember to check your engine cooling system for the correct antifreeze mix for the temperatures you are likely to experience.
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Do you have a question for Mark? Please submit your question via email to MMW@escapees.com.
Please remember, material will be edited. Because of the large volume of material and correspondence submitted, individual replies will be limited to questions that are chosen for publication.
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