Driving around and living in an RV is all fun and adventurous until you have to deal with the harsh winter. This is where learning how to stay warm in an RV during winter comes in handy.
Invest in an all-season RV if you can and make sure there are year-round campgrounds near you. Insulate the RV inside and outside. Invest in heaters, heat pumps, and heated water hoses. Keep optimal moisture levels and water flow. Maintain battery and keep propane tanks full.
If you don’t want to go all through the trouble of RV living in winter, simply head south where the sun shines all year long.
RV Living in Winter, Cold Weather, and Cold Air: Is It Possible?
RV living is fun and adventurous.
Summer is usually the best time to go RV camping. Many appreciate the heat and warmth the sun has to offer during this time. Autumn and spring are also popular RV camping seasons and give campers more time to enjoy the great outdoors.
You may think that once winter comes, you will have to give up RV living. But the good news is that RV living is possible during the colder winter months. Winter RV living may be a bit more challenging but it is not entirely impossible.
If you find yourself in your RV during winter months, there is one thing you need to remember: prepare.
RV living winter temperatures
Spending winter in an RV can be cold and depending on where you are and where you’re heading, temperatures can go below freezing points. This is why you need to get your RV ready for the colder temperatures.
How to Stay Warm in an RV During Winter
If you’re planning to keep up your RV life even during the cold winter months, you need to be ready for what lies ahead. Here are simple but effective winter RV living tips:
- Invest in an all-season RV
This only works if you don’t own an RV yet or are thinking of an upgrade before your winter RV camping.
Investing in an all-season or four-season RV unit may be your best line of defense when it comes to weathering the winter season.
All-season RVs are made for cold weather and winter camping and are specially designed to work in freezing temperatures.
When rounding up and considering RV units to buy, you must assess all the features that come with it. Remember, not all RV units marketed as “all-season” or “four-season” are built the same way.
Assess all features and make sure that whatever you choose can combat the conditions you’re planning to camp out in.
- Year-round campgrounds
Not all campgrounds stay open all year round. Many close their campsites during off-peak season to save costs.
Campgrounds will usually have what RVers need like electricity, showers, and bathrooms that will make camping easier. If you’re RVing during winter, make sure that year-round campgrounds are available wherever you’re going.
- Insulate the RV
One way to ensure that your RV keeps warm throughout winter is proper insulation.
Inspect your RV and determine where heat escapes and where the cold finds its way inside. Then, solve the issue by adding extra layers of insulation around the interior of your RV.
Look at your RV’s skylights, your RV windows and doors, and the backs of cabinets as these are usually daft places. You can also insulate the floor to further lock the heat in.
Adhesive foam paneling like Reflectix and foam inserts are common and effective insulation solutions.
- Install an RV skirt
Insulation doesn’t only apply to the interior of your RV. You can also insulate the exterior of the RV by installing an RV skirt.
An RV skirt is an insulating material that attaches to the bottom of the RV. This prevents drafts to keep the RV warm and also protects the plumbing system of the RV.
There are vinyl skirting options that are usually professionally installed. You can also DIY your way through it, just make sure everything is installed properly. A newer and more convenient option is inflatable skirting like the one from the brand AirSkirts.
- Invest in a heater (gas or electric space heaters)
A simple solution to keeping warm in an RV is to invest in a good quality space heater. Heaters can be electric or they can run with propane gas.
When shopping for one, make sure you assess all the features and get one based on your needs and the space that needs heating. Check on safety features as well.
- Install heat pumps
If you want to take heating to a whole new level, consider installing RV heat pumps. These pumps will provide dry and warm air into the RV. It can either be ducted or non-ducted, depending on your preference. This does, however, require electricity to run.
- Keep indoor moisture at bay
In your efforts to keep your RV warm while winter RVing, don’t forget another essential: keeping indoor moisture at bay.
Excess moisture inside your RV can lead to molds and mildew growth. This opens up even more issues that are harder and more expensive to solve.
- Keep water flowing
During winter, you’d want to keep your fresh water tank as full as possible. You might have to disconnect your hose from the source when outdoor temperatures drop to freezing points.
At the same time, keep your holding tanks closed at all times to prevent the contents from freezing.
- Switch to a heated water hose
If you want to stay on the safe side, you might want to consider switching to a heated water hose during winter. This will prevent your water pipes from freezing and prevent possible explosion.
- Battery maintenance
During winter, keep your battery warm and not just the inside of your RV. Use heat pads to do this. This will make sure your RV runs smoothly throughout the rest of your trip.
- Keep propane tanks full
You don’t want to run out of gas and power in the middle of winter so making sure that your propane tanks are full each chance you get will help prevent this.
- Other things to keep you warm
Before you head out, make sure you have other things to keep you warm.
Warm winter jackets, winter boots, and warm blankets are some other things that could keep you warm in your RV.
- Don’t worry about keeping your RV warm and drive south instead
RV living during winter can take a lot of effort on your end. You can also avoid the cold altogether and head south instead.
Winterizing Your RV: Is It Necessary?
If you’re in your RV 24/7 no matter the season, winterizing your unit won’t be necessary.
Winterizing is the process of removing water from the unit’s water plumbing system to avoid freezing and breaking the pipes. If you’re not winterizing because you’re using your RV, follow our guidelines on water usage above.
Conclusion
RV living is fun until you have to deal with the cold winter weather. Lucky for many RVers, you can brave the cold by learning how to stay warm in an RV during winter.
First, consider an all-season RV and year-round campground. Then, insulate the interior and exterior of your RV. Invest in heaters, heat pumps, and heated water hoses. Make sure to keep moisture at bay, keep water flowing, maintain your battery’s life, and keep propane tanks full. And if you don’t want to go all that trouble, head south and avoid the cold altogether.
RV living is possible even during the colder winter months. But a huge part of doing it is proper preparation.
