Winter RV Camping: How To Prepare an RV for a Freezing Winter Adventure
Winter RV Camping – some people quickly become hooked on what RVs can offer – complete freedom on the open road in what’s essentially a mobile hotel room that only you have access to, the ability to change locations at will, and near-complete self-sufficiency. While most people take advantage of these RVing benefits during the summer, many are starting to see the appeal of winter RVing as well.
Winter RVing has its own challenges compared to summer RVing though, so being prepared is essential for staying safe and getting the most out of your winter escapades. Here are just a few things you should consider:
Get a winter check-up
Winter is an incredibly difficult season on people, roads, and the vehicles that travel them. Chances are your RV has seen some action in the summer as well, and you might not have had an opportunity to bring it to a garage. Before you make any major winter trips, take it into an authorized service center to make sure everything is working as it should.
This also gives you the chance to enable proper water delivery systems if your holding tanks aren’t insulated. Water heaters should be installed at this point.
There have been advances in this technology as of late – tankless water heaters from the stay on trails, being just one of the newest breakthroughs in having warm water the whole time you’re on the road. Ensure the one checking up looks at all seals around windows and doors, and that your heating system works properly.
Prepare your RV
This is the part where you make sure you’re prepared for a deep freeze, whether or not it’s in the forecast. Drain your black and grey water tanks before heading out. Also, ensure you’ve put in some rugged RV antifreeze to keep the plumbing working, no matter how far it dips below zero.
Pack wisely
Remove all of your summer gear from your RV to make room for what you’ll need to get through the harsh conditions of winter. Things like skirts to surround the underbelly of your RV are recommended, as well as extra blankets and survival equipment.
Minimize heat loss
The places where you’re most likely to lose heat are around windows and doors, so you should invest in some insulated blinds to place over them to conserve heat at night time. If there are windows you don’t expect to use for light, consider sealing them completely with rigid insulation, so that they won’t be a point of failure.
Drain unnecessary water lines
Water lines that connect to things like outside showerheads or faucets won’t be of any use during winter RVing, so you absolutely should train those water lines to prevent water freezing in the pipes, causing damage to the system.
Conclusion on Winter RV Camping
The choice to RV in the winter usually isn’t made lightly, but it’s entirely doable. Some people swear by it on a yearly basis. Winter is a much more hazardous season than summer, so it requires more careful planning and preparation than summer RVing does. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
