Cold weather camping with your motorhome, RV or travel trailer can certainly be a fun and comfortable adventure. There are, however, a few precautions and best practices you may want to follow if you’re serious about exploring the great outdoors when it’s near or below freezing.
Of course, you can always venture outside and rub two sticks together for an old-fashioned campfire, but ultimately it’s important to have an efficient heat source inside the RV, campervan or motorhome to keep you and your family comfortable all night long.
We also highly recommend that if you’re not going to be inside the campervan or RV for a few hours or a long period of time, it’s best to turn off any heater you have running as a precaution against the rig catching fire while you’re away.
Let’s get started—beginning with an overview of the main types of heat sources for motorhomes, RVs and campervans.
Top heating sources for travel vehicles
The 2 most common types of heat sources built into RVs and travel vehicles these days are propane furnaces and heat pumps. In addition, many experienced cold-weather campers recommend adding a supplemental heating system as a backup in case the primary heating system fails or to stay warm on those extra frigid nights.
Here are a few pros and cons of heating with these various methods:
Propane heaters and furnaces
One benefit of using a portable gas/propane heater would be that you can stay warm even if you’re camping off-grid (“boondocking”) and don’t have electricity beyond a small battery setup (and don’t want to drag along a portable generator to help run electric heat).
Some people elect to use portable gas-powered heaters because certain campgrounds charge exorbitant rates for electricity. However, the majority of modern campers use a furnace that draws power from either shore power or the rig’s batteries to power a blower or fan. The furnace itself is fed propane from a propane cylinder and the fans circulate the heated air.
Another type of furnace more commonly found in older rigs is propane-only heaters that don’t have a blower or fan. These furnaces are controlled by a thermostat that is either the old-style type with a mercury switch or a newer digitally-controlled unit.
It’s also important to stay cognizant of the oxygen level inside your rig if you’re using a propane-powered furnace. Don’t button yourself up too tightly! And never use a propane cylinder inside your camper. (Only the small 1-pound propane tanks are safe to use indoors.)
If you want to use propane as your heat source, and your rig didn’t come with a built-in furnace, your options are to look into a catalytic propane heater, radiant heat (such as the Olympian Wave heaters) or a non-catalytic propane heater (like the Mr. Heater Buddy heater line).
Electric heating (heat pumps)
Heating with electricity is doable if you have access to at least a 20-amp 110 power socket. More amps, such as the common 30 or 50 amps available at campgrounds, is preferable. Campers using electricity while camping in the winter tend to use ceramic heaters, although infrared heaters are good for heating a large space.
Class A motorcoaches or 5-wheel RVs tend to come from the factory with a heat pump, which is installed in the ceiling like the air-conditioner. They typically function off of a thermostat and don’t work efficiently under 45 degrees, so you’ll want a supplemental heat source if you’re camping in below-freezing temps. These systems are generally designed for moderate climates.
Heat pumps also draw a lot of electricity, so if you’re running one (or more typically, 2), make sure you’ve got access to 50-amp service. You also might want to find out if you’re being charged by the kilowatt-hour.
If you are running an electric space heater, we suggest using a cord of at least 14 gauge—and don’t run the heater constantly. Instead, give the cabling time to cool down in between heat cycles. Another good practice is to use an electric heater that’s rated for less than 1,200 watts so that it doesn’t draw too much current through the RV electrical system and potentially start a fire.
Fun cold weather activities
Half the fun of cold weather camping is actually being out in the cold! Here’s a list of outdoor activities that can add great memories to your cold-weather experience:
- Snowshoeing
- Hiking (if there’s not enough snow for snowshoeing)
- Snowmobiling
- Cross country skiing
- Ice skating
- Downhill skiing or snowboarding
- Sledding or tubing
- Ice fishing or hunting
Don’t forget that regular routine camp tasks like collecting firewood can also be an adventure in 6 inches of snow.
Is your rig ready for winter camping?
Having a furnace or reliable heat source is key for enjoyable winter camping. Successful winter camping can be measured in a variety of ways, such as if everyone stayed happy, healthy and warm.
Here are some tips from experienced winter campers on how to make your cold-weather adventure a success:
- Place wooden or plastic blocks below your stabilizing jacks to keep them from freezing to the ground.
- Be aware that extreme cold can cause plastic RV and van parts to become brittle and break. Prevent breakage by handling these plastic pieces such as door handles or drawer pulls with care.
- Place a cover on your air conditioning unit(s) and utilize RV vent covers so that you can keep ceiling vents open for airflow without snow or rain coming into the rig.
- If using propane to heat your rig, top off your tanks before heading out.
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors before leaving for your trip. Check them again once you’ve arrived. Better safe than sorry! And have spare batteries for any device you may rely on.
- Check your RV’s tires for proper inflation levels when you’re in the cold weather. You don’t want to be trying to climb a mountain pass or driving 70 mph on the highway with low tires.
- If your furnace doesn’t heat your rig’s “basement,” you may want to run heat tape along your water lines to prevent them from freezing. Fortunately, many modern RVs heat the water pipes as well as the holding tanks. This is sometimes known as a “four-seasons” package.
How to winterize your travel rig for storage
If you’re not planning to use your trailer or motorhome this winter, then it needs to be winterized before the deep freeze sets in. “Winterizing” your motorhome means preparing your rig for the potentially damaging effects caused by harsh winter weather such as freezing rain, snow and more. Depending on where you live, winterizing your RV is an absolute must if you wish to avoid expensive repairs and stay warm.
Below are our top tips and suggestions on how to keep your van’s maintenance in tip-top shape during the colder months.
How does my vehicle’s water system work?
Before we get into the specifics, knowing a little bit about how your vehicle’s water system works is necessary to properly winterize it.
For starters, the water used in your RV or motorhome comes from either a fresh-water tank or a hook-up (can be from the city or from your campsite). If you’re getting water from your freshwater tank, a water pump is used to push the water through. If you’re having water come in from the city, no pump is necessary.
When water from your freshwater tank or the city is cold, it travels through the water pump to the water heater. In order to winterize your tanks so they don’t become frozen, you will need to bypass the water heater.
Failing to drain your freshwater tank, bypass your water heater (if your motorhome doesn’t have a bypass kit already built in) and not adding enough antifreeze can leave you facing the possibility of freezing your pipes and tanks, resulting in expensive repairs.
When do I need to winterize?
Depending on if you use your motorhome during colder months and what climate you’re in will determine if you need to winterize your home-on-wheels. Keep the following questions in mind when determining whether or not you need to winterize:
- Does the temperature where your RV or van is stored ever hit below 40 degrees? (Temperatures below 40 degrees can lead to freezing pipes, which can lead to broken pipes if unprotected.)
- Do you plan on taking a break from using your vehicle for several months? (If so, we highly suggest you winterize. One night of low temperatures in the 30s can freeze and break your pipes and cause other damage.)
- Even if you use your RV during the winter months, are any pipes exposed to harsh elements?
If you answered “yes” or “maybe” to any of these questions, we suggest you take steps to winterize your motorhome. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry!
What do I need to DIY winterize?
Ready to get your motorhome or RV winter-ready? Prior to starting, you will need to pick up some basic supplies. Many of these products can be found at a local auto parts store or Walmart near you. You can also check on Amazon for RV winterizing kits.
- Non-toxic/marine freeze anti-freeze (several gallons should be enough)
- A water pump converter kit
- A hand wand for cleaning out tanks
- A water heater bypass kit (one may already be installed in your rig’s water heater)
- A blow out plug
A step-by-step guide to winterizing your campervan or RV for storage
If you have any hesitation about winterizing your vehicle, you may want to find a professional repair shop that can take care of it for you. Learning to winterize your rig may be tricky the first time. But once you learn the process, you can do it year-after-year and keep your motorhome in great shape.
Don’t forget to read your RV or motorhome owner’s manual thoroughly first. Once you’ve done that, follow these steps:
- Disconnect your vehicle’s outside water source (city water hook-up).
- Drain your entire water system. Don’t forget to drain the freshwater tank, hot-water lines and cold-water lines. Flush the toilet and open faucets to get any remaining water out.
- Drain your water heater. Do this by either opening up the drain valve or removing the drain plug in the bottom left-hand corner. Using a bendable straw to help drain water can help create a siphon, which removes additional water.
- Either locate your water heater bypass system or use a water heater bypass kit* (see step-by-step directions below).
- Blow out your lines. This can be done by attaching a blow out plug to your city water intake valve. Using pressure from an air compressor, drain any remaining water (don’t apply more than 30 PSI). This will help your antifreeze avoid becoming diluted. Once this is done, make sure all faucets are in the closed position.
- Add antifreeze. This can be done two different ways. The first option is using a hand pump to add antifreeze from the outside. If you choose this method, attach the intake siphon to the RV antifreeze bottle. Next, connect the output hose to the city inlet valve. Close all faucets and drain valves. Start pouring antifreeze into the kitchen sink. Continue pumping antifreeze until the color becomes bright pink. Finish by closing the hot side and opening up the cold side. Repeat and do this for the bathroom sink, shower and toilet.
- If you choose to add antifreeze by using the RVs internal pump system, follow the instructions above but instead use the water pump bypass valve. Add at least two pints of antifreeze solution. Remember to get the shower, sink, dish washer, ice-maker, external shower and any other appliances that touch water.
- Now, you’re ready to drain your gray and black water tanks.
- Don’t forget to remove your vehicle’s battery. (See our battery storage tips.)
- Remove any food that can go bad or be negatively affected by the cold. This will also deter rodents from living in your rig when you’re not.
- Install tire and air conditioning covers, if applicable. Otherwise use a dedicated RV cover. Better yet, if possible place your rig under covered storage when it’s not in use.
- Put out rodent/mouse traps and remove any materials they may use to build a nest. Trust us, you don’t want to have to clean up after a mouse (or family of mice) come spring.
Congrats! You have now winterized your RV or motorhome. You can either leave antifreeze inside your system until spring/summer or you can drain antifreeze so nothing is left in the pipes and tanks but air. After winter, before your first spring camping trip, all you will need to do is flush out your system to remove the antifreeze.
*Using a bypass kit
To install a bypass system for your water heater, use the following directions:
- Find the location of the water heater access door outside of the RV.
- Open the door and find the area that allows access from the water heater to the door.
- Count the number of valves on the water lines connected to the water heater. You will find either one, two or three valves.
- If you have one valve, turn the valve to the vertical position. This valve should be on the lower line connected to the water heater. If you have a two valve system, turn the valves so they are parallel to the line. If you have three valves, turn both the top and bottom valves to a closed position (perpendicular to the line). Open the middle valve to an open position.
- Now you can bypass the water heater.
Looking for a new or used campervan for your next winter camping adventure?
If you’re in the market for a Class B motorhome, RV or campervan, contact Classic Vans to chat about our current inventory. We’ll see if we’ve got something that’s just right for you and your family to take into the great cold and wild beyond!