Hunkering Down: Tips for RV Life During Winter

Living in your RV throughout the year can be a great experience for the whole family. Until winter comes, that is. During the warmer months of the year, going on family adventures across the country is a wonderful experience, filled with fun activities as plenty of pit-stops to cool off at lakes, rivers, and even the coast.

But when the colder months of the year start rolling in, things can start to feel a little less comfortable and a lot more uncertain. Your RV can quickly become an impromptu freezer if you’re not careful, you could end up without proper heating in the middle of nowhere, and your water supply can get interrupted at any moment.

To prevent these issues and actually enjoy the winter months living in your RV, you should learn how to hunker down properly and make the most of it. Here’s what you need to know.

Get a heated RV water hose

One of the biggest mistakes RV newbies make when going on winter road trips or during their first winter season living in their RV, is that they don’t think about the water supply and water heating. Remember, you’re living in a mobile home, and during winter your water pipes and hose can get frozen very quickly.

That’s why it’s important to get a proper, heated RV water hose and of course, to insulate all the pipes to make sure the water doesn’t freeze in there overnight.

Use electric heaters

During winter, probably the only way to stay warm in your RV when stationary is with an external heating source. Don’t waste your time trying to heat up the space with your AC heater, instead, spring for several high-quality electric heaters that you can put around your motorhome so that you heat up every room and every corner. Your toes will thank you!

Use seasonal self-storage

If you are staying in a single place for much of the season, then you should consider hunkering down properly. This means parking in a designated RV spot with proper access to fresh water and electricity. Another good idea would be to rent out a small self-storage locker to store off-season belongings.

This will allow you to live more comfortably in your RV without clustering the space. If you are storing cumbersome belongings, you can use professional movers to transport the stuff to and from the unit so that you can switch between summer and winter RV living quickly.

Insulate your RV windows

Whether you’re staying in one place throughout winter or if you are traveling from one cold winter town to the next, it’s important to insulate your windows. You can do this easily with the help of storm windows and heavy curtains, and even with plexiglass or PETG panels.

You can add PETG panels or sheets to your windows with double-sided mounting tape, which will provide added insulation and warmth during the coldest months of the year.

Control moisture at all cost

Finally, moisture control is essential for preventing nasty RV problems. The risk of mold and mildew accumulating is extremely high during winter because you’ll be cooking, breathing, and showering in a tightly-closed space.

To prevent moisture from wreaking havoc on your RV, make sure to run your vents throughout winter. To do that safely, install vent covers. You also want to dry and wipe any moisture off the walls to prevent buildup after cooking and showering.

Wrapping up

Winter can be a difficult season for full-time RVers and families living in their motorhomes. That said, if you combine these tips with some proper planning and exciting family activities in your area, you can make the coldest months of the year fun and enjoyable for everyone.