Forum Discussion

Nicodemus's avatar
Nicodemus
Explorer
Mar 11, 2019

Wintering in a toy hauler

I get offered jobs in snowy areas of the country frequently but I've been leery of accepting one. Definitely not in my old rig which was built for AZ weather, but this one has R54 insulation everywhere and I'm thinking that if I can find a park open I could try it. Has anyone else done long term winter camping up in the northern part of the country? What was your experience?
Toy Haulers
  • CabinetmakerII's avatar
    CabinetmakerII
    Explorer
    Mar 18, 2019
    Nicodemus wrote:
    I get offered jobs in snowy areas of the country frequently but I've been leery of accepting one. Definitely not in my old rig which was built for AZ weather, but this one has R54 insulation everywhere and I'm thinking that if I can find a park open I could try it. Has anyone else done long term winter camping up in the northern part of the country? What was your experience?


    R-54 Everywhere? Not sure R-54 can be obtained anywhere in an RV... I would question the "Heat Calculations" considering the walls are only 1 1/2" thick and the ceiling 12" thick at best. The dead air space in the floor does not count for much...
  • Nicodemus's avatar
    Nicodemus
    Explorer
    Mar 14, 2019
    Thanks for the replies! Before accepting a job my wife makes sure there's a park open close to the hospital, and they are pretty limited. A lot of them do close. Judging from the weather this winter it's probably a good idea NOT to go away from the coast.
  • ependydad's avatar
    ependydad
    Explorer
    Mar 11, 2019
    I've seen people winter in snowy areas in "light" campers. It takes skirting and preparation to accomplish it. But it can be done in almost anything.
  • valhalla360's avatar
    valhalla360
    Navigator
    Mar 11, 2019
    You can find campgrounds open in the winter but very few. Even with good insulation expect to do some prep work on the plumbing and expect to burn a lot of propane (look into have a large stand alone tank brought in).

    It can be done but it's not a lot of fun.
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    Mar 11, 2019
    I think you will be able to find campgrounds that will be open in most of the country. I worked for a company that has retail stores throughout the country. We had a store remodel in the greater Chicago area during the winter. The construction superintend found a RV park near the store location for his 40' motor Home.
  • azdryheat's avatar
    azdryheat
    Explorer
    Mar 11, 2019
    Your garage will freeze since there is no insulation under the floor. It's also been my experience that most campgrounds in snowy areas close for the winter.
  • arhayes's avatar
    arhayes
    Explorer
    Mar 11, 2019
    What HadEnough said is definitely true. A dehumidifier will be your good friend. Regardless of insulation, if you’re going to stay in cold, windy areas, you’ll want to plan skirting around the rig too. The underbelly and under slides are especially susceptible to cold. We’ll just stay in AZ during winter, but you let us know how it goes!??
  • HadEnough's avatar
    HadEnough
    Explorer
    Mar 11, 2019
    Nicodemus wrote:
    I get offered jobs in snowy areas of the country frequently but I've been leery of accepting one. Definitely not in my old rig which was built for AZ weather, but this one has R54 insulation everywhere and I'm thinking that if I can find a park open I could try it. Has anyone else done long term winter camping up in the northern part of the country? What was your experience?


    Your biggest enemy will be condensation and mold.

    Warm, moist interior air coming into contact with anything cold will act like a frosty cold beer bottle. Drips and moisture everywhere.

    The moisture will allow mold yo grow...

    So... You need to make sure anything cold (windows, doors, frame, hardware, isn't exposed directly to the interior warm and moist air.

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