Staying warm

As someone else stated dual pain windows are a must. Not only will it keep the heat in, but it will reduce the condensation. I would also look for a heated floor for increased comfort. When your feet are cold, so are you. Also use plugs in your roof vents to help hold the heat in.

The above are found in higher end rigs, meaning more money. Since you have a budget to get those items mean you'll have to buyer older. I do not know of any gas rigs that have a heated floor meaning you'll be most likely buying an older DP.

Since you'll be buying older then I would also take into consideration the roof material. Rubber roofs can last only about 20 years before they become an issue or at least a concern.

Posters seem to concentrate on insulation where the real problem is air infiltration. Those same areas where mice enter also allow cold air. When they insulate MH's many areas do not get insulated or the insulation has gaps. This applies to Marathons, Bluebirds, Beavers, Newmars and Bounders. Dual pane windows help a little but the R rating from single to dual is small. Aluminum window frames conduct cold! Basement compartments have doors with 1/2 or3/4 inch Styrofoam At 30 below a sheet of paper is about as efficient! No matter what you buy a lot of modifications would be required. A front engine Bluebird would be in your price range but could require additional $$ to do repairs. They have 2 large gas furnaces, 3 baseboard electric heaters, bathroom electric wall heater and 2 or 3 heaters that use hot engine coolant. Insulation is not superb but fairly air tight.

If you stay in Alaska during the winter, it will cost you a fortune to keep it heated. There is not motor home that is insulated that well - it would be far too heavy.

Are you going to be traveling a lot? Will you be leaving Alaska in the winter?

My plans are to spend summer and fall in Alaska and then retreat to traveling the states. I may spend some time in the late fall. Is it true that only diesels will include heat in the floor??
terry in alaska

While I won't swear to it, the only floor heating I've seen is a result of the Aqua Hot circulating lines running under the floor. So it's a side affect very often but some coaches do intentionally run the lines to do just that.

With that said, to my knowledge there offering an Aqua Hot in a gasser is a bit problematic since they burn diesel fuel.

In my diesel, there is heat that goes through the basement area so the tanks will not freeze. We have heat pumps on the roof and propane heat in floor ducts.

I have a Newmar and it did very well when we were watching the house being built and had a 100 year snow storm go through the area. We had very cold temperatures for our area. We built an insulated box around the water filters and softener and hung a lamp in there. We insulated the hoses and dripped water at night when it was going to be below around 15 degrees at night. We made it through just fine but it took a lot of propane even though we were running two electric heaters.

There is a lot of information on the forums about how to set up an RV when it is cold. Personally, I would just head south.

Jagtech wrote:
Check out a Triple E rig, built in Canada for Canadian climates.

We had a '97 Triple E Commander, their top line Class A. Said the furnace was sized to maintain 20 C inside when - 20 outside. That's 68F and -29F!

A met a couple several years ago who had wintered in the Yukon in an older class C. They had extra (external) propane tank and went through a LOT of propane. When possible they ran electric heaters too.

The furnace ducting also runs in to the insulated tank areas too.

Perhaps Pianotuna will jump in here. He winters in Saskatchewan.

Again I'll say go with dual pane windows and in floor heat if you find it. DW and I have lived in an RV six months out of the year for the last six years. We find ourselves in cold climates in the spring and fall before heading south for the winter. Our home base winters are -40f to sometimes as low as -60f (Alaska can't be that much worst.)

What most are stating are the RV spec's because that is what they know best. What I'm trying to tell you is it's all about the comfort level when you're living long term in your rig.

Those RV furnaces are inefficient and will only warm the rig from the knees on up unless you really crank them up. Even then the heat will not be evenly ducted throughout the rig. Electric heaters in key living areas are only good if you have power to run them.

The difference between single pane and dual pane windows is an R1 to about an R4 (not much,) but it will greatly reduce on the condensation within your living area. You will have enough of that with the windshield alone on a Class A. Most Class A's are not laid out well to have a dehumidifier just sitting in a corner.

Yes the aluminum around the windows will be cold and sweat, but there is no other option like in a house. BTW, you'll need to keep an eye on those window tracks for mold when buying used. A lot of older RV'ers with failing eyesight and mobility will let these area go. If there's mold there, there could be mold elsewhere. I've seen several that will suffer from an allergy flair up once they get on the road and are living full time in the rig.

I just watched a video on an 04 holiday rambler for sale. They claimed to be better insulated, heated basement, and all wood cabinets with more roof insulation. I know that brand has been around forever but are they better than most?