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TJ207's avatar
TJ207
Explorer
Aug 01, 2013

Questions for those who have lived in an RV 4 seasons.

I have done some reading through the forums on this site and I have found that there is a very solid base of people here who really seem to know what they are talking about. So I would like to put forward this question to you. Especially those of you who have lived in an RV year round before through the four seasons.

My situation:
Soon I will be looking at an extended stay in Maine. Approximately 5 to 6 years. Enough time to finish my Masters degree. My family does not have enough room for me in the house. However they do have a huge yard. I have talked to the local town office, ( code enforcement ect) and they understand me and my families situation. They have agreed to allow me to do one of two things. I can either park an RV and use that year round or I can build a cottage like building up to 12' x 24' maximum. The cottage cannot have a bathroom or kitchen. Bedroom and study area only. The walk from the front door of the RV or cottage, to the front door of the house will be about 30 feet. I can insulate and heat the RV or cottage any way I like. However my family is not comfortable with me trying to use water or toilet in the winter. They believe the use of heat tape would add too much to there electrical bill, when added to the electrical consumption of the rest of the RV. Not going to argue that point with them considering they are gracious enough to allow me to use there yard rent free. My budget is ten thousand dollars. That is what my credit union has approved me for and I feel that I can afford easily enough, while still allowing me to pay for college, as well as contributing to my families house for bills and buying my own food. Plus allow me enough to put some in to the bank each week for occasions and emergencies.

My questions:
1. For those whom have stayed in an RV year round before, through the cold winters and hot summers. If given my choices, would you try to live in an RV or insulated, heated cottage for the coming 5 to 6 years? Keep in mind I have complete use of the houses' kitchen and bathroom.
2. Maine winter temperatures vary but generally in the area I will be in it tends to stay between 10 to 25 degrees. With occasions where for nights it can stay around zero degrees. Will I be burning through a lot of propane in an RV to stay comfortably warm? Say around 65 degrees? By a lot I mean a 20 pound tank every week. For insulation on the RV I was planning on a skirting of painted plywood with foam insulation backing.
3. Is the condensation in an RV worse over time? Meaning after two or three years could I be looking at a mold or mildew problem even if I use a dehumidifier? Does the dehumidifier need to run all the time or only while I'm in it?
4. Do the floors of the RV get really cold in the winters? Enough so I would be wanting to keep my feet off the floors? The used RV's I've been looking at would have vent forced hot air in the floors.
5. Is there a lot of up keep with living in a trailer year round through all four seasons? I know in the winter I will be needing to shovel the roof off but besides that. I've never owned an RV before so I truly am clueless about them.
6. Speaking of clueless. Can you even live in an RV full time year round for up to six years? Not sure if they are even made to stand up to that.


Thank you in advance to any offered advice.

19 Replies

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  • Eycom's avatar
    Eycom
    Explorer
    Aug 01, 2013
    Maine's a beautiful State for the fair weather camper. Loved those Whoopie-Pies. 60 years ago, I lived 30 yards from the outhouse and 8 yards from the well and hand pump, but south GA and north Florida doesn't get quite as cold. I vaguely recall when elctricity was wired into the old farmhouse with a few drop cords and the handpump from the well was moved into the kitchen. Still bathed in a #10 washtub with water heated on the Ben Franklin woodstove.

    I've camped in cold temps in my 4 season camper with my plumbing fully operational. I've seen temps ranging from freezing down to -8° for a week to 10 days at a time before returning south. Living in an RV generates a lot of condensation in cold weather. I got through by cracking a vent, but propane use was horrendous. With an on-board LP generator, I could go through a 30# tank in 3 or 4 days while dry camping in western N.Y. With 30 amp service, using a ceramic heater to augment the furnace during the winter in Charlotte, NC where avg lows are 29°-32°, my propane use was 30# per month. During a Florida winter... well, a 30# tank of propane lasts me a long time.

    With all that said, my point is this. Camping... or living 30 feet from your water source is going to create a real hardship during those 4 months or so. Keeping the camper warm is going to result in a propane bill that will approach the national debt. Not something I'd want to endure for 5 or 6 winters in Maine. Not to say that a camper wouldn't serve you well a good part of the year. However, during the winter, I'd be looking for a short term (4 month +/-) rental on a room near campus given the circumstances. Best of luck.
  • tatest's avatar
    tatest
    Explorer II
    Aug 01, 2013
    In my winter RVing, C motorhome with unheated basement space, I go through about 3-4 gallons a day (12-16 pounds?) LPG trying to maintain 65F during 20 degree nights. Furnace is off during the day when I'm moving, temps in 40-50 range and sun comfortably heating the house.

    Because I'm moving, no skirting. This is about going through the colder parts of Texas to get to someplace a bit warmer, like 40-50 degree nights.

    Some RVs do a lot better than others, I know mine is not four season and I would not try to live in it where winters are cold. In the case of mine, and other 2-3 season RVs, it is not just about the amount of fuel used by the furnace. Problem is, furnace may not be capable of using enough LPG, i.e. sized too small for winter heating requiremnts. Of course, you may be able to upgrade the furnace with one sized for a larger RV, but there are limits as to what is available. Larger RVs, particularly four season, use multiple RV furnaces or higher capacity hydronic heating systems.

    In Maine, I think I would opt to build a small well insulated cabin, an probably try to heat the space with a good wood stove. My brother gets enough wood to heat his house all winter in Michigan for what I'd pay for a month's worth of propane, buying it in 20 pound bottles.
  • I_am_still_wayn's avatar
    I_am_still_wayn
    Explorer
    Aug 01, 2013
    blangen wrote:
    Even experienced RVers have to take careful steps in understanding how to set up for extreme temps/conditions... and often fail, mitigate the damages, research and implement the solutions. There is a big learning curve with what you are contemplating. I think you should stick to your studies by moving in with roommates on or close to campus (so you won't even need to pay for a car) and leave the rest to those who have the time to dedicate to the learning curve of extreme RVing. I'm really sorry to have not answered your questions but the questions, themselves, would have to be dissected into manageable pieces to even begin to provide answers. For example, just "needing to shovel the roof off" is a can of worms where one little mistake can be a fairly big problem.


    This is very good advice.

    I lived in a 4 season RV for 5 years but moved to warmer climates in the winter. I did experience temperatures in the high teens on several occasions, and being an experienced Rver and a very well insulated trailer, I did quite well, actually. However, what you are asking is not practical, even for an experienced RVer. Any recreational vehicle is not designed for extreme fulltime habitation. You will be making a serious mistake.
  • doxiemom11's avatar
    doxiemom11
    Explorer II
    Aug 01, 2013
    We have a well insulated motorhome with dual pane windows and would not attempt what you are talking about. We spent the past 2 winters in central Alabama where the lowest temp was 26 but most times above freezing and mid fifties during the day. We went thru a lot of propane and electricity (little electric heater) in Jan and Feb. We are heading further south this winter. I'd go for the insulated, heated cottage.
  • deleted-2's avatar
    deleted-2
    Explorer II
    Aug 01, 2013
    I lived in a 30 foot fifth wheel year round for three years (1999 to 2001) while working in Northern Utah.

    My RV was parked at a mobile home park so that made some things simple.
    The coach was bought brand new for this purpose it was a KIT Espre 294f with 14 foot slide out.
    My trailer was set on handjacks under the frame so it was solid on concrete.
    I kept the tires covered, yet they still had to be replaced before the trailer was moved.

    Winter temps in single digits were doable.
    I did go thru 100 gallon tank of propane monthly however.
    Stayed pretty comfortable actually.

    Condensation even with one person inside was a problem in Winter.
    A small dehumidifier solved that.

    I did have an air leak under the entry door that I fought with.
    Finally found the right door seal to stop that.
    When temps are zero in a 15 to 20 mph wind you will feel the air thru a pin hole.

    I lost 2 water heaters due to hard water and constant use.
    The water heater was propane only so the pilot light was going 24\7

    The water bib to the trailer froze solid and ice crawled down the pipe into the ground the first winter I was in the fiver.
    A friend brought a generator welder over to cherry the pipe and get water flowing.
    We got bags of cow manure to stack over the water line to keep it warm after that no problems.

    Warm weather was of course no issue except when the heat got bad say hi 80's the AC cycled constantly and dried me out so to speak.

    Dis-cluding rent for the space I think I spent on average $80-$100 a month for propane, water and electricity.
    I rented a propane tank and bought gas from a jobber.
    That was the cheapest way for me to go.
    A hundred gallons would last over six months in weather above 45 degrees.
    Winter of course was a different story.

    Other than a few minor things I enjoyed living fulltime in my 30 footer.
    The trailer did very well, as a matter of fact we just sold it in April.

    Any questions just PM or post!
    Regards and good luck!
  • blangen's avatar
    blangen
    Explorer
    Aug 01, 2013
    Even experienced RVers have to take careful steps in understanding how to set up for extreme temps/conditions... and often fail, mitigate the damages, research and implement the solutions. There is a big learning curve with what you are contemplating. I think you should stick to your studies by moving in with roommates on or close to campus (so you won't even need to pay for a car) and leave the rest to those who have the time to dedicate to the learning curve of extreme RVing. I'm really sorry to have not answered your questions but the questions, themselves, would have to be dissected into manageable pieces to even begin to provide answers. For example, just "needing to shovel the roof off" is a can of worms where one little mistake can be a fairly big problem.
  • HappyKayakers's avatar
    HappyKayakers
    Explorer III
    Aug 01, 2013
    TJ207 wrote:
    2. Maine winter temperatures vary but generally in the area I will be in it tends to stay between 10 to 25 degrees. With occasions where for nights it can stay around zero degrees. Will I be burning through a lot of propane in an RV to stay comfortably warm? Say around 65 degrees? By a lot I mean a 20 pound tank every week. For insulation on the RV I was planning on a skirting of painted plywood with foam insulation backing.


    At temps like those you could go through a 20lb cylinder in a day. I can't speak for all RVers but I spent a winter in Amarillo TX in my 5th wheel. The local propane company provide a large external tank which they plumbed directly to the RV and had to refill several times that season. Fortunately, I was workamping and the RV park picked up the tab for that.

    Do you have any other options? Don't most college towns have a lot of apartments/houses for roommate arrangements?
  • bsinmich's avatar
    bsinmich
    Explorer
    Aug 01, 2013
    Not all RVs are built the same way. The cheaper ones have less insulation while some of the higher priced ones get more insulation. You could be looking at a 20# propane tank every other night. Bales of straw around the edges give a little more help than aluminum skirting. Unless you get dual pane windows (slim chance) you are going to have condensation and need the dehumidifier a lot. If water and holding tanks are outside they will freeze!! That is where they usually are on TTs.

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