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GJim's avatar
GJim
Explorer
Feb 04, 2015

Foam panel skirting

A family medical issue has me leaving warm/sunny Florida to spend the remainder of the winter in Montana, at my sister's place.

I want to skirt the MH when I get there; Sis has access to 1-inch thick, and 2-inch thick, foam panels, at no cost.

Any ideas on how to install/attach these around the MH?

MH is 1997 Newmar Dutch Star - 35-feet with one living room slide.

AtDhVaAnNkCsE

G-Jim c):{-
  • I like the 2x4 frame with 2" foam idea. I didn't do that though. I insulated under my slides and inside windows, skylight, and vents. Hay bays are good home for rodents. Big construction concrete blanket and reflective foam in front window and foam inside upper cabinets. Lowes and menards and amazon have rolls of the reflective foam.
  • AllegroD wrote:
    The real issue is how are you going to protect water spigots and water bay/lines? And how you frame around the steps.


    As stated in the first reply that I posted, I'm not hooked up to water/sewer - and I drained/winterized the water lines before I got here.

    I'm leaving the spot open at the steps. The photo shows the east side of the MH - prevailing winds are from the west/north-west. Sis' house also acts as a wind-break as I'm parked on the east side of the house.
  • jhilley wrote:
    What kind of a difference did the straw bales make?


    Can't say for certain since I put the bales in place shortly after I got here about a month ago. The floor is cold, but I'm certain that it would be MUCH colder without the bales in place as a wind-break.
  • The real issue is how are you going to protect water spigots and water bay/lines? And how you frame around the steps.
  • I was able to obtain some 'older' straw bales at no cost to put around the MH. This is how everything looked earlier this morning.

  • We just spent 3 1/2 months in our motor home in North Dakota. We were living in it while our new house was being built. In November we had 3 weeks below zero and in December we had 2 weeks below zero. We didn't have any skirting. We have a 2003 Winnebago Adventurer 38G. One thing you will probably want is a larger propane tank. We had a 125 gallon tank and a MB Sturgis Extend-A-Stay on the motor home. Below zero we used 4 gallons of propane per day. We also had two 1500 watt electric heaters, one at each end of motor home.
  • Foam might free but have you considered putting straw or hay bales around the motor home? Might have to buy them but would not require you buy material for framing plus I think bales might provide more insulation than the foam.
  • Thanks. I saw one posting about building a frame - will probably go that route. I won't be hooking up to water nor sewer and I have already winterized my water lines. Won't be doing hardly any cooking in the MH, all that will take place inside Sis' house - may use the microwave for a 'hot toddy'! I'll have both electric and propane available for heat. Just wanting to make the floor a bit warmer.