The Final Information to Winter RV Tenting

Should you’re contemplating hanging out on a winter RV tenting journey, good for you! It’s an unbelievable alternative to get some really distinctive tenting experiences underneath your belt.

Nevertheless, winter tenting in an RV isn’t all enjoyable and video games – there’s loads of prep to do beforehand. Right here’s our full information to RV tenting within the winter!

“Winterizing” Your RV

What’s Winterizing?

To place it merely, winterizing your RV is the method of guaranteeing that your pipes received’t burst because of the temperature dropping beneath freezing.

Identical to pipes can freeze and burst in your own home, they’ll additionally freeze and burst in your RV. Actually, it’s extra possible that they’ll burst in your RV than in your house.

Ought to You Winterize Your RV Earlier than Winter RV Tenting?

In case your winter RV tenting journey goes to take you someplace with below-freezing temperatures, it’s finest to winterize earlier than you go.

Even when the temperatures are technically above freezing, keep in mind that wind chill can play an element, and climate apps aren’t all the time correct. It’s higher protected than sorry.

Winterizing your RV will imply that you could’t use the water–not even for showering. Should you’re deeply hooked up to having your water operating in your winter tenting journey, you should buy a heated hose and pipe heaters.

What You Must Winterize Your RV

To winterize your RV, all you’ll want is a toolkit (together with wrenches, pliers or screwdrivers, and a flashlight) and antifreeze.

You additionally may have a water heater bypass package, however provided that your RV doesn’t have already got a bypass put in! Be sure to examine earlier than you start winterizing.

Whereas studying easy methods to winterize your RV might be difficult the primary time, it’s price it to keep away from mopping up floodwater out of your RV and having to take care of damaged pipes.

Discovering the Proper Winter Campground

What to Look For

Should you’re winterizing your RV, you’ll wish to ensure you select a campground with a bathhouse, until it’s a really brief journey. Physique odor and RVs don’t mesh nicely.

You’ll additionally wish to select a campground with potable water obtainable, or ensure you convey lots alongside. With antifreeze in your pipes, you’re not going to have the ability to entry any in any other case.

Attempt to monitor down campgrounds that provide alternatives for winter actions, similar to cross-country snowboarding, sledding, ice skating, and extra.

Should you can, choose a campground the place firewood is obtainable for buy, both inside the campground itself or shut by. Odds are you’ll need a fireplace going extra usually than you would possibly in the summertime.

What to Keep away from

Attempt to not choose campgrounds which are fairly distant for winter RV tenting.

Winter climate might be unpredictable and harmful, and in case of emergencies, it will likely be safer to remain nearer to civilization…and cell service!

If something goes incorrect with the RV or you find yourself stranded for any purpose, you’ll need to have the ability to contact assist.

Until you’re a practiced winter RV camper, it won’t be sensible to boondock in your first winter tenting journey. Staying in remoted areas within the winter is a substantial danger, particularly since you received’t be capable of use the heating perform in your RV.

Finest Time to Go RV Tenting within the Winter

Attempt to keep away from tenting in January; out of all of the winter months, January is the coldest in 90% of the USA!

Should you don’t have vacation plans with prolonged household, December is the very best month for winter tenting if you wish to keep away from essentially the most crowds. Most individuals don’t spend the vacation season of their RV, so it may possibly make for a peaceable and distinctive technique to bond along with your shut household over the vacations!

When you have your coronary heart set in your vacation traditions–or just have a busy December–November or February can each be good for winter tenting, as nicely. Simply have in mind they could lean hotter than different months. Since November is correct on the cusp between fall and winter, the campgrounds should be a bit crowded, too.

Staying Heat on Your Winter RV Tenting Journey

When to Purchase a Heater

Not all RVs require a separate heater, notably in case you select to insulate the undercarriage of your RV. Nevertheless, it’s not unwise to maintain one available.

As a result of the RV is a smaller house, you don’t have to put money into something too fancy; a heater that may cowl the house of 1 room ought to do it. You should purchase one which runs on electrical energy, or a gas-powered one in case you do select to boondock or keep in a campground with out electrical hookups.

Choices for Insulation

Insulating your RV (or “skirting” your RV) is a straightforward manner to assist preserve your pipes safer and the RV itself a lot hotter!

You should use skirting kits, get a custom-made vinyl tarp on your RV’s dimensions, or lower your expenses by DIYing the skirting/

Vinyl is the favored alternative of fabric for insulation, however you may as well use foam, canvas, polyethylene, and even plywood!

What You Want for Winter RV Tenting

Snow and Ice Scrapers

This may occasionally appear to be a no brainer, however it may be straightforward to neglect, particularly if in case you have a motorhome as a substitute of a journey trailer!

We don’t all the time take into consideration needing a snow and ice scraper for our RVs; in spite of everything, we normally drive them in the summertime.

However similar to our different automobiles, RVs can get crusted in snow and ice, which may make it troublesome and even inconceivable to maneuver them. At all times convey a scraper alongside!

Snow Tires and/or Snow Chains

Snow tires for RVs might be troublesome to trace down, however they’re on the market if you wish to put money into them. Should you’re not going to be winter tenting usually, you in all probability don’t want to fret about swapping out your tires.

You should use snow chains on RV tires; nonetheless, it’s extremely really useful that you simply solely use them in an emergency, and that you simply take them off as quickly as you may. They will injury your RV’s tires fairly a bit if used for too lengthy.

It’s simply good to have them available in case you find yourself caught.

Automotive Emergency Package

Repurposing a automobile emergency package as your RV emergency package is one other good technique to prep for potential points. You wish to be ready for a winter climate emergency it doesn’t matter what you occur to be driving!

Two elements of a automobile emergency package you completely ought to have available for winter RV tenting are cat litter and rock salt. These will likely be your new finest mates if it’s important to get your RV unstuck in slippery, snowy circumstances.

Meals and Water

Deliver loads of meals and water in your journey–together with emergency rations and non-perishable objects. Should you lose energy or find yourself caught within the campground for longer than anticipated, you’ll be comfortable you overprepared.

As talked about, drinkable water can be essential, contemplating your pipes will likely be full of antifreeze. Refill greater than you assume you want, and refill much more than that if the campground doesn’t have potable water.

Heat Out of doors Gear

Be sure to convey all the required winter out of doors gear–not only a coat! You wish to ensure you have sturdy, heat boots, gloves, a hat, and perhaps even snowpants or a snowsuit.

You’ll additionally wish to convey hand and foot heaters. Keep in mind you’ll be spending numerous time outdoor, even when it’s simply across the fireplace! Numb fingers and toes are not any enjoyable for anybody, and frostbite can occur even if you’re a number of ft away out of your heat RV.

Frostbite can occur shortly, and it may possibly occur with out you being conscious of it! It’s all the time higher protected than sorry in the case of sporting your winter gear.

Further Firewood

If the campground doesn’t have firewood on the market–and actually, even when it does–ensure you convey loads of further firewood together with you, so long as it’s allowed.

Should you lose energy whereas RV tenting within the winter, the hearth could turn out to be your new cooking medium, in addition to a warmth supply. You wish to ensure you received’t run out of gasoline for it!

Further Gas for the Heater–and Your Car!

Talking of gasoline and warmth sources, if in case you have an extra heater that requires a gasoline aside from electrical energy (similar to propane), ensure you convey further propane alongside.

Attempt to convey further gasoline as nicely.

Creature Comforts

This “necessity” is definitely centered by yourself enjoyment greater than precise want!

Whereas RV tenting within the winter, you would possibly discover that sure issues are completely different than they’re in the summertime. As an example, the flooring would possibly get extraordinarily chilly.

Bringing alongside heat socks or slippers is a good way to beat the brand new chill beneath your ft!

It’s also possible to convey alongside different objects to remain cozy, similar to fluffy robes, heated blankets, heat PJs, and particular snacks.

We additionally suggest bringing the elements to make your favourite sizzling chocolate, espresso, or tea, in addition to some favourite mugs.

In Case of Emergency

What To Do If You Get “Snowed In”

Should you get “snowed in” and may’t depart the campground, there are some things it’s best to do.

First, ensure you sweep all of the snow off the highest of your RV from time to time. If snow piles up an excessive amount of, its weight could cause injury to the roof. It could possibly even lead to drafts and leaks!

Secondly, contact your emergency contacts and allow them to know the place you might be and what’s taking place. Set a time to contact them once more. If one thing goes incorrect, it’s essential that somebody is conscious of the place you might be.

Thirdly, preserve salting your steps all the way down to preserve ice from gathering. A fall is rarely good, nevertheless it’s particularly not excellent within the midst of a storm.

When you have advance discover {that a} storm is on its manner, attempt to put together forward of time. Begin conserving sources like water, meals, and gasoline, and put together to hunker down for some time.

What To Do If Your Pipes Burst

Should you do select to not winterize your RV earlier than your winter RV tenting journey, it’s possible you’ll find yourself with a burst pipe. Should you attempt to flip your water on and spot leakage or flooding, right here’s what you do.

First, shut off the water pump.

Subsequent, attempt your finest to trace down the burst pipe. This might take some time; the burst pipe may very well be hiding inside a panel or cupboard or within the underbelly of the RV itself.

When you find the burst pipe, use leak restore tape to seal it off. That is solely a brief repair, however it’ll purchase you time to get someplace the place it may be repaired!

Mop up the standing water earlier than you’re taking your RV to the restore store. In any other case, you would possibly find yourself with water injury.

What To Do If The Roads Are Slick

Should you’re driving your motorhome or dragging your journey trailer behind you, and also you discover the street circumstances have turn out to be icy and harmful, don’t attempt to push by means of.

As a substitute, flip in your hazards, pull over slowly and thoroughly, and put together to attend out the storm.

Motorhomes are far tougher to cease than your common automobile, and journey trailers can throw off your car’s stability. Slippery roads are all the time a hazard, however they’re even worse in case you’re driving with an RV in tow.

Should you completely need to preserve going, go as sluggish as is protected alongside different visitors. Be particularly cautious when taking curves or turns, and don’t slam on the brake or speed up quickly. At all times use your alerts, and take into account that different drivers could not be capable of see you as nicely.

Why Go RV Tenting within the Winter?

Winter Sports activities Alternatives

As talked about earlier, winter sports activities are one of many large perks of RV tenting within the winter! You possibly can head out to some unbelievable locations for snowboarding or sledding and know that you’ve a pleasant heat RV to return again to.

Snow Hikes

Mountain climbing within the snow is an expertise that may result in some really unbelievable views. Many tenting trails provide lookout spots, however few individuals get to expertise these views with snow glittering over each floor.

Totally different Wildlife

You’ll possible spot a unique number of wildlife within the winter than in the summertime. Actually, with a backdrop of white and never as a lot foliage to cover themselves in, it’s possible you’ll even spot extra wildlife than common!

Emptier Campgrounds

Final however not least, it doesn’t matter what month you select on your winter RV tenting tour, the campgrounds will likely be significantly much less crowded than within the busy season.

This additionally means the paths will likely be much less congested!

Winter RV Tenting Isn’t For The Faint of Coronary heart, However…

Although winter RV tenting would require extra effort, preparation, and probably some fast pondering, it’s additionally one of many biggest adventures you may have in the course of the snowy season.

For extra winter tenting recommendation, go to our winter tenting part now!