DON'T FREEZE! - Insulating RV for Winter with Reflectix, Foam Board, & Skirting - RV Life

[@FateUnbound]

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[@RVingwithG]

Size the Blue formboard up to fit and CUT it in half. then put in one piece (side) at a time with string pulling them out and lock the string down with the door. ..??

[@johnnyellis9760]

Regarding the foam near the battery storage. Put the foam on the back of the doors. This way it will be present and easily access that area.

[@duncanyoung5482]

Exactly what I was going to suggest.

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

Greetings; I love your videos and would really like to try RVing full time but I have no idea how to make money remotely while traveling. Can you give me any advice please? Thank you so much for your awesome videos and any advice you can give me would be great.

[@AM.000]

I know I'm late, but for the pass thru foam. You need to just make duct tape loops. So top to bottom in the back, you have duct tape on the foam, then go toward the front extended as tabs to pull...and loop the tape to stick to itself, so the tabs are not sticky. Apply the duct tape, and loop indoors. Roll, to make sure it has adhesion. Give it 24 hours indoors, before you take it outdoors to the cold.

[@ssteele1812]

Having done 5 full time winters in central Iowa, skirting is a must. First year I just used plywood. Second year, I made my own tarp skirting with oiled tarp that I bought from a truck tarp mfg. Last few years I used 2" blue foam board. I just learned it up against the side of the camper and taped the seams. The shape and rigidity held it to the camper. I also made some "cleats" from lengths of 1x3 with a hole drilled thru them. I bought several 12" sections of rebar and hammered them into the ground behind the panels. Last winter hit -40 for several days with some days having 20-30 MPH winds. Foam board held up perfectly. Pro tip, taking the fender flares off the camper makes the foam board sit flush up against the camper walls in those areas. As for windows. Best results I got was from using the clear film on the inside and outside of the window. If you do both, it creates a large "air gap" and prevents drafts. No need to leave the weep holes open either because condensation can't form between the layers. You think the drafts are bad, wait until you realize that aluminum is a heat sink and all the window frames and door frames are made from aluminum. Even with it 70° in my camper there were days that all my frames were frosted over. This year, we are headed to AZ.

[@dsclassic6568]

Thanks for the tips!

[@homesweethome1494]

What about condensation on the windows or frames? You're very informative and have some great ideas

[@kennethjohnson7973]

I'm going to do the same thing to my camper thank you cuz I was going to just put it next to the frame but now you saved me alot of hard work so thank you.

[@BigDaddy-nn8kf]

What’s this clear film you speak of?

[@tom1959100]

I wonder if one can't take some thick, high quality duct tape and cover the outside aluminum portion of your doors and windows to prevent the "frosting" of the inside part during extreme cold temps. Also...use some thicker plastic to cover the inside and outside of your windows....kinda like what you get with the cheaper picture frames at Walmart. Then use some adhesive weather stripping next to the window, then again, use the heavy duty duct tape to hold it in place and help to seal it.

[@scottdiemer8006]

Put bubble wrap between window and reflective will help even more.

[@arthurperrea3714]

what Scott said , that would be the way to go

[@BeyondBlessed333]

They make bubble wrap reflective. All in one.

[@javaman2883]

@@BeyondBlessed333 Which is what's being installed here. I think what @scottdiemer8006 is going for is that bubble wrap is so much cheaper than bubble wrap with reflective, aka Reflectix, that plain bubble wrap could be used as a second layer for better insulation.

[@camerongawd01]

Something I have done as well to help draw the heat into the cabin is to put black cloth on the outside of the reflectics... so instead of reflecting away the heat, it draws it in. The inside part of the covering is very warm. In the Summertime, I simply flip the covering around and it reflects out the heat, lowering the temperature inside by at least 10-15 degrees.

[@Maven0666]

I forgot about that. I have reflective white shades in winter. No wonder it is freezing.

[@NCCaliGirl23]

how do you know which side is which

[@theaveragejoebody]

​@NCCaliGirl23 it doesn't matter unless you have silver on one side and black on the other. Black facing out during winter silver facing out during summer

[@outbackeddie]

Maybe spray painting one side of the reflectix black would do the same thing. I may give that a try.

[@chaolan77]

That was my suggestion too. Have had both white & dark color cars & the difference in direct sun is huge.

[@Genjonez-o763]

Big bubble bubble wrap works great for this. It lets the light in and there is a lot of air space which helps with insulation. Once you cut it to fit the window you just have to spray the window with water and it sticks.

[@in_8_ly]

This works well in old houses too.

[@lil_Marie_Red]

I do that in my cottage. plus it allows the sun to warm RV with sunlight during the day. Walmart sales rolls for about $45 to $50. I think. Dont throw any away during off season. Save it. I perfer the smaller bubbles for glass.

[@mimijohnson7714]

We did this exact same thing in our previous camper a 2013, it DID help with keeping us warmer BUT we also had A LOT of condensation and unknowingly mold developed inside the walls. Ended up taking a huge loss on the camper. 😟😗 So if you can find a good dehumidifier DO and pull those away from the windows and check for moisture (at least once a day). Just a heads up I’d hate for someone else to go through what we have.

[@meredith2277]

Thanks for this heads up, Mimi :)

[@kellyjford1]

I used a lot of the Moisture bags XL from walmart in my camper and they help tremendously. I also want to get a humidity sensor also. Great comment/advice, thanks!

[@susans7091]

And using propane to heat and cook puts a lot of humidity into the air.

[@colty7764]

ventilation is important.. just some small openings to the outside to keep dryer air inside will do the trick. Reflectix prevents radiant heat transfer... conduction and convection are the other 2 ways heat is transferred. A small opening allows some convective heat loss, but the net loss is relatively small if the openings are small. The dryer air makes it feel warmer and keeps mold away.

[@MrGwizyadig]

@@colty7764 how do you make a small opening?

[@joellenbruce1423]

to insulate those front bay door....cut hard foam to fit the inside of the door....use double stick tape or velcro it to door...IE like an Attic entry board in a house

[@MamaBaer54]

Thats what I was going to suggest.

[@patriciat2609]

My thoughts exactly.

[@robbyboozer4122]

Velcro.

[@SmallJack86]

Use some washers and screw cabinet door handles to the foam insulation for easier installation and removal. We also do this with our ceiling vents

[@joanies6778]

Exactly, and on the inside you can add an extra layer of foam insulation around the opening. Just like you do to insulate a door on a house.

[@HappilyEverHanks]

This is just what we needed to watch!! Thank you! We are full timing in our 5th wheel in PA this winter and are way behind with preparation! Safe travels! ~Renee and Kyle

[@kathleenhartman5972]

thanks guys, Fate Unbound was one of the 1st KZbin’s we started watching in preparation to become a full timer, nearly 3 years ago. Oct 2020 we finally got our RV and we still come to KZbin to see what you two are doing. We did get a skirt made for our RV as we are skiers as we plan on spending the winter near different areas. The skirt was custom made for the ORV by Extreme Covers in Boise Idaho for $2600. It folds up into a Rubbermaid container. We have it staked to the ground. So we are pretty snug. We also keep our gas furnace at 55 degrees and use an electric space heater when we are awake. We hope to see you on the road sometime. Kat & Rog

[@TheHunTwo]

Rock wool is great for insulation, sound proofing, fire proof and water proof. This stuff is expensive, but outstanding.

[@mikemills4608]

Been FT stationary in Colorado for almost 2 years, & skirting helps a heap. Got ours custom-cut & installed, and it keeps it about 30 degrees warmer in the underside than the outside air. Only saw it drop down below freezing a couple times when it was below zero outside. Also, little tip for the shower vent cover - leave it up year-round. We bought an RV vent insulator (basically a foam pillow with reflection on one side) off of Amazon, & makes a huge difference. You want to put the reflection facing up to reflect heat in the summer. Ours would get so hot on the reflection side that you cannot touch it. I attached a cloth handle on the bottom so you can remove it everytime you want to use the vent.

[@brucegillingham2793]

We purchased rolls of velcro and then attached sections to the window frames and the back of each windows reflectix.

[@stevethune6780]

The lack of sunlight would drive me nuts, but the actions and work make perfect sense and are needed in cold weather. I would encourage you to look at some sort of dehumidifier as the propane heat puts out moisture - not to mention the moisture created by your entire family!

[@georgekatsinis5224]

They said they were using 2 x 750w electric space heaters with great success.

[@cmcdar]

@@georgekatsinis5224 The lack of sunlight drives me nuts too so I cut out a smaller 12x12 inch "window" in the Reflectix and taped in clear bubble wrap inserts. Now we get daylight in camper.

[@georgemoomaw9437]

How can the sealed burner of the propane heater add moisture?

[@krisg3984]

👌 true. Cold air seeps . And robs heat. You guys look prepared

[@Banagal]

I LOVE how Sweety gets up to bark & howl goodbye! :) Stay warm and toasty in the mid-west.

[@brucepennell3090]

I am using 1-1/2 R-Tech foam board with foil side facing in for skirting this winter. 4x8 sheets are less than $15 @ Home Depot. Cuts easily. Using same theory you did with other parts of your insulation process....just cut slightly larger than your ground to bottom of trailer height and tip the sheets in. I also drove a short section of rebar into the ground on inside mid panel before tipping panel in. Provides a stop at the bottom. In addition I added 3/4 inch foam pipe covering to the top of the panels before tipping in. This provided a tighter fit and since it has more give than the foam board makes up for slight variations in ground or trailer bottom. Taped the seam between panels with all weather 3m duct tape and then painted the whole thing. Total cost under $200 for a 24 foot trailer with a super slide. Has withstood 60 mph wind gusts without shifting and looks good. Took maybe 4 hours to install minus painting. Figure I can remove it in under an hour. It is inexpensive enough to discard at seasons end if you won't be staying in the same place again. No holes required in your trailer and probably better insulation than those expensive vinyl skirts. Second the idea of glueing foam to inside of your pass through doors.

[@adevore1971]

You make it sound so easy! Are you in my neighborhood? (South bc Canada) Lol hellllp!!

[@harlandfazardo799]

Makes it nice and dark for day time sleeping as well

[@RoamingwiththeRamsays]

For the storage bay doors, cut the foam board insulation to the size of the door and use double sided tape to adhere it to the door. For ease of opening and closing the door you may want to take a knife and chamfer the edges at a 45 degree angle to make sure it doesn't catch when opening or closing.

[@mstonitoni7381]

Skirting can be made from tarps and noodles and mounted using velcro. Cheaper and no drilling into exterior. Also, to mitigate the boxed in feeling that tends to come with reflecting all your windows you might consider using art either paintings, attached to reflectix or on the window blinds.

[@kontopoulos3107]

Or magnets, as I found Velcro in hot climate looses it's stickiness & falls off (if not sewn /stapled down) 😢

[@mcp9930]

All good to keep cold at bay. Having said that, closing off windows like this with no view outside for us would equal 100% ‘major depression’. We’re fulltimers and are in Vancouver Canada right now. We’ve used 3M window insulator kits before in ours previous RV and they work great! Haven’t done anything yet this year.

[@crystolperry5150]

We love winter camping we had pop up campers for a few years and this stuff is amazing in winter and even in summer it reflects so much!!!

[@bigdaddeo76]

Here's an idea for those 2 storage doors: cut a piece of blue board the size of the lip. Then glue it to the inside of the door.

[@dianapearson1771]

Or use the gas tape so it's removable

[@javaman2883]

Tape a 2 inch strip of Reflectix to the outer edge of the blue board. It will act as a gasket to hold the blue board in the lip.

[@TKnEarl]

This is exactly what we were looking for! Even though we're staying mostly in the south during the winter, the nights can get near freezing. I'm stingy when it comes to the propane, so using the space heaters and insulating with your suggestions is going to be a big help. Thanks!

[@gerrypolinsky3305]

A couple of ideas: You can insulate the vent above the stove by filling the outside vent with a piece of memory foam. You can sometimes get scraps from places that work with that material. As to the doors to your battery compartment, you can hot glue foam board to the inside of the door. Cut it just wide enough to be able to close the doors and it will make a good seal. Added bonus, you won't need to remove the insulation to get at the working bits enclosed in that compartment.

[@VanLifeStorytelling]

I am moving into a small tiny home 8x16 in Newport, TN in mid-January 2023 and need to paint the interior of the home and until I get some blinds or shades made this Reflectix material should help temporary as I paint the interior. Thanks.

[@therealdeal67]

First of all I noticed the green Christmas lights and thought that was pretty cool to see. As always great presentation on insulating the inside of your rv. You and Roe always blow me away with the great videos you Both make. You both are made for the camera but Sweetie always steals the show. Have a wonderful Christmas and new year , stay warm and take care of the fur babies. Take care and God Bless You Both and fur babies.

[@Robyrob7771]

Reflectix helps a ton. With everything you’ve done the floor will be your biggest heat loss. Throw rugs for the floor and stuff in batte insulation in the stove vent.

[@NormRidg]

Great tips! We took our all season camper to KC when it was suppose to get down to 25 F. One morning was 3 F instead. We discovered reflectics. Windows went from open door refrigerators to something respectibile. Night and day difference. A must have for RV's in cold weather. Access door. Glue blue board to back of door, needs to recessed on edges to clear the door frame when it closes. Attach blue board from the inside to the opening with the blue board opening slightly larger than the actual opening. Sized so when the door closes the blue board on door and blue board around the back of the opening mesh. Works best if the blue board edges are at 45 deg angles.

[@no_worries_van]

To stay warm I taped clear painting sheet over the outside of the windows with aluminum foil tape (it doesn’t leave residue) and it keeps condensation down. I also got foam insulation board as skirting and just cut it to fit and taped it with the foil tape to the trailer and rocks/bricks against it to keep it from blowing away or you can dig a slit in the dirt for it to wedge into. Hope this helps! I survived the nasty week long winter storm in Texas with these solutions🤪

[@dancingbearhollow7193]

Love you videos. We are new this year to RVing. But we did still figure out some of the installation issues. They actually make "pillows" that fit into the vents. They are easy to put in and take out. Because even if it is cold we use our vent when showing. Our windows are smaller so I bought windshield covers at a discount store which is same material as you used. But I cut ours the same shape as the outside edge of our windows. Then using four (one in each corner) Command velcro strips to attach our window installation to windows at night. And because we used the windshield covers they fold up nice and neat for storage! The other thing we did was in our understorage under our bed (like yours) we actually installed foam sheets cut to size between the studs. When I say studs I mean like where you have that utility light hanging from. Love your videos!!!

[@kennethjohnson7973]

Thank you for this I just got a big camper 29 feet long with very big windows so I need to get the roll of that. I live in Southern Indiana its already ice cold I don't have heat in camper yet but I get a buddy heater next month. That will help me stay warm and that helped me better. So thanks again.

[@Nomadic_Justin]

Been doing this for years and it works great. Also nice to not be woken up by the light every morning .

[@skeeterforever6475]

We spent a winter in Alaska in our fifth wheel and we just took the skirting and just wedge it around the trailer. Worked awesome. Great job keeping your trailer warm.

[@jakes1292]

Its been 3 years and we are all more traveled. ))) In Japan they sell 2 sided bubble wrap that is transluscent and made to insulate windows, supporting positive living space. In the US we can get 1" bubble wrap and double it up while taping closed the perimeter. This will make almost a R5 transluscent pullow for the windows. I tape or stuff the bubble wrap pillow over the aluminum window frame. When sealed over the aluminum window frame I find there is almost no moisture condinsation after cooking or showers.

[@RVLIVINGLIFE]

For skirting, the people beside me used 2x2 and vinyl siding, cheap and easy. Discard it when spring comes. Also for those doors outside, you can buy none residue duct tape now to seal all air from going in.

[@AlcoholFreeRV]

Love the accent lights! Nice attention to detail on the insulation. We did the reflectix Year one. Too Dark for us. Year 2 was the window film. Not warm enough. This year, We are doing plexiglass storm windows, our video on that is coming out this wednesday! 😀

[@AlcoholFreeRV]

Oh one more thing, around these parts, some people use reflectix for that too! And foil tape apparently comes off cleanly. We chose a manufactured custom skirt, and those are $$$$ We paid around 2500! Worth it for us since we usually winter in Colorado. for one-time use, not ideal!

[@richardlovins6222]

Yes that reflects works great I live in central Illinois year round at five below outside it was seventy five inside and I have one big slide out I just winterized my water lines and b/g tanks for some winter usage great job 👍👍👍

[@stephkenaston2568]

lol I CANT STOPWATCHING! Maybe it’s just because it was 19° outside and 52° inside my class this morning. Thanks for showing me the ins and outs of it. Definitely going to get some of this.

[@athroop1321]

I made a set for our camper two years ago. Used them the other night here in Indiana also. Work wonders in the summer and winter.

[@loriw2661]

You can use the “Pink” household insulation and hand stuff it into the oven vent. You can use insulation board, cut to size for the skirting.

[@johnkelleher8230]

Use the foam pipe wrap cut a small notch in the middle for the bar it will be easy to remove and re-install and will fit tight in the vent

[@RaymondMercier-s8o]

Thank you for the tips! I currently live full time in a trailer here in Canada to be exact and we get some cold winters! Definetly anything helps, but a massive piece was adding a wood stove and getting high density insulation Mat for floor and will be framing the bathroom floor and insulating with spray foam as there is no furnace and it’s more about keeping warm

[@Inspiringsuccess2]

What kind of stove did you install and how did you do it?

[@stinkysrvadventures8620]

might want to put some insulation on roof of storage bay. will keep your bed warmer.

[@TKnEarl]

I was thinking this too. That should help out a lot.

[@hondagarage9331]

I made my own trailer skirts out of the same material you used for your windows works fantastic

[@leighsheppard8614]

My wife and I are spending the winter on the south end of Vancouver Island. It is a very temperate climate but still gets down to freezing temperatures occasionally. We are in an RV park with dozens of other full-timers and notice that many of them have skirted their motorhomes, 5th wheels, Airstreams, etc with Reflectix at a fraction of the cost of commercial skirting. The Reflectix is held on with FlexPro silver tape that does not leave a residue when removed. Those that have used it claim it works like a charm and can be installed in a few hours for only a few hundred dollars in material.

[@jackhinds7187]

For the front bay openings, cut foam to fit then cut it in half, then make some pull tabs and hinge with duct tape so that it tightens as you flatten it out...for the stove vent make a small box out of foam board with a small spring to attach to that support bar. Love the videos and seeing the fur babies...

[@asadventures_moriicoddiwomple]

We do all of it for winter camping. We made our skirt out of reflectix (painted black) and used parachute cording around the frame under the edge. Then, we used Christmas light clamps attached to the inside edge of the reflectix so they can hook to the cord. We also put a few extention rods on some places between the ground and bottom of the trailer to help keep it in place in wind. Works pretty well and keeps it about 7°- 9° warmer under the trailer.

[@notyouraverageexplorer]

We made our skirting for our 5th wheel. Built wood frames & installed sheet insulation on it. No need to attach anything to your trailer. One Iowa winter was an experience for us. We were comfortable but prefer to chase the warmer weather.

[@sr.chinta-louisetorpey5566]

We are new RV'ers and thank-you so much for this video, I'm going to use the same approach! Any more great ideas, please continue to share. Thank-you!!!!

[@diannetipton8208]

She said “Rig”. I’m dumping “Gypsy Wagon”, can’t wait to say “The Rig”!! Pine straw or hay for under skirting. In the Spring, use it for landscape or barn etc. You guys are great!

[@Goaskval]

How about Gypsy Rig? 😊

[@rjhein]

Hey, at the 15:40 point in the vid I recommend you use a couple (one or two) small toilet plungers (for suction) to pull the insulation piece properly into place evenly... I've used that in the past and it works great! (you just suction it to the flat piece of insulation, and pull back towards you to put it into place, then can break the suction seal with your finger, and off you go :)

[@a.shubel]

Thanks so much for these great tips!! 🎉 I have a Springdale 2016. And use STEEL WOOL in the cubby of the main PowerCable. It’s also a great thing to stuff in the Exhaust Vent. Hope that helps!

[@coastsider7645]

Great real world experience you two share with us. My experience says listening to a fan driven portable space heater is distracting as heck and the smallest oil filled electrical space heater is under 100 dollars, is silent, and heats my trailer's relatively small air volume in a superior way to the fan driven space heater I have like yours. Also, when you activate the comfort temp button, it only goes to 68-70 and shuts off, I keep mine on 600 watts at half thermostat and only turn it up for showers etc in 30 to 55 degree weather and it is better than most houses though I have 2 pane windows

[@rogerstillwater6800]

Insulating the inside restricts air flow to the window which causes condensation that will lead to mildew problems. Insulate the outside while keeping air flow through out the rig.

[@mimijohnson7714]

🎯

[@kingofthetrack8424]

I live in Florida with the wind we get putting anything on the outside hasn't stayed i have a 27 ft coachman and have shore power so i have used those small electric heaters for four years now successfully. I have those outside doors near the bed i use the foam board for the door itself but i use cord sealer to seal the gap , that stopped the wind . for my windows I am using a clear covering that is double sided taped on the inside and you use a hair dryer to shrink it , it's an air tight seal that you can see out . on my slide out the wind blows past all the seals with ease so i use the flex seal tape on those areas on the outside and it seals it perfectly they sell it in white and it blends in ..my water hose gets that black foam as well. The roof vents get foam inserts that are used on the inside for when it gets really cold and i pull them out in warmer weather. We have short winters and i put it back to normal when the warm weather returns. Well worth the effort

[@codeslob2464]

@@kingofthetrack8424 Great ideas thank you.

[@petertousignant6566]

How do you water proof the material you are using for insulation? What did you use to adhere it to the outside?

[@alicial6072]

I use space heaters when I'm hooked up to power they work great.

[@UsetoCud]

I also use small ceramic heaters. I use them with a remote thermostat that you plug the heater into and has a remote control that senses the heat at a distance so you get better regulated heat.

[@pauljenkins5159]

Use some of the foam insulation board to skirt the trailer use some cheap paint to make it look better. You can discard or recycle it when not needed any more. It will make a ton of difference in comfort and keeping water lines and tanks from freezing..

[@patriotdarktolight1780]

stay in my RV trailer -37 last winter in Canada. Enjoy the RV winter season.

[@lovejoypeace9424]

Brave! Hi from Alberta!

[@TheMobilTrader]

Any tips? I'm going to this winter. Nervous about it. Having a skirt made

[@patriotdarktolight1780]

@@TheMobilTraderThis is my 3th years inside my RV, I got a Skirt 2'' foam installed all around, I remove all Propane { Freezer and stove and unplug the propane furnace } installed a Electric furnace, because propane heat make humidity inside the RV, you need to remove all humidity you can, feel like home. 72 degrees all winter. Perfect, Enjoy you RV. Lower temperature was - 37

[@amypayjack6481]

So you do anything other than the skirting? My brother lives in an rv in canada but off grid. He has a small wood stove but condensation and heat loss are a major issue. As soon as the stove dies its cold ​@@patriotdarktolight1780

[@jeffbruehl1531]

Super Good Tips! idea: Since you are plugged in you don't need your fridge venting for the propane mode. So seal the side vent and seal the chimney at the roof. The electric heating element does not need a chimney as it produces no dangerous gases. It only produces heat and it's electric heat at that. That's what you want anyway. The ammonia refrigerant in the system is sealed in the pipe works. I too am a mechanical engineer (1983). Use the heat from the back of the fridge to help heat the inside cabin. In these cold temps the fridge will still keep a normal inside temp easy enough assuming you are not keeping the camper at 40 or less. Get some rebar rods 8 feet long. Cut them in half with a cut off blade hand grinder tool. Stick them in the ground about a foot or so around the perimeter. Make a fence around the camper out of chip board OSB. Attach with conduit pipe clamps or equivalent. Paint it white with black vertical stripes to mimic the usual decorative planking. That will be your wind break skirt which is very important. It does not have to touch the camper. It just has to be close to it. I might be doing some winter trips to Fargo so this is all very important to me now. We Love Your Shows!

[@stinkysrvadventures8620]

I have the same big picture window. I cut mine in 2 sections. 1 for the top, and one for the bottom. I can take out the smaller lower piece when I want to see out or let a little sun in.

[@FateUnbound]

Good idea!

[@jslhopper]

I just fold it, if I want to see some light.

[@larryjanson4011]

even easer. there are these little “pillows” made to fit the roof vents. they work great. good video on covering your windows, if i can add in a bit. go around inside and plug up all the little holes for the wires and plumbing. cover the fresh water piping as possible. there are just cold dead are locations in a rv.

[@petuniaromania6294]

Many folks forget about the wonderful benefits of skirting - no matter where or what they live in :) Some folks are also gluing carpeting to that window insulation, which I think is interesting as well :) Great video.

[@pgrant7688]

I’ve used that radiant barrier. It works for us, mainly in the summertime. Most of our RVing is in Texas and heat is our main problem.

[@kablah777]

Use carpet tape to adhere blueboard to the pass through door. Cut the panel to fit but make all your edge cuts at 45 degree angles so there is room for the door to open and close

[@zzzzhuhzzzz]

For the compartment door... cut a rectangular piece that's just a little larger than the door. Cut two quarter-sized finger holes about 12" apart along the vertical center, like this: x x Insert the panel into the hold lengthwise (short end first), then rotate it and pull it up against the hole using the finger holes. Use a sharpie to mark the inside hatch perimeter. Remove it from the hold, cut it along the sharpie line, then reinsert it in the hole like you did the first time. Use the finger holes to pull it into place, then use duck tape to cover the holes. You could also use some gap filler to fill the holes, but you wouldn't really need to.

[@James-oo7bv]

One thing that works great for widows and roof sunlights and vents in the winter is clear plastic, heat shrink window covering. It is held in place with double sided tape and heat shrunk with a hair dryer, forming an air tight shield from the cold air also creating a barrier preventing condensation.

[@kenatkins3781]

I am SO glad you are insulating the bays. From personal experience water components will freeze

[@sandras1524]

watch out for the condensation on those windows

[@SmallJack86]

And the head of thier bed. Mildew can be a problem up there

[@monamelte8466]

If it gets too cold, you'll have to make sure you turn your propane on so that your pipes don't freeze. Usually around 15 degrees was my cut off. I learned that the hard way

[@chachi5975]

Yep, especially if they don't have skirting!!

[@SlurpJ]

Did the freezing cause damage to the pipes or was it fine after it thawed out?

[@rolandrivera9216]

To round the corners a little easier. Make a template using a clear plastic and with a little tape. Trace with a black marker, cut on the line and you'll have your pattern.

[@AdventuraHighway31]

In Europe at ski resort campgrounds, many trailers and campers have reflective insulation outside the window not inside; these are like soft shutters made of reflective fabrics , kind of one used into aerospace industry. It's the good way to avoid inside condensation. Most important, closed skirt all around the trailer that can also be used as additional storage.

[@asanablue]

Did windows and had this done for summer heat. Your basement insulation good idea! Thanks.

[@kirkgarner7381]

I always find it interesting when a husband and wife have the same haircut. (Super cute, tho.)

[@amandapotter7891]

U can use batting as insulation for your stove vent. It won’t damage the rod and u can stuff it in thick.

[@Tumbleweed2C714]

great job. thanx for all your ideas. check for condensation behind those window foil. I didn't think about the bathroom fan and the vent above the stove. mine is so high i'd have to get a ladder to open and close it so I don't use it. I'm def going to insulate that...I did use the blue insulation board on the back wall on inside of my cabinets where they are mounted to an outside wall. In the summer, the inside of the cabinets heat Dropped 10 degrees in summer and I know are going to be a great help in the winter. On to the cubbies outside cubbies.

[@Firechild704]

As far as the skirting goes, we just purchased some 12 mil tarping off of Amazon for around $40. We are operating off a 23-ft toy hauler in a 25-ft motorhome and we purchased two tarps. Our RV sits two to three feet above the ground so cutting 3' by 50' foot sections will allow us plenty of material to go around the RV. We found some plans for DIY skirting on Pinterest. We plan to use a collete kit to put in metal rings and attach adhesive hooks to the outside of the RV to hold it up. Simply tucking it under at the bottom, putting snow on or pieces of wood should hold it to the ground. Then of course using a small space heater or light underneath will help keep it warm. Some people use sandbags. With the blue board in the vent area in the bathroom make sure you takes some pieces of tape as tabs so that you can easily pull it out as you need to period especially if you have a lot of humidity you need to get rid of out of the bathroom after showers. Currently sitting in New Mexico at 17° and then headed to Hannibal Missouri in a month.

[@raymondschneider5217]

David and Roe, have done a similar install on the sticks/bricks windows (in Council Bluffs, IA area). Actually, leave some up year round to help with summer sun heat intrusion. One "bummer" is that you lose any vision since the Reflectix is solid; but, the help out-weighs the down-side. It has made a HUGE difference, believe me! Look forward to an upcoming video giving us the results of your IN temps insulation project. Y'all Be Safe!

[@FateUnbound]

You're right it is now SUPER dark inside the trailer without the lights on.

[@soniacheek6768]

Hey just looked at another couple use the foam board and extreme weather tape for installation skirting at the bottom of the RV. It looked really nice.

[@metratone5]

I don't have an RV but I think the presentation and information was nicely done.

[@dereksuddreth8672]

To prevent moisture from building up inside the camper, we used reflective tape and attached our bubble film to the outside, overlapping our window frames. The tape is easily removed and leaves no adhesive behind to mar the finish of the fiberglass siding.

[@FateUnbound]

That's a really good idea! Probably more effective that way tbh.

[@dereksuddreth8672]

@@FateUnbound Our camper is set up on a permanent site on our property. We also plan to underpin to prevent air from stealing heat (or AC) through the floor. I am looking at exterior construction foam panels because of the ease of cutting to size.

[@manabouthome]

We used to wrap hay bails around the foundation exterior of our cottage, to extend the unheated season, and provide insulation around the foundation during our wood heating season. It would help keep your camper warm, to enclose the open perimeter on the bottom, by placing hay bails on the ground tightly against the sides. This would be a good temporary (all you need) solution to help you stay warm when you're visiting home, and the bails would make good garden mulch for family, friends. and neighbors after you've moved on. If nothing else, a listing on Craigslist would dispose of them quickly. We enjoy watching your channel at our house, and we don't ever camp! (Considering possibilities for travel after retirement.)

[@detravel534]

Fluffy (r19?) Insulation, like the pink stuff in a house, can be used to shove in small spaces, it can also be glued to a rigid structure when having the paper back. I have used reflectix for years and even use it for skirting on my RV since it is easier to store and flexible for different locations. I also use heat lamps with auto heat plugs that turn the lamps on when Temps drop to 42 then turn lamps off when 50. Nice video and have fun

[@dominicverellen8820]

for the pass-through use, your laundry shoot to put the second panel in from the inside, as for skirting get some 4' x 8' x 7/16" chipboard from home depo for less than $10 bucks a sheet cut in half lengthways and lean it up against the RV and use 2"x 3" boards to connect them together it will stop the airflow under your trailer at least.

[@ShinyFeral]

4:58. woah. that's a lot of litter! ;) j.k. We know those are great buckets! 17:11 Please don't fully block that vent if it's for cooking with gas. At least come up with a hinged flap or something. Otherwise, cardboard can be a decent temporary skirt for this first (only?) real winter. windows, too. But for us, it was born out of the extreme heat in Texas and trying to keep not-boiling. We've heard some people put it along the back side of each cabinet, too.

[@barbbrandon4634]

Another option is to make the windows double pane by simply adding a think layer of plex to the exterior or interior. Inside it can be applied with double stick foam tape. The foam tape also adds insulation when adhered to the frame as that's where cold air leaks appear. Plex is a little pricier depending on the window size. However, it preserves the lighting factor. Currently a 3' x 6' x .22 sheet of plex goes for around $140...plenty big enough to cover the smaller windows. At least that would preserve some of the light.

[@daveerickson1330]

seen in Maine: Hay bale skirting may be an option. Evergreen brush can be used but is most effective after it becomes snow covered.

[@Aryll1000]

On your front storage bay doors you might want to use that blue foam on the door itself. Here is what you do, cut the blue foam to the size of the flap door then use spay on adhesive or hot glue to the door and the foam to stick it to each other be sure to clean the door surface with isomorphic alcohol to clean b4 applying the adhesive. You can remove the foam from the door easily enough in the warmer months with acetone and clean with alcohol again. I think that I just would not remove the foam and just leave it in there year round. About your exhaust for your hood you might want to stuff some fiber glass insolation in the vent when not in use. I would suggest about the skirting, first b4 you buy your RV is to get it winterized, its a treatment to extra isolate underneath for the cold. you can still have it winterized after the fact but it is expensive. If that is not an option skirting is the way to go. Depending on you roof space you might want to get one of those water proof car carriers just to store your skirting. Dave and Roe, I hope this helps out or gives you something to think about.

[@eurossocial]

That was really helpful and informative demonstration about insulation and sealing. Your pets are so cute. 😊👍 You have a new subscriber to your channel.

[@williamschopf7105]

Underpinning under the RV is expensive, try the silt fencing, it actually helped keep the cold from blowing through under my 24ft 5th wheel this fridged Texas deep freeze. Silt fencing runs under 100 dollars at Home depot and was easy to install, eventually I will insulate under and around my RV but at 0 degrees it helped 100 percent. I also used a 6 inch air duct insulation duct around the sewage line which kept the black tank empty while hooking up to the park sewage. Great ideas you gave that I am implementing for my RV for future wintering.

[@fishermanchastain42]

What about a few hay bales around the windy side of the trailer, cheap and effective. We love our reflectix. Also in our bathroom we put 4"foam cut to size and put it in at night for the real cold and take it out when wanting light and heat from the sun. Love your blue board insulation - I think we will add that in some of the same places you did, thanks for the ideas. HAPPY travels and stay warm.

[@McTripleCheese]

I’ve been living full time in a 20ft travel trailer in Minnesota for 3 years. You’ll definitely want to skirt your camper, if you don’t you will not have a fun time with pipes that are frozen solid. The first month my water pump had ice in the filter😂 It’s a lot to work to live in a camper

[@janetfolkerts5827]

I saw a N.Michigan RV'r set bales of straw/hay around the base of his RV. Come spring, it is ready for mulching someone's garden / yard /etc. It's inexpensive and will benefit to as a future mulch.

[@c50ge]

To help stay warm use hot hands warming packets place them on the back side of your hands under your gloves. You can make some reusable ones with rice or ceramic beads. Just learned this from a guy that learned this survival skill while in the military.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

The reasons you outlined in this video are why I purchased a Lance 2185 Travel Trailer. The actual walls are built with foam core sandwiched between fiberglass so the insulation value is far better than most other trailers, plus all of Lance's trailers have dual pane windows, and insulation covers for the vents as well as heated water tanks etc... For people not doing winter camping these Lance design elements are potentially less important, but it's still nice to have insulation from the hot sun during the hottest parts of the summer. Also skirting does make a pretty big difference from what I've heard (no first hand experience) and for about $150 you can purchase one season use 1.5" foam boards to cut and tape around the trailer which might make sense doing if you're going to be in the same location all winter.

[@mekomckracken2358]

My Mom is from Idaho where the winters get really cold - compared to Oregon where I live. She said people used to use bales of hay around their RVs and trailers as skirting. They would place them all around and then it breaks down come springtime. Tjey're cheaper than buying a skirt i-- nitially. That is only useful if you are stationed in one spot for the winter .;)

[@jlr3636]

Time stamp 8:10 - legend has it he is to this day still attempting to install the insulation

[@christophergreen669]

Could also try like 3 or 4 inch soft foam like whats in couch cushions so it would be easy to get in and out and get a 4x8 sheet of 1/4 inch solid foam, 3.2 r value and put under the mattress to help stop the cold from getting into the bed

[@chefnic71]

for the kitchen excuse fan I took some scrap roll fiberglass thats like fiberglass cotton and stuff in there... look for straw bails in stead on skirting and in the spring give to friends or family for a garden...

[@RVingwithG]

18:50 we used bales of STRAW @ $2.00 , get 10-12 of them, then in the spring just put them in the garden or trash.

[@richardkoch8752]

Seems like a good idea but way too many flammables around a camper. Ever seen a barn or even just a bale of straw or hay on fire? A hay barn can smolder for weeks. The only way I would do it which still isnt good is to wrap the straw or hay bales in plastic......fantastic insulation.

[@monicabct]

Wouldn't you worry about rodents? Or other critters wanting to get in there for warmth?

[@richardkoch8752]

@@monicabct Yes, mice, rats, snakes would love it for a winter hang out

[@stevenfrazier8939]

We live full time in a Class A Motor Home. We tried that on the inside first. The result was not good. The glass would get cold and the moisture would buildup as before and freeze. We then installed it to the outside and the glass stayed warm and no moisture buildup happened. we stay nice and warm now. We use Prodex which is a reflective reinforced foil over a closed cell polyethylene foam center core.

[@CarrieMtn]

Good suggestions. For awkward spaces- think about wool. It is flexible- sustainable- naturally anti fungal and it is fire resistant too. It might be a good fit for that space above your stove. (I’m assuming you’re not planning on using your stove while it is covered) Several layers of an old army blanket might be a good idea for your space under the bed. Attach with Velcro.

[@lil_Marie_Red]

With the blamket idea. Buy large command hooks and place a small curtain road between hooks. Hang blanket on that. In Auto Zone they sale 3m double sided tape. That stuff is for cars. Strong.