Last year saw record numbers of people becoming proud RV owners, with more than 40,000 vehicles shipped in June 2020 alone. If you’re new to the RV lifestyle, you may be wondering where to start with some of the terminology and information on offer. This guide to HVACs is designed to give you the confidence to run and maintain these essentials so that you can brave winter chills and keep your cool in the summer with ease.
What’s an HVAC?
Your RV’s HVAC is the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning system, similar to what you may have at home. Part of the joy of RV ownership is the freedom it gives you to travel and explore: 90% of RV owners take three or more mini-breaks per year in all sorts of weather conditions, so it’s important to be able to keep the temperature to your liking. This leaves you feeling relaxed and comfortable enough to take in the views and make memories with your family in style.
Keeping Your Cool
Since 2020 saw one of the hottest summers on record, you may be most concerned with the air conditioning in your new RV. The unit for this is likely to be stored in a rooftop box, which maximizes space inside your vehicle. Air conditioning power is measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units). The higher the rating, the more powerful the air conditioning. Put simply, the system picks up hot air in the RV and passes it via refrigerants – chemical coolants – which take the heat from it. The process converts gases to liquids and vice versa, so it’s crucial that you clean the unit regularly to reduce the risk of mold building up inside. While you may find it helpful to fit a hygrometer to measure humidity (another factor for causing mold), your RV will already be fitted with a digital or analog thermometer. Some can be zoned so that the temperature in different parts of the RV can be controlled independently.
Winter adventures
Since many RV owners love to hit the road come rain or shine, spending three or four weeks a year in their vehicle, RVs are also equipped with heating and insulation to cope with colder weather. The warm air will either be produced by a heat pump, which uses electricity, or a furnace, which runs on propane. Your heat pump is likely to be located in the rooftop AC box. If you are camping somewhere with power, it can be a good idea to plug in and use your heat pump to save on propane, but in extreme cold, the furnace tends to be a more effective and efficient way to keep your RV cozy and warm.
Looking after your HVAC
While Coach-Net is always ready to help its members, with a little maintenance you can ensure that your RV is always as ready for adventures as you are. Use a handheld vacuum to clean dust from your HVAC’s vents regularly. For the AC unit, check for signs of fluid leakage, and ensure that you clean the filters regularly too. If your RV has a propane furnace, ensure that you have a carbon monoxide detector fitted in your vehicle and that the batteries are up to date. Finally, on the occasions when you are carrying out rooftop maintenance, keep an eye on the condition of the plastic casing in which the AC unit sits.
Owning an RV opens the door to all sorts of trips, but it can feel a little daunting as you get to grips with how best to take care of it. Systems like your RV’s HVAC are there to make your journeys more comfortable, so it’s important to learn how to control the settings to your preferences, and to maintain the system so it can continue to look after you. Now, you’re free to explore – whatever the weather.
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This tip comes into play before you ever even step foot in a national park. And no, I don’t mean you should all sit down with workbooks and textbooks and spend hours doing boring research. Instead, find some cool books and videos that give information on the park you’ll be visiting. 
This is also a good time to clean the top of any slide rooms or the awning if there is one available. Check with your awning manufacturer for recommended cleaning products and conditioners.
If you only use your RV for weekend getaways at a campsite, there are two optional coverages that can really come to the rescue. For starters, there’s…
Roamly offers insurance that reflects what an RV really is: a home on wheels. And if you own your RV and live in it at least six months out of the year, you’re essentially assuming all the risks of a homeowner. As a full-timer, Roamly can guard you against risks while your motorhome is parked. Their streamlined package looks like this:
It’s always a good idea to read the instructions when you purchase a new item. An RV cover is no exception to this rule. Consult the instructions to ensure you put your carport cover together correctly, or to make sure you’re securing your fabric cover the right way.
If you have been neglecting regular care and maintenance of your RV or procrastinating on those upgrade projects, this year may be the time to get on a schedule and complete those honey-do items. The more attention you give to your home-on-wheels, the more you can enjoy time on the open road and the great outdoors.
Although RVs generally require the same maintenance routines and care plans, there are some aspects of your rig that differ. That is why it is important to read your RV manual and become familiar with the various systems of your RV and what parts of your particular RV need to be checked and maintained throughout the year.
With over 400 National Park Service sites, there are plenty of options for your next RV weekend getaway or extended vacation. Take pictures of Yosemite’s mystical waterfalls, view exhibits about the first national park at a Yellowstone visitor’s center, or hike one of the many trails in the Great Smoky Mountains. America’s national parks have much to offer in the way of scenery, activities, and history.
There are two main types of RVers: those that stop to smell the roses in between destinations and those that set their stopwatch with a goal to make a cross country trip in under 24-hours. Although the second type gets to the new location in record timing, it’s not necessarily the safer, less stressful, or all together healthy way of traveling.
Staying at the same campground or dry camping at the exact spot by the lake every year might be a tradition for the family, but it doesn’t hurt to change things up and get out of your comfort zone. If RVing with full-hookups is your thing, great! There are so many RV campgrounds and resorts that offer countless amenities like swimming pools, kayak or paddleboard rentals, activities for the kids and entire family, evening concerts, restaurants, shops, and shuttles to local attractions. The campground/resort is an all-inclusive vacation spot.