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RV Camping, RV Insulation, RV Propane, RV Propane Tips, RV Safety, RV tech tip, RV Tips, RV travel, RV winter maintenance
As the colder end of fall approaches and winter starts arriving, an RV can be a very cozy camping option. However, keeping one warm can go through quite a bit of propane. So why does an RV propane heater use so much propane, and how can one make propane last as long as possible during their short-term or long-term winter RVing trips? Follow these propane-saving tips below to help you stay toasty in your rig and go easier on your wallet this winter.
How an RV Propane Furnace Works
Your RV’s propane furnace is a pretty simple device. Propane is burned to heat air which is forced through the ductwork of the floor by an electric fan. Openly burning propane in an enclosed space without ventilation is generally quite deadly due to carbon monoxide gas. For this reason, the propane in an RV furnace burns in a tube and heating element that vents directly outside your RV. The air in your RV is blown over the heating element to heat it.
This necessary ventilation carries as much as 30%-50% of the heat generated by burning propane and blows it outside. That means you need to burn up to twice as much fuel to get the same amount of BTUs worth of heat inside your rig as you would if you were just burning propane inside.
This may sound like a design flaw, but ventilation is necessary for the warm, dry, and safe air being blown throughout your RV. Even though you should have your propane system and furnace inspected periodically, there is no way to modify this efficiency. The best ways to save on propane involve keeping the heat in your RV as long as possible or using other safe methods to heat your rig.
1. Close Your Gaps
Check around slides, windows, doors, and any other potential gaps and close them off. You may find that some gaps need repairing, while other areas may just require you to add a bit of insulating material. For example, my motorhome gets cold drafts from the air vents. In cold weather, I stop this draft by placing a cloth in the air filter intake of the engine. The trick is remembering to remove the cloth before starting the engine up.
One way to find gaps is to go around with a temperature gun in your RV and look for cold areas. If a particular area is colder than the rest of the rig, there is a reason. Sometimes it’s because cold air is seeping in, which means warm air is escaping too.
2. Insulate
A well-insulated RV will hold heat longer which will reduce the time your furnace has to run. Many of the same tricks people use in the summer to help keep their RV cool will also help in the winter. For example, placing those square insulating pillows in the roof vents can help a lot, considering warm air rises and vents are a significant source of heat loss.
In addition to vents, windows could always use a little extra insulation. There are several ways to do this but many use Reflectix material on the windows, just like in the summertime. To prevent condensation from forming behind it, we like to put our insulation on the outside of the windows.
Reflectix is bubble wrap with foil on either side. It is pretty inexpensive and can be cut to size.
In addition to window insulation and roof vent insulation, adding heavy curtains and carpets to your RV can help retain heat. The bottom line is the longer the heat stays in your RV, the less your furnace must run, which saves you on propane.
3. Use Supplemental Heating
If your RV air conditioner has a heat pump setting, you can use that electrical heat source to save a lot of propane. There’s a catch, though. Typically RV heat pumps don’t work well once outside temperatures drop below 40 degrees.
Another option is to use a portable electric heater to help take the chill out of the air. It’s not recommended to use one if you are not actively able to keep an eye on your rig, though typical portable heaters have a few safety concerns to consider.
- They take 1,500 watts of power to run, so a 30 amp RV shouldn’t run more than one on high.
- They should have three feet of clearance around them.
- It’s not recommended to run them while sleeping.
- Relying solely on portable heaters and not running your furnace when it is below freezing can prevent warm air from reaching your pipes in some models, which puts your plumbing at risk of freezing.
Using a heating blanket with temperature settings while sleeping can help you keep the temperature much lower while remaining cozy. They also make heated fitted sheets, so the warmth comes from the mattress itself.
4. Layer up Inside
Keeping the thermostat in your RV as low as comfortably possible will cut down on the time your furnace must kick on each day. That being said, if you bundle up while inside your RV, you can probably stand to keep it colder. This doesn’t mean you have to suffer while winter RVing. Thick PJs, comfortable sweaters, and thick wool socks or slippers are all acceptable RV wear.
A propane-saving trick for comfort is only to kick up the heat when you need it. For example, if you keep the thermostat at 65 degrees all day and bundle up, you are going to eat up all that propane savings by kicking it up to 75 for fifteen minutes while you take a shower. So you can get out, dry off and get back into some cozy clothes before dropping the temp back down.
Propane Saving Tips in a Nutshell
Propane saving tips aren’t all that complicated. Before heading out on your winter, RVing adventures just make sure you don’t have any gaps that let the cold air in, insulate your vents, windows, and floors, and keep the thermostat as low as you can comfortably stand it. Additionally, use supplemental heating sources like heat blankets and safely use space heaters to assist your RV furnace.
Do you know what else isn’t complicated? Feeling safe in your winter travels because you have Coach-Net’s 30+ years of experience providing roadside assistance and peace of mind to its members and RV technical assistance just a phone call away. So don’t forget to join or renew your membership before hitting the road today.
About The Author: Levi Henley
Levi Henley and his wife, Natalie, have been full-time RVers for over 5 years. They have also been Coach-Net customers for the same amount of time. They travel and workcamp around the U.S. in their 26-foot Itasca Sunstar motorhome with their two cats. They write for multiple RV-related publications and recently co-wrote “Seasonal Workamping for a Living: How We Did It.” You can follow their adventures on the road at henleyshappytrails.com
Stuart O. ~ “All aspects of the issue were handled very well. I felt like Coach-Net really understood the urgency of our situation and handled it appropriately.”
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.
Some basement models have a valve that will allow you to fill the freshwater tanks while connected to city water. Connect your drinking hose to a faucet, then your city fill connection, turn the valve and the fresh water tank will fill.
The water pump does not require much maintenance other than winterizing and occasionally cleaning the in-line filter. The filter is typically connected to the inlet side of the pump as seen in this photo on the top with “Pink” RV antifreeze. If your water pump “cycles” or runs intermittently without a faucet on, there is a leak somewhere in the system as pressure drops at the pump and it turns on. If this happens, make sure all faucets are off and check for leaks in the faucets, toilet, ice maker, and exterior shower.
An RV furnace requires almost no maintenance. If necessary, clean or vacuum out the ducts if they get dusty or dirty. Regularly inspect the furnace intake on the outside of the RV for debris, insects, or other restrictions. Restrictions in the air intake can cause incomplete combustion. The by-products of incomplete combustion are Carbon Monoxide (CO) and soot. CO is an odorless, colorless, toxic gas. Incomplete combustion can be indicated by the presence of soot on the furnace exhaust on the outside of the RV. However, this is not a given and is another reason to have your system annually inspected.
Slide rooms require very little maintenance, however, if there is debris such as sticks or acorns on the top of the slide and they are retracted, the rubber seal will be compromised and moisture penetration could occur. When bringing your rig out in the spring, run the slide rooms out and inspect the roof material, rubber seals, look for any leaks. Make sure all rubber seals are installed properly and making contact. This is also a good time to condition the rubber gaskets with an approved treatment such as these ProtectAll products
Deep cycle house batteries need to be properly stored with either a charge from a multi-stage charger during storage, or have the batteries removed and properly charged in a garage or shed. In the spring, it’s time to check lead-acid batteries for proper fluid level and either reinstall them or clean all the posts and connections and apply a protective spray. Make sure all battery cables and wires are in good condition and not chewed or compromised by rodents.
Since the water used in your freshwater tanks typically would be hard water from a campground source, it is a good idea to sanitize the system using ¼ cup bleach in a gallon of water for every 15 gallons of freshwater capacity. Fill the tank and run all faucets for approximately 10 minutes. If you do not like the smell of bleach, Thetford makes a freshwater tank sanitizer as well.
Typically RV owners do not remove the LP tanks or cylinders during storage, however, it’s a good time to check all connections for leaks. Make sure you open the valve slowly to allow LP to flow at a reasonable rate and not activate the excess flow valve. After opening the valve, test your LP leak detector to make sure it is operating properly. You can use a liquid test solution to test all connections at the appliance, or HomeFlex makes an electronic tester that is available at most home improvement stores.
Believe it or not, watching after your mental health is one of the keys to keeping warm in winter. I learned that after our first tornado scare in the RV. That’s when I became obsessed with checking Weather.com when a storm was predicted. And while it’s important to stay current on changing conditions, it took me several years to finally realized that looking at the forecast (and googling things like “can RVs blow over in high winds?”) is not going to change anything. In fact, it makes the weather seem colder and nastier than it is. Don’t blur the lines between worry and preparedness when the weather forecast looks bleak. Be prepared, but accept that no amount of whining or fretting will change the weather headed your way. Deal with it and suddenly the cold won’t seem so awful.
The deep cycle batteries in your rig will naturally lose a charge during storage even if everything is shut off. It’s important to keep them charged or maintained so they do not sulfate or even freeze. If you do not have access to electricity, remove the house batteries and bring them into a garage or other storage facility and connect them to a battery conditioner. Another option would be to install a solar panel just large enough for conditioning such as the Zamp 20 amp maintainer.