If you’ve ever lived in an area that experiences a cold climate, you likely know how rough winters can get. In conditions like that, it is important to have a nice, warm place to go home to at the end of a long day— especially if you’re RVing. Whether you’re living in or traveling to a cold climate in an RV, it is essential to have a winter-ready rig.
There are two vital components to this: your RV’s insulation and furnace. In this article, we’ll break down what you need to know about insulation and heating solutions, as well as our favorite travel trailers for cold weather.
There are three main ways of insulating the walls and roof of an RV: fiberglass insulation, foam board insulation, and blown foam insulation.
Fiberglass insulation is what you’ll typically find in houses, the pink rolls of foam. It offers the best R-value— the measure of the temperature resistance of an insulator— but it wears down over time and is susceptible to growing mold and mildew behind your walls if it is exposed to too much moisture. Foam boards, meanwhile, have much better durability and longevity, plus they are resistant to water damage, but they typically have a lower R-value than fiberglass. They are also harder to install and that leads to higher prices. Spray foam has the lowest R-value, and can require professional installation or renting some relatively expensive equipment.
Your RV furnace will supply heated air to your RV. RV furnaces are usually powered by electricity, propane, or a combination of electricity and propane. Some RVs are even equipped with wood stoves that provide heat. Many RVs— especially those designed for all-weather conditions— will likely come with a furnace.
The strength of a furnace is measured in British Thermal Units, or BTUs. The higher the BTU rating of the heater, the more heat it can produce to warm up the interior of your RV.
RECHARGING YOUR BATTERY
Don’t let a dead battery get you down. Read our guide to learn how to recharge your RV battery using a generator.
There’s no denying that “Northwood Arctic Fox: sounds like a warm RV ready for winter adventures. Northwood’s Arctic Fox line of travel trailers and fifth wheels deliver as some of the best insulated RVs on the market.
The Arctic Fox starts with high-quality construction. The walls are made from heavy gauge aluminum. Underneath the rugged outer shell, you’ll find a triple-threat combination of fiberglass insulation, rigid foam boards, and reflective foil insulation. This means that your RV will keep the heat inside in cold climates while keeping the heat out in hot environments.
To top it off, the water tanks are contained inside the body of the RV, keeping it away from the elements and surrounded by warm air so you don’t have to worry about a frozen water supply or busted pipes. For the passengers, there’s more than just the 30,000 BTU furnace to keep you comfortable. All floorplans come with at least a queen-size bed, a fully equipped bathroom with shower, toilet, sink, and storage, a kitchen complete with a 3-burner stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator, and solid hardwood cabinets.
The living area offers a dinette, and larger floor plans have one or more sofas and optional recliners. And if the furnace wasn’t enough for you, you can even add a fireplace on some layouts. If you’re looking for a four-season RV, the Arctic Fox line has a lot of great options for you.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT RV FOR YOU
Not all RVs are created equal. Learn about the different RV classes, their pros, and their cons. You might be surprised which one you like best!
If you’re looking for a full-scale home that you can tow behind most full-sized pickups, the Forest River Rockwood Windjammer is an excellent model, and the 3008V floor plan is as luxurious as it is well insulated.
Notable features include vacuum-bonded walls, which are less likely to delaminate than typical pressed walls, foam board insulation, a fully enclosed aluminum undercarriage, and a 13,500 BTU air conditioning and heating unit.
In the triangular front of the trailer, you’ll find a spacious kitchen complete with a refrigerator, stove, oven, microwave, and sink. This model also features a slide-out section with a dinette booth, a full-sized sofa, and a pair of rocker chairs (or optionally recliners) with overhead storage compartments. Further back is a walkthrough bathroom complete with a shower, toilet, sink, and even linen closet, and finally a door to the master suite.
The Rockwood Windjammer has a slide-out to allow room for a queen or optional king-size mattress, TV, and wardrobe. Outside there is an awning and even a gas grill, so if the weather is alright you can have a nice barbecue outside. However, should you choose to stay inside, you can count on staying warm.
KEEP WARM WHEN IT’S COLD
RVing in the winter can be a fun new experience— but only if you prep your RV for cold temperatures. Learn how to winterize your RV for travel before you set out on your winter wonderland journey.
Lance trailers and truck campers are great without any additional packages or add-ons, but their all-weather package can help you prepare for anything mother nature may throw at you.
Unlike many other RVs that feature a central heating and cooling unit that pumps hot air into the middle of the cabin, Lance trailers feature heating ducts that more evenly distribute the hot air throughout your space. One of those ducts also flows hot air straight to the water holding tanks at the bottom of the RV to avoid freezing over. The water system also features a heater bypass and easy draining valves for quick winterization. It features excellent insulation around the body including the dual pane windows that help prevent heat transfer. Beyond that, all Lance trailers come well-equipped, and the 2285 model is no exception with a fully equipped bathroom and kitchen, dinette, sofa, and a queen-sized bed.
The Eagle TT line of RVs are all built with Jayco’s patented Climate Shield technology to keep you and your passengers warm inside your travel trailer. They claim to be tested for zero-degree weather and to still keep out the cold, thanks to a fully enclosed heated undercarriage.
The plumbing also uses PEX piping, which is a flexible type of plastic that is less prone to bursting in case the heating system fails and the pipes drop below freezing. Its walls are insulated with a dual-sided radiant barrier to help keep the heat inside and a whopping 35,000 BTU furnace.
And in case that isn’t enough for you, the Eagle travel trailers also come with a 5,000 BTU space heater in the form of an electric fireplace. In case that isn’t enough for you, there is also an extreme weather package available, which comes with 110V heat pads to keep you and your family warm and toasty even in the coldest climates.
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