First Winter

Cands

Member
I purchased a R345 Oakmont in April. I will be spending several winter months in Vermont. I'm assuming (yeah, I know) that if I put a small ceramic electric heater in the basement, keep the furnace running, turn on the cute fireplace up front, and perhaps buy a small electric heater for the kitchen that I will survive. I do have the washer/dryer in the closet and that's the wild card, as reading the posts, it appears that if I keep the basement warm, keep some heat tape on the water line, and keep my gray tanks open, all will be good. Advice, please, anyone. Thanks.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Hi Cands,

There's a considerable difference between keeping the interior warm enough to be comfortable, and keeping the water systems working.

I'd suggest you read our owner-written Water Systems Winter Usage Guide.

Depending on how cold it gets where you'll be, you'll probably have to do more than you're planning. A heater in the basement may keep the water pump and nearby plumbing from freezing, although a heat lamp might be all you need. The water lines to the kitchen, and the water line from fresh tank to pump will likely need more. And the more electric you use inside the coach, the less your furnace will run, which means the furnace heat won't be protecting tanks or those water lines.

If you don't have tank heating pads (or the Yeti package, which includes tank heaters), you'll need them for temps that are regularly down to 8 or 10 (F) overnight in Vermont. And if you have heat pads protecting all tanks, you can't run the grays open without the possibility of damage to the tanks. And if temps drop to historical lows, you'll find that your gate valves may freeze at temps lower than -10 (F) or so.

I'd suggest you either get full skirting, or at least build a mini-skirt under the plumbing runs, using 3/4" 4x8 sheets of foam board. Then put your ceramic disc heater in the enclosure, sitting on a piece of wood to make sure it stays dry. You'll find other advice in the user guide.
 

Cands

Member
Yes, I printed that out and have it. I plan on skirting the unit, but I hadn't thought of putting an electric heater underneath the unit and behind the skirting! That's a great idea. I'm wondering, if I do that, do you think I can get away with the tanks as is and leave them open?
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Yes, I printed that out and have it. I plan on skirting the unit, but I hadn't thought of putting an electric heater underneath the unit and behind the skirting! That's a great idea. I'm wondering, if I do that, do you think I can get away with the tanks as is and leave them open?

Probably depends on 1) how large an area is skirted, 2) how much heat you generate. I use the miniskirt approach, which is a small enclosure. My ceramic disc heater has a thermostat and doesn't have to work very hard to keep the skirted area between 70 and 80. The underbelly above that area stays at around 70 even at pretty extreme temps.

So yes, I think you might get away without tank heaters. But unfortunately you won't know for sure until you try.

If you run with gray tanks open, some care is required. When it gets really cold, like -20 or so, it's possible to build up an ice dam that backs up into your sewer pipes. If your black tank valve leaks a little, that's all it takes to start the ice dam. But if overnight lows stay above zero, you'll probably be ok.
 
Top