About to go fulltime...but what to get?

[GHachtel]

Hello All,

I am brand new to the idea of full timing and have some questions concerning all of the possible RV's out there. First off, you should know that I will be full-timing with me and a dog (no big family yet). However, that being said, I will not be traveling very far, at least in the first few years. I am starting a career in Douglas, WY (windy and cold). With the current boom in oil, renting a place is far too expensive and buying, well that's another story, but still out of the question. Staying at the local KOA seems be the best option. I plan live out of a 5th wheel or travel trailer for a few years before settling down and buying. That being said, I have no idea what the best RV for the occasion will be.

Ideally, I would like to keep the RV for future cross-country trips (so not an extended-stay type), and I would also like one that is spacious (has a "home" feel to it), has ample storage and is 4-seasons rated (not freezing during Wyoming winters is a must!). Any thoughts? I would greatly appreciate any advice anyone could give me! Thank you in advance!

 

[danemayer]

Hi GHachtel,

Living in extremely cold weather can be challenging. We've gone on extended ski trips in the Colorado mountains for the last 4 years with temperatures down to -30F. There are 2 major issues: staying comfortable, and keeping the water systems from freezing. Of the 2, keeping the water systems from freezing can be the more challenging.

Typically, the higher up you go in an RV product line, the better the insulation values. For example, in the high-end Heartland products, the underbelly has fiberglass insulation as well as radiant heat barrier. Also, the Yeti/Canadian Arctic Package is offered as an option, including heat tape on the fresh water line and tank heating pads, along with radiant barrier in the front and rear caps. The slide out flooring also has radiant barrier. As you go down to less expensive models, you may not have all these items.

You'll want a couple of ceramic disc heaters and the fireplace option to supplement the furnace. For the ceramic disc heaters, I'd suggest having dedicated outlets/circuit breakers installed so each heater has it's own power circuit.

In my experience dual pane windows help reduce heat loss and minimize frozen condensation on the inside of the windows.

If overnight temps are expected to go below zero F, you'll want some type of skirting, even if just foam insulation board cut to fit under the RV with pieces taped together.

Backup power is important in extreme cold weather. If local power goes out for a day or two, you'll need a generator to keep things (including you) from freezing.

For more detail on how to protect the water systems, take a look at our owner-written Water Systems Winter Usage Guide.