Winter prep for fulltimer question

[Christenbraylee]

I am getting ready to do the pink foam insulation as skirting and I was wondering is it really nessasary to skirt it. I had a gentleman at the dealership here in town tell us it was not even nesaaary because I have a 2017 Heartland Landmark and they are already super insulated....


I live in Central Oregon where it could get 20 below and I live in it full time!


Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[jimtoo]

Hi Christenbraylee,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and to the family. We have a great bunch of folks here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

The Landmark is insulated pretty good, but you still need lots of extra insulation in that cold of climate, even if you have the extra Yetti package from the factory. Look under the (Tools) tab at top of page and there is a really good winterization guide that was written by owners of units on how to do it.

Be sure and check out our Heartland Owners Club. Join us at a rally when you can and meet lots of the great folks here and make friends for a lifetime.

Enjoy the forum.

Jim M

 

[Speedy]

I would skirt it, heat tape water and sewer lines then insulate then. Have a propane company come out and drop off a 100 or 200 gallon tank because your 30/40 lb tanks will only last you a couple of days. Did three weeks of a Minnesota winter and then went South, too much to go wrong in that cold of weather.

 

[danemayer]

Keeping the coach comfortable isn't too difficult, especially if you have a fireplace to even out the heating. You'll definitely want a large external propane tank because in sub-zero temps, you'll go through a 40# tank in 3 to 3.5 days.

For -20 (F) mornings, you may want to have a high quality ceramic disc heater inside to supplement furnace and fireplace.

Look at getting a heated mattress pad (rather than a heated blanket). You'll really like it.

To keep the water running, look over our owner-written Water Systems Winter Usage Guide.

You don't have to skirt the entire coach with foam board, although that may help with maintaining temps inside. But at a minimum, skirt underneath the holding tanks. If you locate a ceramic disc heater inside the skirting, it'll keep the underbelly warm and the water systems won't freeze up on you. Put the heater on a block of wood so if any snow melt runs under the trailer, the heater stays dry. A good heater will use less power.

Protect the UDC. Protect the fresh tank drain. Protect the water pump.

 

[SNOKING]

"A good heater will use less power." All small electric heaters that draw the same amps put out similar BTU's. The question becomes infrared, convection or oil and what you are trying to heat.

https://www.homeair.org/most-energy-efficient-space-heaters/

 

[danemayer]

"A good heater will use less power." All small electric heaters that draw the same amps put out similar BTU's. The question becomes infrared, convection or oil and what you are trying to heat.

https://www.homeair.org/most-energy-efficient-space-heaters/

I'm talking about heaters with a smart controller that varies power consumption to fit the thermostat requirements. It uses just enough power to maintain the desired temperature.

Most heaters are full on or full off, or maybe full power/half power/off.

 

[SNOKING]

I'm talking about heaters with a smart controller that varies power consumption to fit the thermostat requirements. It uses just enough power to maintain the desired temperature.

Most heaters are full on or full off, or maybe full power/half power/off.

Correct, however in the OP's location and conditions, heaters will have to run full bore a lot of the time during the winter. Over recent years I have found the more complex the controls are the more likely it will go off line at a time when you do not want it to do that. Like in the middle of the night or while you are away.

 

[CLB]

Correct, however in the OP's location and conditions, heaters will have to run full bore a lot of the time during the winter. Over recent years I have found the more complex the controls are the more likely it will go off line at a time when you do not want it to do that. Like in the middle of the night or while you are away.

Or the start of winter. I know propane and natural gas heater's have been around for a very long time and I used them they seemed to do a good job where they to simple or not break enough or what but I don't understand why they have a circuit board. I have the same confusion with the hot water heater. The water is really way to hot but no adjustment

Sent from my 5049Z using Tapatalk

 

[talliet]

Hi All ~ I am new to the idea of fulltime RV'ing. I have two questions.
1) How comfortable are Heartland Landmark 365's in cold weather? ie: Prescott, AZ. never get below zero, lows mostly in the middle 20's, day time high's in the low 50's?
2) For Landmark's with rear bedrooms, what is the "road noise" like in most campground sites? Are Landmark's well sound insulated?
with gratitude,
~ TallieT

 

[danemayer]

Hi All ~ I am new to the idea of fulltime RV'ing. I have two questions.
1) How comfortable are Heartland Landmark 365's in cold weather? ie: Prescott, AZ. never get below zero, lows mostly in the middle 20's, day time high's in the low 50's?
2) For Landmark's with rear bedrooms, what is the "road noise" like in most campground sites? Are Landmark's well sound insulated?
with gratitude,
~ TallieT

Hi TallieT,

It's not hard to stay warm in a Landmark. We took our 2011 Landmark to the Colorado mountains for 6 extended ski trips with temps down to -30 (F).

Dual pane windows will help both with slowing heat transfer, condensation freezing on the windows, and reducing noise.

Distribution of furnace heat in long trailers is always a bit uneven. If the furnace is close to the front, the fireplace toward the back will help even things out.

Keeping the water running at 0 (F) or below is another story. Our owner-written Water Systems Winter Usage Guide will help you plan for those more rigorous conditions.

 

[talliet]

Thank you Dane.
I welcome additional experienced feedback from others,....