Winter Camping in a MH, can it be done in the midwest? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

travelinmama · RV-Dreams Family Member

Winter Camping in a MH, can it be done in the midwest?

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

The quick answer is yes you can RV in the midwest in the winter.
The longer answer is that you need a well built unit designed for all season use, that has dual pane windows, extra arctic insulation and a heated basement.
I would suggest joining the RV consumer Group and get their ratings CD's.
Good luck,
Fred

Darrell and Judy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I agree with Fred on both accounts - especially the RV Consumer Group. Take time to do your homework, cheaply built RVs tend to sell for the same price as quality units so understand construction techniques. For motorhomes I would use Newmar products and Tiffin products as examples, they both build quality units and stand behind their warrantees. Again, the key is research.

2stepr · RV-Dreams Community Member

Yes, it can be done.
If you are going to stay in it during the winter, you would have to close in the bottom (like they do w a moble home)
I would back it w high " R" insulation. I would put a sensor thermometer in the lower unit and keep monitoring it. Also put a heater and have it rigged so you can turn it on without going outside. I have it set up to a electric extension surge protector, and all I do it turn on the switch. You could use heater tapes - some have a sensor and come on when it hits a certain degree. I use heater tapes, and they do work. Don't forget the pipe insulation. I do this in my house, as it doesn't have a basement, just a crawl space, and since I started doing this - no frozen pipes.

2stepr · RV-Dreams Community Member

I forgot to add - You may want to put a plastic window wrap on your windows - yes they do work!!

travelinmama · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for all your advice. Travelinmama and travelinpapa

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Brrrrrrr!!!!

Better you than me. That's part of the reason that we went Full-timing.

Couldn't take the cold any more! biggrin

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Your right Jim.....Go fulltime and you can fly south where it is warm!

travelinmama · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gheezh! Watch the fire storm!

We live in the midwest, can't leave our mission fields, want to use our MH from April - Nov. before and after it is really cold. We can't go full time until retirement age, stupid mistakes and so many other reasons.

So, when I posted this question, it wasn't because we plan on living in it during those months, we don't plan on living in it full time until we retire but we do plan to use it as a retreat because of our mission fields; we use all our energy during our week and we need a retreat to get geared up for the next week.

Yep, you are all blessed to already be on the road. If you knew our story, you would say, um... I understand! But since you don't, you have the advantage and that is you are already fulltiming it and can enjoy not working like we do.

So, thank you, but I believe since we have both lived through really freezing winters, I am from Montana and he from the midwest, I think we can figure out now how to ensure the rig from freeezing pipes. Just thought maybe ya all had more info than we did.

SKOOBDO · RV-Dreams Family Member

From someone who did just that all throughout last winter in central Ohio. The campground I was at had about 25 RVs (MH,TT,5TH) that stayed through the entire winter. Of course last winter was one of the worse in years and many folks got through it just fine, including myself. However, there were several folks in some of the RVs that left and went to a hotel because they failed to follow some simple procedures that would have saved them. Basically, some of those folks had water lines freeze up, but more importantly the main issue was that they're sewer lines froze, because they had let their water run (trickle) all night long and it just kept building up outside in the sewer hose and froze solid. Anyway, basically you need to keep your furnace running to the point that your basement stays below freezing and don't just use space heaters. Also, the plastic is all I used on the windows and you wouldn't believe the difference. Just use that "weatherproof" tape (looks like duct tape but clear) for windows and it will pull right off in the spring without ANY residue. Close all valves and don't dump until the middle of the day. Use heat tape and pipe insulation on your fresh water hose all the way from the spigot to the inlet in your rig. Slide out awnings keep the snow off your slides. The only thing that happen to me was that my "galley valve" was frozen for a few days when the temps stayed for days on end at 25 below wind chill and temps were 5 below or more. None of my other valves froze because they are enclosed in the storage basement of my 5th wheel. If your valves are enclosed you won't have any problem. If you have any concerns during a few days or a week that it might get way below zero, pour some RV antifreeze or windshield wiper fluid in all your tanks so it will collect by the valves and won't freeze. But, I would only recommend that if you know its going to get way below zero. No one at the campground had any issues when it was above zero. But I had no lines break, no lines freeze, no nothing. just the galley valve froze for a few days, and I had several more days to a week before it would have been full. If I was to do it again, the first thing I would not have worried so much Since I never went through an entire winter in a RV, I was worried everyday that a water line might break or this might happen or that. and when winter was over, I thought about how concerned I was for nothing Just use a combination of furnace/space heaters and you shouldn't have any issues. good luck!

jchilson · RV-Dreams Community Member

I am curious what kind of mission you are on. More info please...

Thanks
JanC

travelinmama · RV-Dreams Family Member

For some they would think it is just a job, but for us it is a mission field.

I work in a local church that I run a ministry that was not so impressive before, it was just doing what they always had done and my husband works with people in their last stages of life.

We have started Bible clubs, kids' Bible studies, family ministry stuff, and more. For us, it isn't where we attend church but it is the people that we work with and teach. Since being there, the ministry has grown double.

We also have started a new ministry that will go into the campgrounds here. Watch and see..