just curious

fasterem · 01-05-2013, 08:37 PM

does anybody go and turn on their furnace during the winter just to warm things up in your travel trailers? does it have any effect on them? up here in NW PA we have had some really cold days in the last few weeks, just wondering how every once in a while going in and fireing things up would effect things?

**JRTJH** · 01-05-2013, 08:57 PM

I would think heating the inside of an RV would cause condensation to form on the colder parts (windows and metal fasteners) and could cause problems. I'd think it would be better, if you're not using the RV, to just leave it at a constant temperature and humidity and not "stir things up" by heating it unless you plan to use it or have a need to get it warm to work in it, etc.

davidjsimons · 01-06-2013, 03:11 AM

I keep an Eden Pure heater in mine to maintain at least 50 degrees at all times. Condensation on the windows and such has not been an issue so far as I have noticed. I just feel like it is no different than a house. The worst thing for a house is to leave it unattended with no heat. Things expand and contract with temperature changes and I just prefer to maintain some sort of consistency.

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SAD · 01-06-2013, 05:26 AM

When I see threads like these it reminds me how awesome it is to store my RV indoors all year round!

**JRTJH** · 01-06-2013, 06:47 AM

davidjsimmons, If you're going to leave heat in your RV 24/7, then yes, it would be OK, but if you're going to let it freeze for 3 weeks, then apply heat for one day, then let it freeze again, you will notice the "supercold" walls and windows get wet with condensation every time you apply the heat.

I agree with you completely, as things expand and contract they will, if nothing more, creak and groan until they get to the new size. If you want to experience creaking and groaning, go into a trailer that's been sitting in 20F weather and turn on the furnace. That sudden exposure to 75F temps is much more dramatic than the increase to 30F that occurs during the day when it warms up a bit.

SteveC7010 · 01-06-2013, 07:42 AM

The vast majority of all RV's in the colder parts of the continent are put away for each winter with no heat at all. I do not recall ever hearing of a problem caused by this alone.

davidjsimons · 01-06-2013, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

davidjsimmons, If you're going to leave heat in your RV 24/7, then yes, it would be OK, but if you're going to let it freeze for 3 weeks, then apply heat for one day, then let it freeze again, you will notice the "supercold" walls and windows get wet with condensation every time you apply the heat.

I agree with you completely, as things expand and contract they will, if nothing more, creak and groan until they get to the new size. If you want to experience creaking and groaning, go into a trailer that's been sitting in 20F weather and turn on the furnace. That sudden exposure to 75F temps is much more dramatic than the increase to 30F that occurs during the day when it warms up a bit.

I agree, that is why I leave my heat set around fifty. I did it forever boating and figured it couldn't hurt in this case either. I never claimed that it was the right thing to do, only as what I do.

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allis15 · 01-06-2013, 07:00 PM

If you leave the heat on I am sure the mice will appreciate it -

probably tell all their friends !!

Gary

chuck&gail · 01-06-2013, 07:37 PM

Never turn the heat on in ours when stored, no trouble in over 30 years. Only thing I do is if snow on roof gets over about two feet I stand on a stepladder along side and sweep off the top layer or so that I can reach easily. Gets a bit brisk up here in the Colorado mountains also.

**JRTJH** · 01-06-2013, 08:00 PM

Our trailer is stored indoors about 30 miles away in an old manufacturing plant warehouse. It's indoors, but unheated and the same temps as outside. During the winter the temperature ranges from about freezing to roughly 10 below zero. We put the trailer in storage after deer season ends (first week in December usually) and it stays without heat, electricity, battery or ventilation until we take it out of storage when all the snow is melted and the ground is firm enough to back it onto the gravel beside the house. We've had no problems with this RV in the 3 years of storing it this way. Previously, in Denver, we parked our Jayco in the back yard and never applied any heat to it during the winter either. It did well also. The other RVs were stored and/or used throughout the winter depending on our activity. All of them were either in southern California, Florida, Texas, Louisiana or Mississippi. In those areas, the most we ever saw was frost on the windshield a couple of mornings in late Jan early Feb.

If someone has the emotional attachment to want to keep their "baby" warm, then it's pretty much a personal choice, but from a storage or protection vantage, heating a properly winterized RV "just for grins" is, for the most part, wasting energy on a stagnant object that wouldn't know if it was warm or not...... just sayin'

davidjsimons · 01-07-2013, 01:35 AM

I guess I'll have happy, warm mice to enjoy my wasted energy......Just saying

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davidjsimons · 01-07-2013, 01:44 AM

If someone has the emotional attachment to want to keep their "baby" warm, then it's pretty much a personal choice, but from a storage or protection vantage, heating a properly winterized RV "just for grins" is, for the most part, wasting energy on a stagnant object that wouldn't know if it was warm or not...... just sayin'[/QUOTE]

I don't exactly think that is my case, and really appreciate your opinion of my lack of intelligence.

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kenn209 · 01-07-2013, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAD

When I see threads like these it reminds me how awesome it is to store my RV indoors all year round!

Thanks for rubbing it in!! lol

SAD · 01-07-2013, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenn209

Thanks for rubbing it in!! lol

Festus2 · 01-07-2013, 08:10 AM

davidjsimons -
I don't think JRTJH was offering an opinion about your intelligence but rather expressing his view that heating a properly winterized RV is not effective and wastes energy. However, if other people want to do that, it would be a "personal choice" but not one that he would recommend. That's the way I interpreted his comment.

davidjsimons · 01-07-2013, 08:29 AM

Thanks for clearing that up for me Festus. I must have gotten up on the wrong side of the iPad this morning.

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davidjsimons · 01-07-2013, 10:16 AM

Being as I got crossed up with John in a public forum, I would like to take an opportunity to openly apologize in this same forum as well. I have always said that ones tone and intent is easily lost in the form of text. I myself fell prey to my own words of warning in a quick judgement of Johns post. For this most unfortunate lack of good judgement, on my behalf, I would like to say that I am sorry. Not only to John, but to all of those that were unfortunate enough to have to read it.

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Festus2 · 01-07-2013, 10:33 AM

to davidjsimons!

ThePressureIsOn · 01-07-2013, 06:46 PM

You are a gentlemen davidjsimions!

fasterem · 01-08-2013, 04:25 AM

wow I thought nobody was responding to this thread, come to find out it went ot my spam folder LOL thanks guys LOL guess for this year I will probably leave it out to shiver the rest of the winter this year and probably next year I will find an indoor heated storage since we didn't get this one til the end of september last year

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