Crisp fall weather has arrived, and winter is just around the corner. And that means cold days and even colder nights. That’s fine if your RV is winterized and sitting in storage. But if you’re living in your RV in the cold, you may be searching for ways to keep things warmer.
Unfortunately, RVs are notorious for their poor insulation. This can make it seem impossible to keep your rig comfortably warm during the coldest nights. The good news? It is possible to improve RV insulation in order to remedy this problem.
Insulate the Windows
Start with the windows. A good amount of warm air escapes through the windows. Plus, cold air can make its way in through the single panes installed in RVs. You can help prevent this issue by installing heat shrink window insulation.
I love this stuff because it adds a layer of insulation that is helpful in both cold and hot weather. And it doesn’t block your view of the great outdoors. It does require the use of a hair dryer though, so make sure you have one on hand.
Make Use of Reflective Insulation
Unfortunately, heat shrink window insulation isn’t always enough. In really cold temperatures, you will likely want to insulate the windows even more. A simple solution is by cutting some Reflectix to size and installing this in each window.
Like the heat shrink insulation, this can be used in winter or summer and it does an incredible job. That said, it does make it impossible to see out of your windows and isn’t very pretty to look at, so you may not want to keep it up all the time.
Hang Thermal Curtains, Wall Coverings, and a Door Cover
You can add even more insulation to your windows by hanging thermal curtains over them. This, in addition to the two insulation methods above, would certainly limit heat loss through the thin window panes.
You might also consider hanging a thermal door cover over the front door to keep cold from entering there. Some people even go so far as to hang tapestries or quilts on the RV walls to help insulate things and keep warmth in. When we had our motorhome, we hung a heavy quilt off the cab-over bunk to block the cab area from the living area in order to better retain heat. And it worked wonders.
Grab Some Weather Stripping
In addition to hanging a curtain in front of your door, you will also want to check the weather stripping around the door. This can be worn or crushed over time. And as such, it will eventually be ineffective at keeping drafts out and keeping warmth in. So, it goes without saying that worn weather stripping should be replaced.
You’ll also want to check around windows and other openings and close any gaps or openings with weather stripping or sealant.
Use Vent Covers
We all know that heat rises, so it’s super important to make sure there are no places for heat to escape toward the top of your RV. One of the most common places for heat to escape? RV roof vents. After all, these vents are literally made to help heat escape in hot weather, so it only makes sense that heat would continue to escape through them in winter—and yes, this does happen to some extent even if the vents are closed.
Luckily there is a super easy solution: an RV vent insulator. These are little square-shaped pillows that are made specifically for putting in your RV’s vents when they aren’t in use for extra insulation. They work quite well and even stay in place during travel.
Use Reflective Insulation on the Roof
Another way to keep heat from escaping out of the roof? Adding some insulation to the roof itself, of course.
To do this, I recommend using rolls of that Reflectix stuff I mentioned before. You can attach the Reflectix to the roof using velcro, so it can be removed for travel and repairs. You will have to work around vents, skylights, and the A/C, of course. But you should only have to cut it once before using it again and again.
Yes, this project will require a bit of effort, but it will help keep heat in during winter while also reflecting sunshine away during the summer. I think that sounds like a worthwhile tradeoff!
Put Down Foam Mats or Rugs
Our RV floors get unbearably cold, and I know that means a lot of cold is coming up through the floors and cooling our rig down significantly. For this reason, I went out and bought a rug to put down over the majority of our RV floor. The rug still gets a bit cold, but not as frigid as the actual floor, and I firmly believe it is helping.
You can find cute rugs at Walmart and on the internet, and you really don’t have to spend a fortune on one, making this a worthwhile investment. If you want to get extra fancy, consider putting a foam mat under the rug for extra insulation and a super comfy place to stand.
Create Underbelly Insulation
Foam mats and rugs on the floor are great for improving insulation on the bottom part of your RV, but they can do their job even better if the underbelly of the rig is insulated. There are some RVs that come with insulated underbellies out of the factory. Typically these are referred to as “four season RVs” and they will come with other features that improve wintertime usability, including tank heaters and improved wall insulation.
That said, the vast majority of RVs do not come with insulated underbellies, meaning if you want the underside of your RV insulated, you’ll likely have to take care of it yourself. The best way to do this is with foam board.
The video below demonstrates how you might go about this:
Add Skirting
Finally, there is the option to add some sort of skirting to your RV to help it retain heat. If you’re stationary, this is pretty much a no-brainer. That said, if you move often, taking the skirting down each time you move can become troublesome and you might want to stick to the aforementioned underbelly insulation instead.
Some options for RV skirting include:
- Foam board around the exterior of the RV
- Bales of hay stacked around the exterior of the RV
- Tarps hung around the base of the RV
- A product such as AirSkirts or EZ Snap, which can be easier to install and take down
Some RVers get rather crafty with their ideas, like this creative thinker on the irv2.com forum:
I went with oiled canvas, like the old farm truck type. can be cut and sewn to needs. Stainless snaps and eyelets to anchor to the ground and great temp skirting. To attach to camper, screw in stainless snaps or use the 3M stick on ones for camper.
—travelorer99
The goal is to hold heat in under the RV and block cold drafts, which can come up through the RV floor. Many people choose to add a small space heater or heat lamp under the rig as well. This provides a heat source on the coldest nights, giving the skirt a little more heat to hold within in order to keep tanks and pipes from freezing.
Getting Warmer Yet?
These are, in my opinion, the best ways to add insulation to your RV in order to keep it warmer in winter and make winter camping a comfortable experience. Have a tip you’d like to add? Let me know about it in the comments.