Skirting Fifth Wheel

[Scraper]

I’m looking to get a skirting kit and would like to hear suggestions or tips.

[Scraper]

Brrr! I’m going to pull my RV next weekend to my retirement barn which is 80% complete in Missouri. 10 day forecast shows low temps down to 9 degrees. RV will be outside but sheltered from the wind, I have a 50 amp connection and will have a 1500 watt electric heater in the front bathroom, a 1000? Watt electric fireplace in the rear living room, the propane furnace which I know doesn’t have the best sealed ductwork, 40 straw bales which I will “skirt” the underside with, a heated freshwater hose, and some moving blankets to cover my hydrant, freshwater hose, and sewer hose. I’ll take an additional electric heater which I may place on the ground underneath, and a wireless thermometer to put underneath, in the basement, etc to check temps.

I’ve never camped where it’s much below freezing. Will it survive?

[XCMARK]

you will need to use some propane heat to keep your tanks from freezing.

You will need to fill your fresh water tank and run the on demand pump , the hose will freeze if left connect to the city water supply.

If you have a heat pump on the roof you get about twice the amount of heat output compared to portable cube heater drawing almost the same power. If you do use the heat pump it will override the propane heater from tuning on so the tanks dont get heat. if you can take one section of basement wall down and put a electric heater in there set to 50*+ it maybe alright depending on how cold it gets.

[travelin' texans]

Originally Posted by XCMARK

you will need to use some propane heat to keep your tanks from freezing.

You will need to fill your fresh water tank and run the on demand pump , the hose will freeze if left connect to the city water supply.

If you have a heat pump on the roof you get about twice the amount of heat output compared to portable cube heater drawing almost the same power. If you do use the heat pump it will override the propane heater from tuning on so the tanks dont get heat. if you can take one section of basement wall down and put a electric heater in there set to 50*+ it maybe alright depending on how cold it gets.

I know this is a couple weeks old, but just FYI! The heat pump will start blowing cold air once the ambient temps get below about 40 degrees, then once the inside temp drops about 3-5 degrees below the tstat setting the furnace will fire up while the hp will continue to blow cold til the tstat is set to "gas" heat.

[travelin' texans]

Originally Posted by Scraper

Brrr! I’m going to pull my RV next weekend to my retirement barn which is 80% complete in Missouri. 10 day forecast shows low temps down to 9 degrees. RV will be outside but sheltered from the wind, I have a 50 amp connection and will have a 1500 watt electric heater in the front bathroom, a 1000? Watt electric fireplace in the rear living room, the propane furnace which I know doesn’t have the best sealed ductwork, 40 straw bales which I will “skirt” the underside with, a heated freshwater hose, and some moving blankets to cover my hydrant, freshwater hose, and sewer hose. I’ll take an additional electric heater which I may place on the ground underneath, and a wireless thermometer to put underneath, in the basement, etc to check temps.

I’ve never camped where it’s much below freezing. Will it survive?

Would not recommend the straw bales!
#1 it's a huge fire hazard.
#2 it's like hanging out the "VACANCY" for critters & bugs to help themselves to share your rv, not to mention mold & sour smell once it's wet.

[Char & Steve]

I have to say that I would also be worried about using hey bails.
We are on day 7 of cold weather camping in the single digits. So far the new rig is doing well but we lost power due to storm for 2 days and ran generator, heat and hot water are running on the diesel burner so by the time we get on road we will use 1/4 tank of fuel.

[Scraper]

Originally Posted by Scraper

Brrr! I’m going to pull my RV next weekend to my retirement barn which is 80% complete in Missouri. 10 day forecast shows low temps down to 9 degrees. RV will be outside but sheltered from the wind, I have a 50 amp connection and will have a 1500 watt electric heater in the front bathroom, a 1000? Watt electric fireplace in the rear living room, the propane furnace which I know doesn’t have the best sealed ductwork, 40 straw bales which I will “skirt” the underside with, a heated freshwater hose, and some moving blankets to cover my hydrant, freshwater hose, and sewer hose. I’ll take an additional electric heater which I may place on the ground underneath, and a wireless thermometer to put underneath, in the basement, etc to check temps.

I’ve never camped where it’s much below freezing. Will it survive?

All worked well. Temps got down to -11 one night and single digit high temps for a couple of days. Used straw square bales to “skirt” the bottom, no portable heater underneath, heated waterline to city water with blankets over the top of it and sewer hose, used the propane furnace supplemented with electric fireplace at rear and portable electric heater at the front. Never cold inside and furnace running an estimated 50% at most. Trickled all water when temps below 15 degrees, and drained grey tanks each morning after showers. Picked up the skirting straw bales when we left after 10 days and winterized.

Thanks for all the tips and comments!