Wintering in Indiana

[The Red Pony]

We will be staying put in southern Indiana this winter. Could I pick your brains and get advice regarding propane usage, skirting needs and if we are crazy thinking we can do this. We have a Redwood 3901 2018.

My position is the unit is not built well enough even with solid skirting and a large propane tank. My husband is certain we will be comfortable even through an Arctic Vortex with proper skirting and some added insulation under the popouts.

Any advice and experience would be appreciated.

Thankyou.

Sami and Mac

[travelin' texans]

Heated insulated water supply, oil type portable heater in storage area, didn't have mine skirted so don't know how much help it may provide.
Go to your local propane dealer & have what ever size tank they can provide & fill as needed set & plumbed to the RW. A 30 lb bottle would last about 4 days +/- depending on temps, we had a 100lb bottle set that lasted about a month.
You can make it work & hopefully comfortably.

[hoosierguy]

Originally Posted by The Red Pony

We will be staying put in southern Indiana this winter. Could I pick your brains and get advice regarding propane usage, skirting needs and if we are crazy thinking we can do this. We have a Redwood 3901 2018.

My position is the unit is not built well enough even with solid skirting and a large propane tank. My husband is certain we will be comfortable even through an Arctic Vortex with proper skirting and some added insulation under the popouts.

Any advice and experience would be appreciated.

Thankyou.

Sami and Mac

Our permanent home is in northeastern Indiana. Southern Indiana doesn't get very cold most winters. I agree with your husband. Be glad though that an Artic Vortex doesn't occur very often. Indiana winters in recent years have been very, very mild even here in the northern part of the state.

Relative to propane usage, for reference in past years I have had our 2012 Redwood 36RL sitting on our driveway in November while prepping it for the trip to Florida. All 3 slides out. I run the furnace to keep the interior at 65 degrees and it will go through 30 lbs. of propane in 7 to 8 days when outside temperatures are 25 degrees at night to 45 degree daytime temperatures. In a normal year those are about temperatures that you will see in southern Indiana in January.

You will need heated tapes or heated hose on your water supply and protect the drain line also. If you are in a very windy location (rare), the skirting around the trailer would help some.

Good luck and hope this helps.

[inb2winger]

For skirting try using straw bales and stack them that way you can bring them out around your slides also. You can also take them as high as the windows if desired. They are not as good looking as regular skirting but also help insulate everything as high as you stack them. probably cheaper than skirting and can be repurposed in the spring. It will keep you much warmer than regular skirting though.

[travelin' texans]

Originally Posted by inb2winger

For skirting try using straw bales and stack them that way you can bring them out around your slides also. You can also take them as high as the windows if desired. They are not as good looking as regular skirting but also help insulate everything as high as you stack them. probably cheaper than skirting and can be repurposed in the spring. It will keep you much warmer than regular skirting though.

I WOULD NOT recommend using hay bales!!!
Those hay bales creates a nice warm cozy bed & breakfast for little fury unwanted critters.
Using 2" foam board or a roll of heavy black plastic sheating would be a much better alternative.