Cold weather

[Rich Thomas]

You know it's cold out side when your in the garage and you stick your hands into the drink cooler to warm them up. Silly right? I know but I wanted to make a point. It's cold out side so plan accordingly. Don't use inappropriate things to heat with Like the oven for example. Throw a couple old blankets in the car. A little shovel and a bag of sand if you have it. Also a supply of ready to eat foods like cheese and peanut butter crackers, a box of those saw dust looking things they call health bars would be good as well or jerky, or gummy bears, you get it right. The point is to be prepared. in cold weather. I try to not let my cars tank get less than half full and if I'm going to travel I let some one know where and when. An other point if you are out in the RV camping or living full time it is a good idea to have a back up heat source like a Heater Buddy  or a radiant electric heater for stand by and as I mentioned above don't use the RV oven or range top to heat with. Also when traveling or camping make sure you have a good potable water source. Remember a thermos bottle will keep water from freezing just a well as it will keep it cold in the hot weather. an ice chest will as well to a point any way. Bundle up in layers and try not to over heat because sweat will reduce the insulating value of most garments. And if you've been around the block a time or two be very conservative with your activities like snow shoveling so not to get over heated or worse have a stroke or heart attack. Anybody have a tip to share? Feel free to do so. and please be careful out there.  

[Lakota Wolf]

I might add,,, If Full timming,, Put small towels at the base sills of your windows,, condensation can build up on the inside from running the heater and cooking,, and that condensation will puddle up in the window sill and eventually pool over and down the walls,, creating interior water damage. And on freezing nights, disconnect your water supply hose,, and bring inside and set in the tub, to keep it from freezing. Your water heater will still have water in it, so let it cycle and heat up before going to sleep for the night, and cycle it again in the morning.. remembering to leave a faucet open during the night.. Then close the faucet and reconnect your water supply hose and your ready for fresh water back inside.

[Daniel Long]

Maybe everyone knows this but don't draw down your batteries too much in the freezing weather. A nearly-discharged battery can become not much more than a plastic-wrapped ice cube if you don't keep it charged. Up in Western NY the weather can kill any old or poorly charged battery. Freezing can damage the plates of the battery and render it useless.

[Russell E Johnson]

OH YA! You are so right on with the keeping batteries charged up. In the Dakotas when it turned off below zero the gas stations and parts houses could not keep enough batteries in stock to meet the demand of that first good cold snap. When we were living there I replaced all my batteries every 4 years with new Interstates, the highest CCA capacity and reserve I could fit in the vehicle. My vehicles have started when it was 45-50 below--not wind chill but true temperature--and then set about helping other people get their vehicles started or helping them retrieve a new battery to replace the ice cube that was in their vehicle. Battery maintainers and soft plug heaters are a must have in the northern climates if one does not have a garage.

[Laura G]

Great ideas! Here in Colorado we never know when it may get really cold and it's always good to be prepared especially if you're going into the mountains. Better to be safe than sorry!

[Rich Thomas]

I have mentioned this before but it bares repeating. Most folks just think of their rigs as an escape from the hustle and bustle of the fair weather months and put there RV's to bed after the leaves fall. I'm not knocking that scenario here but your RV no matter what it is; Motor Home, 5er, pull behind or load in, can and in my opinion should have a higher purpose. I look at my RV as a back up residence, like an island in a storm so to speak. I live in south east Ohio and on occasion we get some pretty freaky weather that can leave us without power for a couple days on up to a week or more at a time. I was hell bent one time to go out and purchase a full house back up gen set from Generac and was about to go in debt to get it; about 12 grand for the whole system. I was setting in my living room and had one of those epiphany moments. Why buy another of what you already have. I stopped looking for the gen set and started thinking of what I could do to set up the Motor Home for back up duty if the need presented it's self. Surprisingly it'snot much. I don't have a gen set on the Palace but what I do have is a garage full of Tractors, cars and a few motorcycles; all with batteries including the Palace; I keep all of that stuff on battery tenders and mostly full of fuel treated with staybill. I make sure to have a nearly full bottle gas tank and a spare 20 pounder laying around. None of this is an extra expense because it's all in a state of readiness by proxy. I'm lucky enough to be able to store the Palace in my garage but that's not a deal breaker if you don't one. When I hear of bad weather coming I load up on bottled water and dry & canned foods that don't require a lot of prep and do a little inspection to make sure the Palace and other equipment is ready for the task at hand. The RV can be a real asset in the off summer months. The best part is I only have around 5 grand in the Palace at this point and that makes it an extremely cost effective emergency housing / summer time fun machine.