I know you said you made the choice to not skirt under the 5th wheel overhang, but I say skirt it, after spending two Wyoming winters in 5th wheel , one without like you and one with. It's a game changer in heat retention and cold bedroom floor.
Another RVer introduced me to ZipTape last winter. It's flashing tape but sticks well while cold and comes off clean. He even found that he could peel it off and re-stick it, so he just removed a panel to dump his tanks and then taped it back up. I haven't skirted my camper yet, I move too often for work to go to the hassle repeatedly, but I bought billboard tarp online with the intention of making one if I get a long-term winter project. It's similar to the material awnings are made of, but a bit thicker. Easy to cut and easy to fold up and store.
We've done double bubble. It's great! Easy to work with. Does an amazing job. Definitely keeps it warmer, uses less propane, no fear of freezing pipes or tanks. It does need to be secured to the ground, especially in windy conditions.
@@DanielleJohnson-u4c I haven't tried it with just stakes, but my guess is that it would work depending on how windy it is. If I were going to try it I would use the really heavy duty stakes, the round metal ones that have the plastic piece on the top - or landscape timber spikes 10 inches long or more, and get some wide washers that the stakes will fit snugly into. Then place the stakes every couple of feet. You could go further apart if wind isn't an issue and closer if it is windy. The washers will help distribute the force over a larger area to help prevent the wrap from tearing. The spacing of the stakes is not so much to hold the wrap in place as it is to prevent wind from coming under the wrap. The wind coming in really affects the insulation properties negatively. If I were going to use the bubble insulation with just stakes, I would substitute landscaping staples for the stakes and washers and place them fairly close together, like every 8-12 inches. Landscaping staples are designed to be used to hold weed guard down so they don't have as much tenancy to tear out as a single stake would. They are also very inexpensive so you can use them liberally. There's a million ways to address the issue. I hope you find what works well for you.
The foam looks better because it’s a solid surface where double bubble will have waves and cause shadows. So if looks matter, and you have patience then I think solid is the best. I was impressed with your install.
Something I did, I feel like you Mentioned it at the end... but I Framed (2x4) a little Storage Area under my Fifth Wheel Hookup Area (Under the Bed). I Laid a couple Pallets down, framed the walls up and Covered it with Code Board (Dense Foam Boards). Now I have a Great Storage Area for Shovels, Totes, Boots, etc. And it's a really good Insulation area for the bedroom. This is definitely the best way to stop those nasty drafts. You will see HUNDREDs of Dollars in Heat Loss back in your pocket this year.
We used 1” inch tongue and groove foam board from Dupont. Here in Kansas the winds blow 55 + miles an hour with temperatures as low as minus 30. We put 1” inch x 3” inch boards every 4’ foot. No problems.
I went just a small step further with the Double Bubble inside my RV. I have several area rugs on the floor of my RV and just placed sheets of double bubble underneath them. It may have not helped an extreme amount but it definitely helped. I also built a wood frame underneath my RV to attach my 1” rigid insulation panels to plus of course taped the seams with aluminum Duct Tape not the crappy Duck Tape. Hope this helps someone out.
Great winterization Jared! - I picked up some "Gaffers' Tape" (as in a gaffer in the movies) - It seems to be very adhesive, and reuseable a few times, and leaves no residue - I don't know how it would be in sub-zero temps (I think it is waterproof too)! - I have never used it outdoors, but it is super great for holding many things indoors. - You might want to check it out. - Cheers! Spring is less than 60 days away! - Yeah!!
Thanks for the great videos! Suggestion: try 3/4" soft foam pipe insulation on the bottom of the skirt to help with uneven ground; might work on the top too, requiring less tape.
Nice! Once we return to eastern Washington in a couple of weeks, I'm planning to install our PVC coated tarps that were custom made for our fifth wheel as skirting. They have eyelets installed every 12 inches, and we're going to hang them on the side with 3M hooks that can be removed in the spring. We'll stake them down with tent stakes at the bottom. They only cost $300, which is about the same as the foam boards and should look a lot better since they're black, the same color as the bottom trim on our fifth wheel. We'll see how it works!
@@mementomori2353 It was fairly warm when we returned, and we haven't been in cold weather long enough to warrant using them yet. We'll be headed down south right after Christmas this year, so it's not worth the effort to put them up and take them back down for only a month of some slightly below freezing temps.
We did single layer reflectix for an entire skirt in Minnesota a few winters back. Foil tape on the rv and between panels, and bricks/snow around the bottom of the skirt. Held up most nights with 40mph gusts and -30f a few nights. The heat lamps under the tanks/sewage lines made a massive difference as well.
I boondock in my non-four season trailer. No two sites are the same, so foam board wouldn't work for me. I bought the vinyl skirt kit from EZ Snap. It's a heavy vinyl, not flimsy at all and is tall enough to handle when the front or rear of the trailer is elevated. It takes me about 20 minutes to set it up, mainly because I use it no more than once a year. I probably set it up differently each time. It does a good job of isolating the volume under the trailer from the wind, which is, in my opinion, the biggest draw of heat from the underside of the trailer. It may weigh more than the foam board but it stores in a smaller space. The initial install is key to an easy setup. You have to really think about it and plan it out before you start cutting the vinyl.
I'm using double bubble this year for ours. We have a 35' also. We are getting a pretty made skirt for the fifth wheel area as some have mentioned it helps alot, so I'm glad we will be doing that also for this winter
Instead of pre-made skirting to cover the insulation in trying the privacy screens for porches 2.5x50 ft then using snaps for the double bubble... less than 250 off amazon
I skirted my 5th wheel camper once when I was working in Wisconsin. I used a heavy weight tarp from Menards and cut it into strips and secured it to the camper with snaps (yes I screwed them into the sides). It worked great, I held the skirt in place with some treated 2x4s. I did put a small electric heater underneath just to help. The main thing is to block the wind and trap the heat.
Thank you! I knew I could count on you for an aesthetically pleasing, well done RV skirt instructional video. We’re trying winter for the first time this year and will be using your videos to get us through! You’re the best 🙌🏼
In my opinion, and with experience in single digit RVing, I do not think there is a polar packet that would have come close to what you did. Thanks for sharing.
The silver hvac tape works very well it is very sticky but most of the time it comes off clean very little residue if any and most of the time there is not
I'd love to see a test of different skirting materials. IMHO the material hardly matters due to the surface to volume ratio involved. The real goal is blocking air flow. Hmmm, 8x16x3 area should be big enough, a solid top with heavy insulation and a some heat source, like a tank heater. Test a cut up blue tarp, foam board like you used and maybe straw bales. If you go nuts, then Reflectix double bubble too. The big question is if they insulate the same as I suspect. If so then ease of installation is everything.
What is the stabilizer bars u you use on your front landing legs on your 5th wheel? I saw your video on comparisons of the two and the homemade one but I cannot find the one on your camper anywhere. thank you and I enjoy your videos. safe travels
I’m permanent too and want to do this . Did you notice a difference ? Did you also do the skirting around with the 4 inch ? My TT has been in place for 17 years. I have been gutting and renovating it for the past 4 years. I originally skirted with cooleroo fabric all around which fed helped keep things cooler but I think the foam board would be even better. All the videos online are about using it for cold weather though not for hot weather 🤔
@@AllAboutRVs what do you do if you need to adjust your level occasionally. I am in place long periods of time and every few months I may have to adjust level slightly.
It would be interesting if the mfg could build something that could fold up under the underbelly pinned and fold down or build something that could slide up in between the walls when traveling and pull down like a window blind when parked. Or install something like that on the frame that pulls down.
maybe try Velcro strips no residue easy on and off, and no chance of peeling up parts of the foam each time you peel the tape ,as well as not having to buy tape, just a thought
What was the average temperature under the RV while in the single digits? Ca an Xtreme Heater be used under the RV to maintain a constant temp near or above 32F?
Yep, so true! I was full-timing in my RV 3 winters ago in Texas when they had that massive arctic freeze. We had -20 temps coming, so I skirted my RV, then put a space heater under the RV. I made it through without one busted pipe .
$200ish and a few hours of time vs $3000-$8000 for a "custom" skirt that has less rvalue.. Oh, and it looks better then the skirts... Hmm let me think. Thanks for the ideas!
As a Canadian who would have no option but to endure winter weather - i do not understand why an American would not drive to a warmer climate to not endure the cold.
Some of us don't have a choice, i currently live in our RV but my husband works locally and we just can't get up and leave to another state. So depends on the situation. If I had it any other way I wouldn't be living in a cold climate state during winter either.
I know you said you made the choice to not skirt under the 5th wheel overhang, but I say skirt it, after spending two Wyoming winters in 5th wheel , one without like you and one with. It's a game changer in heat retention and cold bedroom floor.
I’m sure it makes a big difference. I’ve been impressed with the main part of the RV how well it’s done.
Sori no Lowes here talk way too fast
Great idea for covering the 5th wheel bedroom space AND the space is big enough to accommodate some tool shed type items.
3rd Winter in Wyo this year. Woohoo!
That little door idea is genius.
Thanks
Another RVer introduced me to ZipTape last winter. It's flashing tape but sticks well while cold and comes off clean. He even found that he could peel it off and re-stick it, so he just removed a panel to dump his tanks and then taped it back up.
I haven't skirted my camper yet, I move too often for work to go to the hassle repeatedly, but I bought billboard tarp online with the intention of making one if I get a long-term winter project. It's similar to the material awnings are made of, but a bit thicker. Easy to cut and easy to fold up and store.
I’ll have to give ZipTape a try.
I found covers and all. But they don't have anything for RVs but yet they do custom orders.
Awesome, thanks 🎉
Add a string of 25w lights underneath [AC or DC] and realize even better savings and freeze protection
We've done double bubble. It's great! Easy to work with. Does an amazing job. Definitely keeps it warmer, uses less propane, no fear of freezing pipes or tanks. It does need to be secured to the ground, especially in windy conditions.
Very nice, thanks for letting us know how it’s worked for you.
First timer here. Travel nurse in NE. So I can use the bubble stuff and maybe stake it to the ground and that would work the same as foam board?
@@DanielleJohnson-u4c
I haven't tried it with just stakes, but my guess is that it would work depending on how windy it is. If I were going to try it I would use the really heavy duty stakes, the round metal ones that have the plastic piece on the top - or landscape timber spikes 10 inches long or more, and get some wide washers that the stakes will fit snugly into. Then place the stakes every couple of feet. You could go further apart if wind isn't an issue and closer if it is windy.
The washers will help distribute the force over a larger area to help prevent the wrap from tearing. The spacing of the stakes is not so much to hold the wrap in place as it is to prevent wind from coming under the wrap. The wind coming in really affects the insulation properties negatively.
If I were going to use the bubble insulation with just stakes, I would substitute landscaping staples for the stakes and washers and place them fairly close together, like every 8-12 inches. Landscaping staples are designed to be used to hold weed guard down so they don't have as much tenancy to tear out as a single stake would. They are also very inexpensive so you can use them liberally.
There's a million ways to address the issue. I hope you find what works well for you.
Works great! I used concrete blocks to hold it down since I was on concrete.
You used double bubble only? No foam board?
The foam looks better because it’s a solid surface where double bubble will have waves and cause shadows. So if looks matter, and you have patience then I think solid is the best. I was impressed with your install.
Thank you.
Something I did, I feel like you Mentioned it at the end... but I Framed (2x4) a little Storage Area under my Fifth Wheel Hookup Area (Under the Bed). I Laid a couple Pallets down, framed the walls up and Covered it with Code Board (Dense Foam Boards). Now I have a Great Storage Area for Shovels, Totes, Boots, etc. And it's a really good Insulation area for the bedroom. This is definitely the best way to stop those nasty drafts. You will see HUNDREDs of Dollars in Heat Loss back in your pocket this year.
I've used the same piece of double bubble for the last 3 years now and have never had a problem in sub 0° weather.
Good to hear.
Come to Florida, it's only 45 degrees today.
I wish. That was the original plan.
Yes! Absolutely PERFECT!! 45° here in Jax at 10:30am. LOVE it!!
@@AllAboutRVs I assume you're not at the Tampa RV Super Show?
Very neat and tidy. Double bubble is an interesting option, too. Great tip.
Thanks!
We used 1” inch tongue and groove foam board from Dupont. Here in Kansas the winds blow 55 + miles an hour with temperatures as low as minus 30. We put 1” inch x 3” inch boards every 4’ foot. No problems.
Very nice.
Sorry, did you use 1” foam or 3”?
@@natec9420they used 1 inch.. they’re saying they used 1 by 3 inch boards (could use 2 by 4) every 4 foot to support the foam boards
We added a pellet stove to our 5th wheel...absolutely love it...havent had to fill propane in 2 months so far...
Id be interested in that.👍
@@MrDavidrex very simple install...just as long as you have all the parts and space to do it.
You have a video or pics
@@billy7805 i do.
Best diy skirting I've ever seen! Absolutely following this for my fifthwheel this winter! ❤
I went just a small step further with the Double Bubble inside my RV. I have several area rugs on the floor of my RV and just placed sheets of double bubble underneath them. It may have not helped an extreme amount but it definitely helped. I also built a wood frame underneath my RV to attach my 1” rigid insulation panels to plus of course taped the seams with aluminum Duct Tape not the crappy Duck Tape. Hope this helps someone out.
Great winterization Jared! - I picked up some "Gaffers' Tape" (as in a gaffer in the movies) - It seems to be very adhesive, and reuseable a few times, and leaves no residue - I don't know how it would be in sub-zero temps (I think it is waterproof too)! - I have never used it outdoors, but it is super great for holding many things indoors. - You might want to check it out. - Cheers!
Spring is less than 60 days away! - Yeah!!
Thanks for the great videos! Suggestion: try 3/4" soft foam pipe insulation on the bottom of the skirt to help with uneven ground; might work on the top too, requiring less tape.
Or ..pool noodles slit in half? The foamboard could sit right inside of the noodle
Super helpful. I need to skirt my 34’ fifth wheel and this seems like a good alternative and more insulated than buying an expensive custom skirt
Glad it was helpful!
Nice! Once we return to eastern Washington in a couple of weeks, I'm planning to install our PVC coated tarps that were custom made for our fifth wheel as skirting. They have eyelets installed every 12 inches, and we're going to hang them on the side with 3M hooks that can be removed in the spring. We'll stake them down with tent stakes at the bottom. They only cost $300, which is about the same as the foam boards and should look a lot better since they're black, the same color as the bottom trim on our fifth wheel. We'll see how it works!
How did it work?
@@mementomori2353 It was fairly warm when we returned, and we haven't been in cold weather long enough to warrant using them yet. We'll be headed down south right after Christmas this year, so it's not worth the effort to put them up and take them back down for only a month of some slightly below freezing temps.
We did single layer reflectix for an entire skirt in Minnesota a few winters back. Foil tape on the rv and between panels, and bricks/snow around the bottom of the skirt. Held up most nights with 40mph gusts and -30f a few nights. The heat lamps under the tanks/sewage lines made a massive difference as well.
I'm desperate to know what kind of lights. Nobody seems to give me a straight answer. thank you
That's what we use. Hint, lable where each piece to reinstall next year
Great tip.
Great advice for a first timer like me. LOVE the very end. Nice touch.
I boondock in my non-four season trailer. No two sites are the same, so foam board wouldn't work for me. I bought the vinyl skirt kit from EZ Snap. It's a heavy vinyl, not flimsy at all and is tall enough to handle when the front or rear of the trailer is elevated. It takes me about 20 minutes to set it up, mainly because I use it no more than once a year. I probably set it up differently each time. It does a good job of isolating the volume under the trailer from the wind, which is, in my opinion, the biggest draw of heat from the underside of the trailer. It may weigh more than the foam board but it stores in a smaller space.
The initial install is key to an easy setup. You have to really think about it and plan it out before you start cutting the vinyl.
Thank you for excellent advice
I'm using double bubble this year for ours. We have a 35' also. We are getting a pretty made skirt for the fifth wheel area as some have mentioned it helps alot, so I'm glad we will be doing that also for this winter
Instead of pre-made skirting to cover the insulation in trying the privacy screens for porches 2.5x50 ft then using snaps for the double bubble... less than 250 off amazon
Nice Job and not bad looking as well
I skirted my 5th wheel camper once when I was working in Wisconsin. I used a heavy weight tarp from Menards and cut it into strips and secured it to the camper with snaps (yes I screwed them into the sides). It worked great, I held the skirt in place with some treated 2x4s. I did put a small electric heater underneath just to help. The main thing is to block the wind and trap the heat.
Wow, very helpful, great video, congratulations
Thank you! I knew I could count on you for an aesthetically pleasing, well done RV skirt instructional video. We’re trying winter for the first time this year and will be using your videos to get us through! You’re the best 🙌🏼
So many good ideas. Thanks Jarred.
Glad you like them!
Wow nice job. It's a really clean look.
Thank you!
Great video and tips, thanks. Are you able to get underneath and inspect for any excessive condensation? Has it been a problem?
In my opinion, and with experience in single digit RVing, I do not think there is a polar packet that would have come close to what you did. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you.
The silver hvac tape works very well it is very sticky but most of the time it comes off clean very little residue if any and most of the time there is not
I'd love to see a test of different skirting materials. IMHO the material hardly matters due to the surface to volume ratio involved. The real goal is blocking air flow.
Hmmm, 8x16x3 area should be big enough, a solid top with heavy insulation and a some heat source, like a tank heater. Test a cut up blue tarp, foam board like you used and maybe straw bales. If you go nuts, then Reflectix double bubble too. The big question is if they insulate the same as I suspect. If so then ease of installation is everything.
That would be an interesting test. I do believe the key is sealing it off.
Thank you for including all the links for products!!
What is the stabilizer bars u you use on your front landing legs on your 5th wheel? I saw your video on comparisons of the two and the homemade one but I cannot find the one on your camper anywhere. thank you and I enjoy your videos. safe travels
All about rv's a al barsha south tour drive
Very nicely done!
Thank you very much!
Great video thanks
Thanks.
Wonderful video. What life lessons.
Thank you.
Could you measure and let me know what you are getting for a basement temperature when the outside temperature is around 10 degreese?
Don
Funny I just checked our outside temp is 10°f and I have had a sensor in the skirted area all week and it is 31.1°f in there right now.
that's a lot better than i ever would have wished for. great job.@@AllAboutRVs
Well done!
I dropped the coraboard and put 4” insulation front to back of my 5th wheel.
Being permanent I can don’t have to put on or off and store it.
I’m permanent too and want to do this . Did you notice a difference ? Did you also do the skirting around with the 4 inch ? My TT has been in place for 17 years. I have been gutting and renovating it for the past 4 years. I originally skirted with cooleroo fabric all around which fed helped keep things cooler but I think the foam board would be even better. All the videos online are about using it for cold weather though not for hot weather 🤔
Looks good. How about holding up to wind.
We had some windy days with big gusts and it did great so far.
@@AllAboutRVs good to hear. Love you content keep it up.
So not stacking insulation underneath ? In canada if we get -45 c we need it!
Looks really good!! I’m going to use your idea on the skirting. I was thinking about added heating blanket to my propane tanks. What do you think?
There is one on our winter accessories list. th-cam.com/video/_qJl1TPyRPU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vi-Xh3cISr3Rzt4d
Do you need to do under the slides if RV has slides?
I did. It made a difference
How long does your setup like this last? I want to do it but am leaning toward getting an actual skirt
It lasted all winter for us and I saved it for this year as well.
@@AllAboutRVs what do you do if you need to adjust your level occasionally. I am in place long periods of time and every few months I may have to adjust level slightly.
It would be interesting if the mfg could build something that could fold up under the underbelly pinned and fold down or build something that could slide up in between the walls when traveling and pull down like a window blind when parked. Or install something like that on the frame that pulls down.
I was thinking king the same thing this week.
I have seen the air skirts and wonder how efficient they are.
There's someone at the campground I'm at and it's got so many gaps I wonder if it's remotely doing anything to keep the underside warm
I’ve thought about trying them.
I prefer to just go to southern Arizona in the winter.
I wish we could have.
It’s slick but do you have a heat source under the rv and using heated water hose.
I have a heated hose but no additional heat source in the skirted area. Sealing it up does all we need.
Are the foam boards you used waterproof? How did they hold up in the snow and wind?
maybe try Velcro strips no residue easy on and off, and no chance of peeling up parts of the foam each time you peel the tape ,as well as not having to buy tape, just a thought
Might be worth trying but I’m afraid the road grime by next year would make it hard to reuse.
Gaffer tape would be perfect for this.
The RV world need to learn about Gaff/Gaffer tape!
Love gaffer tape! Most people don’t know I used to be a sound guy at a church.
What was the average temperature under the RV while in the single digits? Ca an Xtreme Heater be used under the RV to maintain a constant temp near or above 32F?
How's it hold out in the wind? I mean like a winter storm.
We had some healthy wind with some big gusts and it did great.
What do you do with all that foam when summer comes?
Number each piece. Stack them in storage to use next year.
Cool🎉
It's really all about R Value. That foam doesn't have much R value. So how cold was it?
0°F it only has an R value of 3.9 but most RV skirts are made of a tarp like material. It’s more about stopping the transfer of air under the RV.
@AllAboutRVs transfer of air? I'm pretty sure pipes don't worry about a wind chill.
It’s not about wind chill.
@AllAboutRVs it's about RValue. And 3.9 .... thats why if u don't use a heater under the underbelly stuff will freeze.
so did you use both the styrofoam and the bubble wrap or just the styrofoam???
Just the foam board
If you want to take it to the next level just put a 100 or a 150 watt light bulb under the RV. You will be shocked how much a little light bulb makes…
Yep, so true! I was full-timing in my RV 3 winters ago in Texas when they had that massive arctic freeze. We had -20 temps coming, so I skirted my RV, then put a space heater under the RV. I made it through without one busted pipe .
Next level is a Deisel heater. You will thank me later.
@@davidnoonan7893im in N Texas. What material did you use for skirting? Did you put something over or around the sewer hoses?
Great job, but RVing for us in the winter means Florida or Arizona😎
Good call!
I wish all the foam boards weren’t all pink. The gray ones you have here aren’t available in my area.
A bad wind storm comes along and that would be torn apart very quickly.
OR, since you're mobile, you can just go to a warmer climate, just a thought...
$200ish and a few hours of time vs $3000-$8000 for a "custom" skirt that has less rvalue.. Oh, and it looks better then the skirts... Hmm let me think. Thanks for the ideas!
Glad it helped
As a Canadian who would have no option but to endure winter weather - i do not understand why an American would not drive to a warmer climate to not endure the cold.
Some of us don't have a choice, i currently live in our RV but my husband works locally and we just can't get up and leave to another state. So depends on the situation. If I had it any other way I wouldn't be living in a cold climate state during winter either.
👍🤛🙏🦅😎🇺🇸
👍🇺🇲
another waste of money
^^^what your father said when you were born