Camper Living in Extreme Cold Warning
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- Brrrr...glad this doesn't happen often here..
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Heat tip for your wood stove. Stack paver bricks on top and beside your stove. They soak up excess heat and release heat as the flames decrease. It makes for a cheap thermal battery.
THAT is very good advice!!
I have even heated cinder blocks in the oven and on the cook top.
it's not amazing but it definitely works. Get toasty first and THEN use something to get the excess heat. Stone works, but there may be other products that hold heat better.
@@rixxy9204 lotts of water, if you heat 100+ gallons of water it will store a lot of energy. Plus it's just good to have water.
When you don't know how much propane you have, take the tank out on the porch and pour some slightly warm water over the tank...the water will run off the empty part but will bead up over the part of the tank with the cold propane section.
Great tip! Thank you!
I live in northern alberta(extreme cold winters to -49+ C) in a 38ft camper with my dog and cat. I built a makeshift onto entryway and put a woodstove in it for heat(6cords of wood lasts all winter) and no need for heaters ever and my home holds heat very well. Mornings are never cold in my home since using bubble wrap. I use a generator for power( put a small roof over it to keep snow off, but dont fully cover or your generator will not last long.) and 4 solar panels in case I don't have gas for generator. I also use a 250lb propane tank for cooking and extra heat. I wrap my propane tank and hoses with silver bubble wrap and it doesn't freeze ever) An outhouse/night pail for bathroom use. To keep the cold out, I wrap my whole camper/makeshift with silver bubble wrap, cutout windows and cover them inside/outside with clear plastic wrap, for extra light. For extra warmth I use the snow and bank up the lower half of my camper/makeshift. I never feel the cold in my home and have been living like this for 13 years. I wouldn't change a thing ❤ 🇨🇦
I live in a 5th wheel in northern Wa. State. I found putting foil bubble wrap on my windows helps to keep the heat in and reduces drafts.
I have that on a few in the bedroom, does help 👍
I also have this in my 5 th wheel, game changer! Full time in BC Canada. We hit -40 last winter it was yikes lol
@user-ul5gy7ch1p yikes is right! BRRRRR
I'm sure all of you already know about this...perhaps to wrap around the propane fixtures. :)
"Frost King HC6A Automatic Electric Heat Kit Heating Cables, 6 Feet, Black"
I wrap walls in Texas. Our trailers are not manufactured for these temperatures. No these
Hi, i am from middle Europe.
A Friend lived for years in a 40ft steel box. He put 5 inch rockwool on outside on the walls coverd with plywood sidings. He also put 10inch rockwool on the roof, covered with corrugatet Steel. Under the florboards, he put a layer of foamglass gravel. His Box was always toasty warm in harsch winter time (-20°C) with only a little but good self built adobe wood stove.
Sounds toasty 🌡
Thank you for posting Jenna. I agree with you, having multiple heat sources is important. Take care.
you dont need any heat sources where i live it never even get near to freezing you need a lot of ac but does seem like a good idae if it cold where you are.
I have two suggestions. One is use a heated blanket while in bed. I think your off grid system should be able to handle it as it doesn't require much current to run. Put it on top of the top sheet and under the blankets. It'll lock the warmth to your body. The other is, if you're near a Dollarama, they have those big fuzzy socks that you can wear right over your regular socks. Very cozy.
My family went camping every year .I learned that the windows are the hole in the house !so we covered every window at night as soon as it started to get dark. We had insulation that we put in every window every night and it worked perfectly… the big window we doubled the isolation ..we had this also around the walls beside the bed!!also we had BIG and hard wood (it burned much longer and spends more heat)for the night !small wood makes to much ashes.
You maybe get your self real wool clothes .you did a real good job to keep all warm ❤❤❤❤❤
I can relate to that miserably cold stretch! I had -34 windchill here in Maine. Luckily the camper stayed warm with my diesel heater and having the warm air furnace on standby. Great vid. I enjoy watching others share their approach to camper living challenges. Peace ✌🏻
How long does that last with how many gallons
Put big quilts on the floor and it helps A LOT
Shake the hot coals down into the grate and give the fire more air. It gets hotter. Your wood will burn more evenly. Additionally, use a fan near the woodstove. It blows the heat into other parts of your living space
Jenna, use some rocks around and on top of your wood stove, they will retain heat giving you an added heat source. Make sure they have been used as a fire ring outdoors first and not from a water source.
I did this once before with my older pot belly stove
I've heard they have a possibility to explode so I would avoid that and invest in another wood stove, a diesel heater or an electric space heater. It would be easier to put out a fire than it would be to survive mini bombs imo
If you use river rock the possibility is higher. I wouldn’t use any that was in water.
@@sc5748 Eh OP seems to like them but I wouldn't chance the danger for a tiny bit of heat. So yeah definitely not subbing
@@MeowMeowKitty86 , if you read my first comment, I said to use rocks that have already been used around a fire ring . Those rocks would be safer. The rocks retain heat long after the fire has gone out. If you’re concerned, don’t put them on the stove place them around the stove. Why don’t think hearths have been around for centuries?
I have an old trailer from the 1960's. We peeled the outside of it off and reinsulated it. Redid the wiring, plumbing. Put new windows in it and its pretty good.
On my way south, I have slept in my trailer in temperature of -40 C in SK with no heat because my propane froze.
I had 4 hot water bottles from Dollorama with me. Fortunately I had heated the water early in the evening before propane froze to preheat my bed.
Basically these kept me pretty warm all night till about 4 am (I was wearing gloves and hat too).
Cheapest way to stay warm: Go to bed early and pack hot water bottles around you.
I have done that, it helps for cold feet too 😊
Hey I live in Australia Queensland Townsville and we never get cold weather I long for the cold weather, your so right the good old hot water bottle we used them years ago on the farm, thank you for sharing your systems for keeping warm 😊
I haven't seen your videos before, so maybe many have wondered this. I'm wondering why you don't have all of your windows covered well. Imagine what an improvement that would be. I would do it all winter to stay warmer. You are very brave to live in a camper in that area. Best wishes!
Usually with the heat of the larger,air tight wood stove. It is plenty warm in there. The one area that has blinds and curtains is the bedroom
ALUMINM , BUBBLE. WRAP. ,, TAPED. ON. WINOWS. ,, WILL. GREATLY. REDUCE. HEATLOSS. 😊 !!! .
You absolutely must keep at least one window accessible and should keep it cracked open a tiny bit if you are burning any kind of fuel. That would include wood, wood pellets, natural gas, propane, kerosene, etc. Those types of fuel all create carbon monoxide as a very deadly by product. You can't see, taste, or smell it, so you need to keep a window open a bit to vent the bad air and to bring in some fresh air .
You can wrap the rocks in towels and take them to bed with you. 👍🇺🇸
@@Questor-ky2fv nope, use a CO detector... the trailer likely leaks more than enough air, just monitor carbon monoxide levels.
Gypsy Jenna growing up in the cold and extreme winter weather. I'd like to give you props for going into detail in explaining. I've known alot of folks who stayed in rv's and campers and an inexpensive trick that helped them was lining the outside of the skirting with bails of hay, Tis reduces the amount of wind and cold getting underneath. Hope this tip can be helpful in the future. Thank you again for an awesome show.
Thanks for the tip, I have considered the hay and straw before but my concern was rodents. It usually brings the squirrels and mice in and I have had plenty. However, far less this year because my new neighbour has an outdoor cat that often wanders over here and must be keeping the rodent population in check lol
@@gypsyjenna I live in an RV and found that ground cinnamon sprinkled around my skirting seems to help to keep the critters away. I guess they don't like the cinnamon challenge!
That could be worth a try! I have heard about cayenne pepper also!
@@gypsyjennacayenne pepper definitely works !
Hi Jenna... just found you. Living with my 2 pups in a 14 ft travel trailer in the hills of NW Oregon. Learning as I go.
Coal provides that deep heat, but wood won't really provide intense heat. I read that thermal blinds over windows makes a huge difference. Well done to you for keeping the place warm.
I used installation board around the camper outside its a huge advantage. Plus bubble wrap in the windows and shrink wrap around the windows. I used a 100lb propane tank and 3 small 10in space heater spaced out so that one was up front second was midway and third was in bedroom. I lived for 3 winters in a camper.
🤠 howdy fellow survivor ..
I enjoyed watching your video ..
I live in north West Montana 🌲
In a 5th wheel..
Been in it 12 years .
All I have is a cubic Grizzly wood stove .
I got a Lazer thermometer to check all the cold spots that helped the most .
Cover the windows
With silver Buble wrap.
Use Rugs on floor exspecialy around door .
I even hand blankets over the windows
It helps a lot ..
Had a bad draft around the fridge and the stove ..
I got 500 gallon propane tank
With line barried and the regulator runs in side the storage.
Heat tape on sewer drain plus a heated hose then wrap heat tape around the facet
Then cover with plastic ..
Oh we use compressed logs with heard wood ..
They last way longer
Burn hotter ..
Because we don't have any hard woods this far north it's all soft pine .
Larch is better ..
Just this little bit of tips will help keep that place warmer longer ..
The tinny wood stove I have heats fast but in 2 hours I have to add wood ..
It keeps this place warm down to
-45° F with that's my
Main heat sorch ..
Then thermostat is at
58° F
I have my Buddy for back up ..
I'm Disabled and things have gotten very very serious few winters .. I live so far out no one for miles m
I need to get all my food everything .
Good luck to you hope to see more videos..
Thanks for sharing.
🌲🤠🌲👍🌲🪓🌲
Thank you for all the tips, good luck to you as well! 🍀
I think Ramsey, is in cat heaven. One suggestion from personal experience. Find a down comforter on sale, they really reasonable. I slept in a van once, no heat, no insulation, 25 degrees Fahrenheit, I was toasty warm. One other suggestion is order some wool surplus long Johns from sportsman’s guide, they’re awesome. You rock.
You need to get yourself some propane tank heating blankets, they help keep them warm and you do not go through the propane as fast. Also, get some reflectix insulation for the inside of your windows and doors. You can get it in various thicknesses and lengths. You cut it the fit the windows. Helps a lot. We also put house insulation up inside of our roof vents inside to help with the drafts. We have been living in our Toy hauler in Washington and Nevada where this winter has been miserable with snow, cold and bad winds. Glad we invested a little. We also have a Buddy heater just in case lol
i watched another channel put bails of hay under their camper to help keep the warmth
I cover my windows of my RV with cardboard from the inside and it really helps
Good to see you made it through the cold snap. Reading about so many people with frozen or burst pipes here in the valley. Spring is just around the corner. As always Jenna, great video. Take care mate.
Thanks and yes that was a doozy eh!?? Lots of burst pipe nightmare stories. Makes me so glad I winterized even though I hate having to do it each year. Spring is so close and I can't wait!!
You really need to be proactive like you are in cold weather. Keeping up on wood stove maintenance, making sure the gas tanks are covered and the diesel and petrol is topped up in everything means you hopefully don't have to deal with catastrophes during the cold spell. I think if everyone was as forward thinking winter wouldn't be such a chore. You gave me some great ideas for when I go back to Scotland, thanks, I subbed and liked.
Thanks for being here!
Ok Jenna, this is a video I can sink my teeth in. I love how you tracked the temps and told us step by step how you got thru it. I LOVED you throwing the water too ⛲💦💧. I hope you are doing good Jenna. Stay safe out there and warm 🤗.
Thanks and I'm hoping that was the last of the super cold temps this winter but who knows, eh? It's a lot of work just to keep the place warm, haha. I actually spilled some of the boiling hot water on my crocs and socks but it was cold, it didn't hurt, lol
@@gypsyjenna haha cold crocks and socks 😅👍. Keep killing it Jenna!
Ok, Jenna, thank you, Jenna, for Jenna, posting, Jenna, this, Jenna, video, Jenna, i, Jenna, need, Jenna, your, Jenna, attention, Jenna!
Glad you made out decent. I'm in a van and it was fine. Just run a diesel heater and I think during the coldest part I ran my van for extra heat. Definitely right about not relying on the power grid.
Use a fan behind the stove or near the stove to push heat down the hall. Cover windows and doors with quilted material, put insulation under the trailer attached to the floor
Hi Linda, thanks for the suggestions and I do have a fan on top of the stove. It helps
Jenna you are always prepared. Good job.
During the Texas cold blast of 2021 I saw -2 degrees f. just North of Ft Worth where I lived at that time. It was the coldest temps Ive ever seen,and do not want to see that again. I was heating my camper then with two space heaters and three heat lamps. I was praying that the electric grid didnt crash,and it didnt where I was. Now I have the diesel heater and propane heaters with two big tanks. Yea it gets hot down here but I can deal with it better than those cold temps up there. Stay warm and stay safe.
Always good to have back ups! 🙂
FWIW --- My hubby and I would look at our wood piles (yes, multiple) at the beginning of fall and think: "All summer we cut, split and stacked cord after cord of wood and is it enough?"
Answer: You can never have too much ;)
My buddy heater is the "Bomb", been using it for about a decade... I use it everywhere. camper, garage, iceshack, tent, anywhere I need heat. I've been where you are...stay warm, stay safe 👍
I'm in Cheticamp, Cape Breton. It was a brutal weekend! I was so happy to see Sunday, to have normal temperatures once again! Glad you were able to stay warm-ish! You're tough!
Thanks, it was a cold one! Glad we don't deal with that too often, phew!
Duct taping doors and windows helps a lot!
Hi, from Tampa, FL....Please stay warm! Your kitties look very cozy....
I use a Mr heater in my RV and it keeps it so warm!!! 😊 we had an older RV with a lot of drafts and in very low and every winter we would get thick visqueen to fully cover our windows. Even in negative temperatures it stayed warm.
Can you give me more information about Mr heater never heard of that I'm going to try doing a Google search
@@burgundyjayde the little red heater she has in the video connected to the small propane tank she brought in the house. That’s a Mr heater go to their website it will tell you everything you need to know they are used for tents RVs garages all indoor safe and inexpensive to use and run. I can run mine 8-10yrs a day half high half on low and a 20lb propane tank last me 3-4 nights plus half a day give or take. Ii fill my 2 20lb tanks for $12-$15 so t but the prefilled it’s twice that much.
I love your content I live in Maine we have cold weather sometimes and you find your self in a battle against Mother Nature to stay warm 😊
It got a little nippy eh! Our generator wouldn't go either, pullcord was like pulling thick molasses. I got it fired up today, just to make sure it was still working right. Glad you stayed warm Jenna!
I'm new to your channel. I lived in a 5th wheel for a year and a half; through one winter in Oregon a few years back. I had a heated blanket and used the Buddy heater. Good video. TY
I'm from Saskatchewan, -40c is ice fishing weather. tip. keep your windows covered. lose alot of heat in single pane windows. I have thick vinyl tufdek covering mine helps tremendously
Hello, great content. Propane boils at -44 degrees, so, I don't think your regulator froze up, but is possible because of moisture in the propane, but more likely is that extreme temperature was colder then the boiling point! Just like boiling water on a stove, once you turn the stove off, the water cools and stops producing water vapor! Keep the tanks insulated in extreme cold, that short cover may not be enough! Just a little FYI. And I hope it helps. Be safe!!
Thank you
Low temps will also reduce the pressure of the gas in the cylinder which will return when it warms. This also prevents accessing all the quantity of gas in the tank. At -35 best to take the ones not in use inside.
It all starts with the insulation value of the trailer built in at the factory. Looks like yours is one of the lightweight models which don’t provide insulation down to below freezing levels but it’s great in warmer areas. I know you must get a lot of comments like mine but just my polite observation. So then the question is what should you do? Start with underneath the trailer, what’s the temperature on the floor inside the trailer? If it’s constantly very cold then sealing off the perimeter from the ground up to the bottom of your trailer with a skirt of insulation would at least seal that off. With that you should gain 10-15 degree increase. I grew up in Klamath Falls, Oregon where we get harsh winters but there’s no humidity so the temperatures feel a lot warmer by comparison. Even using a small open flame candle can warm the air enough to make things a lot better. Circulating the air is another important issue, a good, small high volume fan will prevent loss of heat and will also help warm the interior walls of the trailer which your actual enemy since it’s like having an ice cube next to you that’s cooling the air faster than you can warm it. On other thing I highly recommend is to have more of your stove pipe run inside the trailer so it provides more surface to radiate heat before it leaves the pipe. For safety, you can install a diverted valve if you want to bypass the extended section which can be used as a heat level control in case it gets too hot. As a teenager, I had to chop 5 cords of wood each summer which we used to heat our house each winter. If you have options for firewood, check on how other wood types will burn best for your situation. You can even set up some side walls off of the shelter that you have as your roof, just get some cheap tarps and/or some thick clear plastic sheeting and hang them off the roof edge, this will lower temps 10-20 degrees and provide another layer. And whatever you do, don’t get that damn vaccination!
"THANK YOU" for all of this good information. I was able to write and take down notes on alot of the ideas you had, and your viewers as well. Eventually I plan to write a book on travel trailer living, to include this info for new trailer owners.
Also, I live in an RV and my windows are covered fall winter spring or summer. I use those reflectors that you use in cars on my windows and it makes all the difference in the world in the winter. It keeps out cold and in the summer, it keeps out the heat. You should get your windows covered. I don’t understand why you don’t but then again you might not have known.
When I was 10 my parents stayed in a small trailer for the night. The temp dropped to -40F below 0. The heater stopped working and it was the worst night I could remember. Burns, Oregon 1970.
Oh my goodness, sounds like it's fresh in your memory. Cold night for sure
A down duvet over the matress and two over you...with winter PJs and a throw if needed.....very cheap, sustainable way to keep warm. Shutters on the windows help a ton too
Looks like you are doing, most things right. A low wattage light bulb (not led light) up near the propane regulator is effective to much colder and isn't s safety hazard. try a 40 watt bulb under the cover.
Shade curtains for the windows at night will cut down on drafts.
When propane is not in use, you should drain the line. Light whatever it is you're using - stove or fridge or other items. Turn the tank off and let the propane stove/fridge go out. Next time you use the propane; give the tank value a 1/4 to 1/2 a turn - until you hear the hiss. Light whatever you've using and then slowly open the tank valve all the way.
Thanks I did this today with some success
Been living in my 28 north trail for 6 years now. I use a wood stove and a home made heat pump to push hot air into the floor by the hot water tank and lines. Works like a charm, just can’t stay out ice fishing too long if it’s too cold, gotta get back b4 the fire dies! Cheers from northern Ontario Canada 🇨🇦!
Sounds awesome!!
You are spot on with having multiple heat sources!! I like your set up, I have a whool blanket and hate the feeling of it so I put my fuzy blanket on first then the whool, my cat cuddles me and I end up too warm lol
Put lots of cardboard on the floor. We had 6" or so in the Airstream in Spokane.
Hats off! It looks like having a cold period like this turns your life into a 24 hour shift to keep everything from freezing.
What an adventure. Thank you for sharing. Everyone stay warm, safe, happy and healthy. From Henrico County Virginia
Thanks for coming along!
I live in a 25ft camper and I found it’s been tough with my furnace, diesel heater, and electric heater to keep up with anything below 10 degrees. I even put plastic on my windows and averaged 63. So glad winter is over here in the states. All that aside I still enjoy living my life in a camper full time. So much fun
Now you can really enjoy it for a number of months. Plenty of time to try and prepare for the next cold one eh!
@@gypsyjenna yeah trade this camper in for an all season one 🤣
I spent an entire winter in Michigan in a converted Nomad travel trailer that had a build on enclosed porch were all my wood and other essentials were kept. My experience was good and stayed warm and comfortable all winter long. I wish you the very best of luck.
Thanks so much
I'd look into straw bale exterior insulation from ground to the roof on that thing. Also, what about covering your windows with ridgid styrofoam insulation, especially in the winter months? I also use a 30 lb blanket from Amazon, really made more for "anxiety" but its hell of warm, and you could also put an electric blanket in it for maximum heat.
You will use less heat if you come up the window use rugs around the house rugs in front the door
I live in a camp trailer in Nevada while I'm not off grid it's still cold inside. But I only use my stovetop a cast iron broken pan and a fireplace fan like you use which keeps me around 50 to 60° F For my propane tanks I use a cover a U-Haul moving blanket and plug in pipe wrap around tank valves. Hopefully my next trailer will be at least 25 foot and I will put in a wood stove.
A fellow Nevadan… Hi Steve! I am in Northern Nevada and just started living in my Class A Diesel Pusher. I still have lots to learn but I am loving it. Thank goodness this winter has been mild so far. Stay warm and Merry Christmas to you!
Northern Nevada for me as well went to CA at Christmas to see kids and grandkids haven't been checking my mail but hope you had a good Christmas also 😁
You have all year to think of your heat needs. Enclosing your gas tanks, enclosing your generator- with venting, window-tremendous heat loss here, cover with outside insulation- then inside window covers- use double clear shower curtains from $ store let hang down to floor for more insulating,then cover with storage blanket curtains at night. Cover your floors with rugs. If you have electricity use double electric blankets on your bed- one with a blanket underneath you, another electric blanket with many blankets on it to trap in heat above you. This should get you up to at least 45- 50°. Do your homework during the watm months.
You don’t have curtains for the windows? That would contain some of the heat in the trailer as well….🤷🏻♀️ Maybe you have something for the windows but I missed seeing it. Greetings and best wishes from Ontario. We are almost out of the woods…Usually end of May we can start gardening. God Bless you Jenna🙏🏼🍀👋🏼🇨🇦
My God. That’s cold, I am in inland Australia in the middle of winter. Day temps are up to 12- 17 c. Nights are down to minus 2. Loved your video. Take care!
I’ve a preparedness author and have been employed by major industry to develop and train preparedness plans. You are a preparedness rockstar! Someone has taught you well and things most never consider, you have a plan AND backups. Well done.
Thank you 😊
When I lived in and RV .. I used that silver RV insulation and 6mm of plastic on all but 1 window , and wrapped the bottom of the trailer and put big blankets on the floor and then bought a Home Depot oil heater …. And all was perfect even when it was super cold and snowing … I didn’t have to have a wood burning stove …. However - 40 I never faced that type of cold … 0 degrees would be my worst and it never stayed that low .. usually 10 to 20 degrees for 1 month then it climbs 10 degrees .
I've just found your channel and subbed.... love it!! x❤ I'm in Australia, it never gets that cold where I live in Victoria, we might get as low as 7c during the day, or 1c overnight.... I felt cold watching this 😂
Wow Jenna, it’s amazing that big stove won’t run you out of there. I guess the campers lose heat so fast. You are like me or beyond, being extra prepared though. I know it’s a pain, but you should have some insulated covers for windows, thick curtains or something. Those single pane windows for campers have no efficiency. You are to be admired, so just some suggestion. Enjoyed your video/channel.
Phew!!! I feel rather frosty after that LOL. I live in Australia and it's now cooling off but even in the depth of winter it looks like the tropics compared to what you went through! Scary. Love your kitties!
Nothing like the sound of a whipping wind through an evergreen forest.
You also need rugs during the winter months just put them around the house and to keep the house
This seems like a nightmare. The worry, the lack of solid sleep, the cold....ugh. The snow is beautiful though, lol.
If your stationary,you might want to insulate it. Warmer in winter, cooler in summer. Won't look pretty, but at least you won't freeze or roast. And invest in a large propane tank, n put gas heaters . Our 2 big ones keep our house now warm,and we have big rooms. Our lines are wrapped n buried underground. And we cover our tank where the lines are.
I am in Ohio and I have slept in a tent, pop up camper and travel trailer in -3 degrees Celsius with a blanket and comforter no heat with no problem. I have used my propane gas heater to warm up when moving around but turned off at night. Slept like a baby. Dangerous to run a buddy heater and propane tank inside your home, especially with a wood burner inside!!! I have a wood burner in my pole barn and it gets to 60 degrees F.
Next few days will be my coldest in the 3 months I've lived off grid at 6,800 ft in a travel trailer. 12" of snow possible also. Moved here too late to set up a small wood stove inside, have multiple buddy heaters, and plenty of BBQ size propane tanks. Been warm inside so far, so glad I moved out of the big city. 👍
Nice and quiet there eh? Good luck in the cold temps, stay warm!
Wow was That Boilng water It snows here Once or twice a Year In The Mountains here in australia
-5 C would be really cold over night
looks like a nice place your got there, well done
That’s brutal temps. I lived in a travel trailer and the windows are like car windows and they all leak. So… I got insulated curtains and that helped tremendously. The the front window that cranks shut I put foam insulation on the inside of it and cranked it closed. The floors I bought thick throw rugs and it helped but the damn windows really makes it cold. Glad you made it safely with those dangerous temps. ✌🏻
Good idea with cranking the windows closed with insulation inside. Probably made it pretty dark inside though I guess
Dark vs cold 🤔 Lolol
The insulated curtains was the big winner and you can open them when it warms up. The thick throw rugs helped because they have nothing underneath these rigs unless you do it. I was reading about these 4 season rigs and they aren’t as 4 season as they claim. The doors leak and when it got nice out I took the tin surrounding the door and shoved foam around it and that helped. Anyplace where I felt a draft I put insulation and under the sink area in the kitchen was terrible. So I bought 1/2 styrofoam and lined the walls. These rigs like mine are like living in a car lol I had an old Dutchman and it took time to insulate it but it really helped and in the summer it kept the heat out. And all the work you do to survive out there it gets tiring. I admire your heartiness👍🏻I was laughing a few videos ago with all the gadgets, remotes and lights everywhere. Climbing up and down ladders can be tricky. Stay safe cheers 🍻✌🏻
From northern Illinois, we wrapped our windows in plastic. It was a huge old farmhouse. They say the upper Midwest is colder than Alaska. We had coal heat. Kept our basement n 1st floor warm we covered the vents to the second floor where the bedrooms were. We slept in the parlor. Seems like your Wood stove isn't efficient. Might want to find another one.
Jenna your a true trooper.Keep up the the good work.You inspire me to stay on guard.Awesome.
For you Americans -22C is around -7F and they meet up at -40. Not that cold but in a camper that's really cold especially if your not use to it like she said. Not sure if any of you here in MN remember about 6 years ago we had a full month below 0 and was in the -30s for like a week straight now that's a party.
Living in Nova Scotia, we have wood stove, wood/ oil furnace, heat pump, and electric heat baseboard and portable heaters. We mostly use the wood stove and furnace, and we have an excellent generator which runs all the essentials in power outages.
As someone that does live in a area that is colder then that all winter reflexes window covers and wool blankets for curtains to help keeping heat in and to help insulate the lower part of my camper use straw bales an also close off the bed and can keep warm with a blanket over it and my 2 dogs with a cubicle heater
Wow! Brrrrr.....Thanks for the education....reminds me of how cold it gets with just a fireplace in a poorly insulated old farm house. Cheers!
Most of your heat is going straight out the chimney pipe I’m sure people have mentioned before that a damper would hold back the heat into the stove and also use a lot less wood.. I run the same stove it’s a century S126 and I heat a 750 square-foot cabin that’s not insulated well at all ..all winter long with it no problem
Have you considered sacrificing some interior space to put better insulation in the trailer? I said screw it and sprayfoamed all the crevices. We also hang an old comforter in front of the door to help with drafts. Being stationary I’m tempted to frame out 3” and add even 1/2 a batt of Roxul on the walls. We have huge condensation issues on the West Coast.
I've been waiting for you to make a video about that weekend. I have a huge wood stove in my house for backup heat, and it had it running all weekend from free soft wood I got 2 years ago.
I think every house should have a woodstove for backup heat incase of power outage.
Yes, 100%!!
We had the polar vortex about a week ahead of you. It got down to -32 (-46 windchill) ... and our furnace failed, because the propane wouldn't pump to it. We slept in our car that night ... You are very correct about propane furnaces in 3-season campers lol ... We made it, but are hopeful that we don't have to deal with those temps again this winter. No room for a woodstove in here, we don't have a slide out (I really wish we did!) ... We are planning heating redundancies for next winter. We also have had about a dozen days all winter where we had sunshine, so we have been relying on our generator a lot for power - so power redundancies are being planned for next winter as well.
Glad you made it through the vortex ... they aren't fun at all.
Omg sorry about your furnace, that must have been a brutal night in the car but glad u had somewhere to keep warm!
@@gypsyjenna yeah it was a rough night, but we made it, and it taught us something lol …
It’s all a learning experience, we are a year in on this adventure, and last winter we were able to stay with my parents during the coldest months; so it’s the first full winter in the camper.
Only a couple of months until Spring!
@@gypsyjenna it was +5 today 🥰 ... Our spring usually arrives in about 6 weeks, with the snow completely disappearing in the middle of April ... Can't come soon enough for me - I really dislike winter
Same here! Escaping it altogether would be ideal!
Cover the floor with cardboard and blankets over that.
Hi Jenna it's Tony I know this video was from last year but it is that time of year again I am in the process of getting a diesel heater for my camper I still have to pull out the original one out cuz I didn't have electricity but solar like you do but the main reason for this is I cover my camper with 3 mil.plastic and it makes a great difference and no drafts I use a lil buddy with a 20 lb tank it last for 4 days on all the time till it gets empty but this year I have a wood stove and getting a diesel heater we both are doing the same thing for heat. I plan to use the wood stove in the day and the other heaters at night so sweetie I have and will be watching your videos so be safe and may God bless you and the kids pleasant dreams
Wow, I've been complaining about our weather in Pennsylvania... We are nothing compared to what you go through in the winter!!!! Stay warm safe!!!😊😊
Living on the west coast, we don't see a lot of really cold weather either, but we can have some in January. One thing I can add to this, is when the forecast is for freezing temperatures, make sure your holding tanks are empty. Nothing like a week into a cold snap and your black water is full and frozen!!!!
Don't use the black tank here and the camper gets winterized so all winter the plumbing system is not being used. Something to get used to for sure lol
Hi there. Wow you brought back memories for me. I survived two years living like you. We had a 28ft. camper. One thing I did was build a 12'x16' room off the entrance door. That's were I put my wood stove. I had an Ashley wood stove with a thermostat and flue. 4 to 6 hr run time. Boy sometimes I'd have to open the door to cool off it was so warm. By the looks of your stove pipe I'd say you might not be letting the stove get hot enough? Lot of creosote build up you have. It should be burning those gases off in your stove. And yes you had a lot of coals in that stove it needed air but your smothering the fire by not letting it breath with the damper. Open the air intake to the stove and keep the pipe flue slightly open so you have enough up draft. You'll have to experiment for a bit but you'll get it. I never had a thermometer on my pipes but when they started to glow a little red I'd turn the stove air intake down (in my case it was a thermostat) a little bit till they didn't glow. I know your worried about starting your house on fire and you should be. Fear is a good teacher. It's one of the reasons I built the room. I was able to install the stove to code. Anyways I'm rambling now. Keep up the fight your doing what you need to do. Been in your shoes here in Maine.
Thanks, I have thought of an add on several times. Mostly just for a mud room to use as storage for coats and shoes etc lol. Yeah it's a battle, if I let the fire burn too hot, it gets too hot in here so as a result I just deal with cleaning the creosote weekly lol. Thanks for popping by
We live in Nebraska, and we get some good below zero cold snaps with fierce winds coming from the north. We've got emergency heat in the event of power outages. Great video
Hey,
Just subscribed to your channel, and I have to say, I’m really impressed with how you handled living in extreme cold conditions in an RV! I’ve experienced some pretty harsh winters during my time with the Army, so I know how challenging cold weather can be. I've always dreamed of RV living. It looks bliss.
Keep up the great work and stay warm out there! Looking forward to more of your videos.
❤ From the UK 🇬🇧🤝🇨🇦
Thank you! 😊
Wow -23 that's cold! Where I live in Oz the coldest temp last winter overnight was -1 and I had my heater cranking to keep the van warm so I can't imagine what it's like to keep heat cranking in those kind of temperatures, my van was made in the late 70's and sadly the manufacturers didn't put much insulation in. Gluing 2" thick polystyrene foam sheets under your floor would certainly help with the cold floor. Since winter is now upon you there again for Christmas 2023, hopefully no more polar vortexes, here in Oz we have bush fire risk dawning so hopefully no fires near me.
I hope not, stay safe out there!
Growing up in Wisconsin, I remember the extreme cold winters of the 1960s! I feel for you!
Man, seeing stuff like this makes me appreciate living in Texas this winter! No thanks on those temperatures
I agree but man, was it a hot summer!!
@@sherryjohnson3804i live in Nyc. It’s freezing. The dark cloudy skies. It causes seasonal depression.
@@sherryjohnson3804 oh, it's absolutely brutal down here in the summer
That’s a brilliant idea. Wood with backup diesel. I’m gonna use that this year.
Sounds like your old propane heater in the RV may be letting your heat out. I would tape a heavy plastic bag over the vent pipe on the roof.
Maybe you need to cover the window and put rugs by the door too keep the draft out.
I winter camp in MN on my own property. I'm in a 40' destination trailer with tons of windows and sliding glass doors ... it was the cheapest "cabin" we could come up with at the time. It's a naturally drafty trailer. Last year I removed the dinette and installed a Drolet wood stove which keeps it about 85 in here when it's -44 with windchill outside ... and that's with just coal bed and maybe 1 or 2 logs, as well as a window open to help with fresh air. Our LP useage from Dec 15th to April is less than 100 lbs as the furnace only kicks on when we're away. How are you not keeping warm with a stove going in there?
Propane don't freeze except below -44F but water in the tank will cause regulators to freeze up.
If you can ask your refiller next time you get them filled to put a little methanol in the tanks before they fill them it should help.