trailer will not retain heat

[muddflapp]

Steve,
Is there a certain brand of window film that you are using? I would like to add some to our windows in our Monty.

[SlickWillie]

I hope if our Mountaineer ever goes north of East TX in cold weather, I ain't in it. I don't think all Keystone products are insulated equally, even in one line, such as the Montana. It is insulated according to how the "old world craftsman" was feeling that day. JMHO

[swanny]

i have a question. behind my fireplace is a hole about 8" x 8". why? also i put my arm in up to my elbow in all directions and couldn't feel any insulation. the cold air flowed in rather freely.
is this a vent for air supply to the fireplace? should i cover the hole? seems odd if not a vent of some sort.

[sailer]

I think if you could heat your stick house with 4 or 5 30# tanks of lp you would be happy it cost to heat a average house in wisconsin for a month in febuary about $200.00 so how many 30# tanks is that .. the montana has walls less than 2" thick and a roof that has 2 or 3 " of insulation in it , if you r stick house had that little the state would not say it is fit to live in ,, i think the heat in the montana is as good as possible as the slides have no basement but only a floor of 3/4 or 5/8 " ply and no heat under it , you would never build a house that way so you have to expect some cold , or go back to the stick house,, sailer,, thats why we are in fl and not wis anymore in the winter, but we still heat the stick house in wis but at 59 deg and that burns gas like water sailer

[mountainmole]

Hey y'all, what type of plastic window covering did you use and where did you buy it. We're in Portland with the worst cold snap in years.

[bncinwv]

Our Montana is staying very cold these days. I can only get the interior temperature to stay about ten degrees warmer than the outside temperature (when the sun is shining). It gets very cold inside at night as well. I am saving on propane usage however as I simply refuse to turn it on!! I will not waste money on frivolous propane usage. I refuse to use electric as well. I am adopting Wayne and Brad's new "green" approach. I will not use any form of energy whatsoever, not even body heat since I took all the blankets out as well!! Oh, forgot to mention that the Monty is in storage for the winter!!
Bingo

[Illini Trekker]

mountainmole I'm using foil faced bubble wrap cut and set into the window openings. I work 10 hours a day and it is dark when I leave and dark when I get back so seeing out the windows is not of much importance.

[berridge]

Our 09 has a large number of slots in both stair risers which I think must be return air vents for the furnace. When the furnace is not running a large amount of cold air from the area under the stairs and from the pit flows into the living area. I have cut panels to block this flow and open one half of one of them when the furnace is running. The return air is used too keep the pits and tanks from freezing (I think) but this is not needed unless the temp drops below freezing for a long period of time.

[rubble express]

We plugged up all the holes on the underbelly, wear sweatshirts and socks/slippers, and use a small ceramic heater as needed and we have always been comfortable. Of course we heat our 4000 sq/ft house with a wood stove so we are used to it. The real extreme LP usage comes from the initial heating of the "internals" (underbelly, water tanks, basement, etc.). After that, it seems to hold the heat pretty well. WE can get by on 7 gallons of LP (30 lbs) for 4 or 5 days with temps in the teens at night and mid 20's during the day. Not too bad for a 38ft trailer with 4 HUGE holes cut in the side that are filled with slides that are very poorly insulated. I suppose an Airstream with no slides (and no room) would be alot better, but we are willing to put up with it considering the quality of life/space we get with the 3400. It's an RV after all. Sure beats a tent or a crappy stick and tin trailer. JMHO!

[richfaa]

rubble express... The above is a very accurate description...There is a price for being "warm and Toasty") Your propane usage match's ours in that temperature range. We refuse to dress like Nanook of the North in the camper which is why we winter in Florida or the SW. The outside temp here in Florida..now..is 50 Degree . the furnace is set at 70 and it is running. My bare feet under the computer desk are cold.Helen fired up the space heater in the bedroom this AM at 6am when she took a shower..Sure if you dress like a Eskimo and have stock in a propane company you can stay "warm and toasty" in very cold weather. RVs do not retain heat very well..

[mail2us]

Rich, you need to consider going further South. You're becoming a wimp in your old age...hehehe! Dennis

[garyka]

richfaa summed it up the same way I do it.If electric is included I use the fireplace and electric heaters.if not I use propane.I set my temperature at about 70 during the day and down about 65 at night.When a LP tank runs out I go fill it.I do not like cold I'm in Buffalo NY now and leaving for FL Friday,on the way to FL. I'm picking up the Monty in SC.and returning to Buffalo at the end of April to camp till the end of Sept and start the cycle all over.

[Delaine and Lindy]

We know the feeling, we haven't been in cold temps with our SOB but do think it will be a little better as for heating. Cooling was much easier in South Texas this past summer, so I believe that it will retain the heat better than some of the other 5th wheels we have owned. We keep ours set at 68 degrees the same as our stick house.

However 5th wheels just aren't designed to be cooled and heated very efficently. The one now has the most R-factor we have owned and the 3 1/4 inch walls are the difference. The Cambridge 358 had the Artic package and it had a good R-factor. But when the temps stay blow 32 degrees it will use a lot of Propane to maintain nice temps in the 5er. The best answer is go SOUTH.... GBY.....

[richfaa]

Yes Dennis Helen and I agree that about another 60/ 80 miles south from here would be perfect. However Helen likes Disney so we will tough it out here.The outside temp is now at 60 degree and I had turned off the furnace. I noted that the bird had broken up some of its toys into kindling and was rubbing two sticks together in a attempt to build a fire in the corner of the cage. The inside temp was down to 65 degrees. I cranked up the oil filled heater and it is back up to 70 degrees. The bird is no longer huddled in the corner but has its beady Little eyes on me.. Also emptied out a tank of propane. Last fill was November 17th. Note the wind chill in our home town in Northern, Ohio is -19 degrees.

We are warm and toasty.......

[snfexpress]

Rich, one of the best posts ever. DolphinLover and I are howling!!! Really know how much you adore the bird!

[mail2us]

Rich, you better take care of "the bird" or Helen will break U up into kindling! We are in NC in the Smokies and believe me, it is cold here for us Floridians so shouldn't be calling you the wimp! See you when we get back to Clermont. Dennis