Suggestions: First, use big long nails or tent stakes to help keep those concrete blocks from sliding back under the rig. Second, you can "pin" the foam boards at 90 degrees using bamboo skewers. Third, If you cut a board too short and it doesn't reach the ground, just cut a piece to overlap the short one, and fasten the two together using double stick tape, your favorite foil tape, etc. Fourth, a good tape to use to fasten the foam board to your rig's exterior is Gaffer tape. It's like duck tape, but has an easy releasing adhesive that leaves nothing behind. Fifth, if you position concrete blocks vertically, you can use furring strips (or 2x4's) run through the holes in the concrete blocks, which is particularly useful in high winds. You can just run long wood screws with washers through the foam into the wood. I got these hints from a friend who wintered in Montana for four years in a 5th wheel.
These are really great suggestions, Mike! I like the Gaffer tape idea for sure 👍 Thank you for your wonderful support and for taking the time to share this with us!
@@HappilyEverHanksWhy not start a business manufacturing inflatables made from materials that are used in inflatable playhouses for kids. The great thing about it other than the insulating factor it could be deployed and uninstalled in minutes, and could be designed in easy to deploy sections, and would leave no wasted materials to deal with. and could be reused multiple times. And they can be easily stored away for the following season,You also could do this as a rental business for people that do not want to buy them.
Thank you for sharing your experience with using an electric hot wire for cutting foam! It sounds like a clean and precise method. By the way, have you heard about the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It's a versatile power station with a massive capacity, powerful output, and fast recharging. It could be a great addition to your outdoor gear collection!
We lived in our 5th wheel in Montana for two winters. We never used straw because it attracted mice. We used 2 inch insulated hardboard and never had a bit of trouble freezing up. It was the 3 coldest winters in MT since the 1930's. I could send you a picture of that in 2016 and 2017. We covered the front, sides, and bottoms where possible on the slideouts. My wife wished I had made a UA-cam video. She figures it would have gone viral. Thank you for your videos.
Hi Dale! I can only imagine how cold those temperatures must've been. Yes, we have heard the same thing about the use of straw attracting rodents. Sounds like you guys did it the right way! Thank you for your wonderful support and for your time in watching our videos - Kyle and Renee
I enjoy your videos. Very informative. One thing that sticks in my mind is an old HVAC guy who told me the shiny side should face where you want the heat. In the winter, shiny towards the underneath of the camper. It is supposed to reflect the heat back into the underneath. I will probably not ever need to try this but I just wanted to start a discussion if anyone is interested.
This is a great point. I have heard this on multiple occasions from other people as well. Thank you for taking the time to reply! Your support means a lot 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Dear Carl & Nay Nay, Consider this: buy A roll or 2 of Industrial VELCRO w/sticky back. Attach one side (male) to the RV wall leaving it on permanently. (No more constant build up of sticky gooey silver tape!) Then attach the other side (female)of the Velcro to the inside of your insulation boards. Then press them well against the Velcro on the walls. At the seems you can add the silver tape & then attach more Velcro from one panel to another connecting them to each other horizontaly near the bottom & in the middle. So when the winds blow the panels are secure to each other. When your ready to remove the panels just pull the Velcro apart female from male. Save & store the insulation panels for next time. (They are different strips that connect together. Comes as one set of each on the same role ) Who wants gooey sticky tape building up after you pull off that silver tape each time? Velcro saves the day!
Hi Melody! This is a GREAT idea 😀 I never even considered this. Thank you for taking the time to share. I would lovef to try and put this to the test sometime. Thank you for your amazing support - Kyle and Renee
This year I'm going to try 2'x2' gym floor matting interlocked together and taped to the rv.Its 3/4 inch thick and waterproof.Very durable and reusable.It was actually cheaper than foam board and fairly easy to cut.
i have something that a old trucker told me about, you know the trailers have that winddeflector on the sides of the tractor trailer? well, i took 4 of those and for every 4 feet installed a piano hinges so they could be stored away later, . on the trailer , i installed screw in hooks into the sides, and hung the deflectors on the sides . for the bottom ( where you placed brick,s) i placed 10" long tent spikes to use as a backing or to block the deflector on the bottom , later removed them to store away, this set up , covers the whole trailer all the way around from front to back and under the 5th wheel area too. on top of the trailer , i coated the top with RAIN X spray , ( i know it makes it slippery up there but that just the point, )?, snow doesnt stick to the top , when snow falls it slids off instead of sticking to the top. also on my trailer all pipes are insulated with insulated foam pipe covers (black) and foam spray to keep the pipes from freezing up?, the tanks too.!!
I used a wood frame and three layers of vitex and green house plastic . The dead air spaces become a thermo pane cover . Won’t mold , stays dry , and has worked for five years . The tires look like new no weather checks . You don’t need posts , just make it like a box kite , I used two by fours cut in half length wise . If you want a round cover for the whole unit . Use sced 40 conduit . Make big arcs . Drive small steaks , about three feet long , a foot in , and put the hoops up . Run a center pole the length of the rv, use dry wall screws to attach and cover with green house plastic . I did this with my thirty foot bus and had a Patio in front . It would get so hot I needed ac on some days .
Ok things to look at for DIY vs store etc. 1- is this a perm instillation? If you are not moving this RV, using it as a camper model on one location, then skirting it DIY vs professional can make a difference. 2- if you are moving it regularly, are you planning on moving the skirting with you? This again can make a difference if you are DIY'ing the skirting vs buying store made skirts. 3- are you just wintering in 1 location and do you have storage there? in this case, you may want to DIY/build a more rugged skirt, using 2x2's building the skirt in segments and sections... then when you park for the winter, pull them out of storage, and set them up. here you can get fancy adding actual access doors and ground spike locations. 4 cloth skirting. in some cases if you are moving a lot Cloth skirting can work as an option. often canvas, but this works best if the camper doesn't have slideouts. Here's a fun one. Heavy snow loading, if again, you have storage at the site where you regularly winter, you COULD add on a peaked roof. thats also insulated. built in sections that can be man handled. when setting up for the winter you pull the sections on, set them over the roof, yes this will block solar unless you have solar on the 2nd roof as well then you can run that cable to your aux solar input. done properly these will dispeerse the weight across the whole roof and shed snow for you...
I do this in the winter, I use the 9 dollar boards which are thinner. I run 2x4's all the way around and use landscape ties to hold the 2x4 in place. Screw the bottom of the boards to the foam with big washers. Making the underneath air tight is the point here, I have been in -10f with no freezing. The smaller 9 dollar boards are much thinner but still have the same result. Another tip is if your water inlet is in an unheated front bay you can use the same foam to section off the bay so the residual heat from the heated hose will keep the smaller portion of the bay warmer. It is amazing how much warmer your rig will stay just by removing the airflow from under the RV. My cost with the thinner foam board is around 175 dollars.
I'm coming on 1 year of RV life in a Jayco Eagle TT. I'm almost through my first winter. I decided to give it a chance and skip the skirting even know we get many freezing days in the single digits. The things I have learned about this Jayco, The fresh water tank will freeze even know its insolated. I then used a heated hose connected to city water and that has solved that problem. But you would think what about your grey and black tanks. When its super cold I will put rv anti freeze down all the drains to assist keeping them from freezing along with running the furnace. Jayco did good with insolation but I find I loose the most out of the single pane windows. Come on Jayco! be better lol. But for that I put some of the window plastic on all the windows and it made a big difference. I appreciate your video because some people really need this but I'm happy to say the jayco for the most part has made it without. This is my last year in Oregon and I'm heading south!
i have a grand design solitude as well. a helpful winter camping modification i did was put a 12v marine 3in inline vent fan in the pantry. i piped it throu the top to draw the hot air near the ceiling. then ran the piping down along the back corner of the pantry into that dead space hidden under the bottom shelf, from there it goes directly into the underbelly near the ho twater tank and nautalus. this allows me to use alternate heating to help the furnace on those cold winter nights here. using a multi zone weather station i monitor my temps down there and it is consistantly warm as the living space.
I just found out this week that my tiny home will hold temp with 6 candles in -15c during a power outage a power outage. I was ok with 400 watts till -15 I had to switch to 600 watts. I’ve got a spare new heater ready that will run on 750 watts on low as my old heater did three years ago. I’ve also got lil buddy propane with a few green tanks and a big tank as well with the line for it. I made a holder for my lil buddy when it runs on a line instead of a mini tank. I’ve also got the candle heater which burns candle ps slow and keeps the burn safe. I’ve also got a lamp for extreme back up. I’ve also got a diesel heater installed for when I’m off grid and a wood stove for when I’m really off grid. 😂 I’ve extremely prepared and takes not much to keep my tiny home hot.
We've actually just bought some custom fabric skirting that's coated with PVC, so it's like a very heavy tarp, and it has eyelets on the top to hang it from 3M hooks and on the bottom to stake it to the ground with tent stakes. We're traveling down south and haven't used it yet, but I think that it should do a very good job of keeping the wind from sucking out all the heat of our 5th wheel's underbelly. Only $300 too! We'll see!
Hey that's not bad at all!! Way to go 😃 Ya'll be safe in your travels down south. Thank you for your wonderful support and for taking the time to watch out videos - Kyle and Renee
Hey guys we went to billboard vinyls bought a 48x14 used billboard vinyl cut the 14 down to 7 ft. Then purchased heavy duty snaps and the snap tool attached the one piece of the snap to the trailer using a level to make sure the snaps were in a straight line every 10 inches the attached the button side of the snap to the vinyl and covered the whole bottom of the trailer then used sand bags to keep it in place the complete cost was $300 and the nice part is you take it off and fold it up and put it into a tote when not using and not having to replace it every year. The skirt made a 20 degree difference from the out door temp and the temp under the trailer .
Nope, just clicked on the weekly UA-cam to spend time with y’all. Use that blower to blow the snow off the roof unless it’s iced up😉🇺🇸 MERRY CHRISTMAS too you three🎅🏻
Well done ! We are not full timers but do go out year round. We don't camp in bug snowy areas but have been caught a couple of times. Each w/o any skirting. The dining room slide gets plenty cold and radiates into the living areas. If we were doing more of this I'd most certainly do a DIY skirting. Going up & sweeping the snow off the top is a real thrill.
Thank you for saying this :) Isn't it amazing how quickly those slide outs get cold? The walking on the ladder was so scary with the snow (afraid of falling). Stay safe!! We appreciate your support - Kyle and Renee
The pink insulation board costs more but it's denser and you don't have to deal with all the little beads everywhere (something to consider if you're going to haul it with you to use again...). And I think I'd put wide bands of heavy duty velcro along the bottom edge of my RV and on the boards to make them easy to install, remove, and re-install another time. But I don't care "how it looks" like some people might. Besides, velcro comes in a variety of colors, so color match! LOL! I'd use 2x4s along the bottom for reinforcement and stability which can be easily reinforced with cross-braces at the corners. And no, don't use bales of straw or hay under your RV as someone else suggested. They absorb moisture from the ground and the air (and anything that leaks under it on a day warm enough to cause snow and icicles to melt) and then they can start to mold and mildew which generates heat and then they can spontaneously combust. Many hay stacks and hay barns have been lost because of wet hay/straw spontaneously combusting.
That is such a great idea and you get color options for the velcro as well! Win - Win 😃 Nice call on the 2 X 4's. I never thought about the mold and mildew side of things with the straw. You are very knowledgeable! Thank you for your amazing support and for taking the time to share - Kyle and Renee
You could consider using bales of straw under the RV . The straw bales would have provided insulation and cut down on the amount of dead air space under the RV. Bales of straw would provide a strong backing for foam board against wind. Stack bales of straw under the tongue area for extra insulation under the bedroom.
I like this! A guy named John here in the comments just mentioned that he did the same thing with some straw. I was curious on how rodents came into play here. Do you think that could be a factor to worry about? Thanks for sharing 😃 - Kyle and Renee
I have been experimenting off grid for a year now, my trailer is a 2 season 28ft and externally insulated with reflectix, half done the 2nd layer today, last year a low of -27F -33C and my primary heater was a 350w omni heater plus 40 mins of my 1500w. My basement with no heat was a low of 33.6F. Now you have a good idea of what I have the new upgrade could work well for you, my entire underside is airtight, this year I added a under rug heater , I put it on some flooring over the reflectix bottom, The Rug buddy is 170w 4kwh , with just the 170w heater it was 23F -5C for 10 hours, the basement was 64.4F 18C , bedroom was 68F 20C , Try tuck tape repair tape, clear and nothing pealed even on the roof after a year of -33 to 40C.
You may want to consider using 2” x 4” lumber and make a frame first and then use insulated orange construction tarps. Our friends do this and it’s only $300 Canadian. We once got a price for a custom fitted vinyl insulated skirt and she wanted $5000 Canadian. Suffice it to say we didn’t do that, we went South for the Winter.
The idea is to stop wind and make a dead air space. Have lived in mine for a year and a half. Last winter had a -52 C morning, it was -8 under my RV on my remote temp gauge. I don't run heat under the trailer because I don't want condensation. Pile snow around the base of the insulation pieces but leave small air holes in a few spots at the top edge. Put the shrink film on your windows and a 400L pig propane tank, you will be fine.
If you install a plastic ground sheet directly on the dirt, you won’t get the worrisome condensation. I skirted, installed a ground sheet, and heated the area under the trailer back for the winter of 2019/20 in the Yukon 🥶 and the trailer did well. So much nicer to have a warm floor and no frozen pipes, even at -40.
Have you considered Gaffer tape instead of the foil tape? It tears like duct tape, it does not leave any residue because it’s made to be taken off at some point and it holds up in weather. Originally designed for sound techs (which is why it’s called Gaffer). Storage craft use it to lay down wires and have a clean pull-up later when they are ready indoor or out.
This is a great tip, Michael! Thank you for the suggestion on Gaffer tape, we had not considered this. We appreciate your time and support! - Kyle and Renee
Oh yes I do know where to start, at the ignition switch. You insert the key start the engine and head south. Pretty easy, eh? I know everyone can't do that and I think you were in that situation. Once you get the foam board up you can pile snow up against it. It does a couple of things, it provides very good, if somewhat cold, insulation and it also seals any little crooks and nannies you may have in your insulation. How do I know this? I once lived in a small house built on piers and if there was snow on the ground the pipes didn't freeze. If there was no snow the wind would take all of the warm air out from under the house and freeze the pipes. Keep the good stuff coming guys.
I’ve used this method with 2x4 wedged up to the bottom of rv. Helped a bunch, especially in the wind. If you use an electric knife for carving turkey, it cuts nicely. They make a wire that’s electric heated wire that melts right through the insulation. Saves on all the little styrofoam pieces that seem impossible to clean up. All these neat things I discovered after doing mine. You 2 did a good job on yours. Happy new year and safe travels. Hanks for all the great content. We enjoy all of them. (Did you catch the dad joke…lol). We’ve been Binge watching over new years rainy day.
Love this! Thank you for taking the time to share with us, I really like the idea of the 2 x 4 wedge. We appreciate your amazing support in binging our videos and wish you a happy new year as well! 🙂 - Kyle and Renee
I am full time winter Colorado life in my 5th wheel and those foam boards are not very cheap here I got skirts but they were late getting here and it says 70 degrees for this high end velcro patches to stick proper so......... lol on a warmer days I'm gonna get started YOU GUYS do great at all your things you do.
That is so awesome!! What a great place to be full time 😊 It's wonderful to meet you. Thank you for your support and taking the time to watch our videos, we appreciate you! - Kyle and Renee
We live in Sarasota and don’t ever want to “winter” camp…lol. My wife and I are both directors in the health care industry, and get out the 5th wheel at least three times a year…but it’s always south of the frost belt. We missed you guys in Tampa…sorry. Love your content. Give Dexter a hug for us. AJ and Melissa.
Hi AJ and Melissa! It sounds like you guys do it the right way. What a great gig you have going on in the healthcare industry! 😃 hopefully our paths will cross soon. Thank you both for your great support, you mean so much - Kyle and Renee (Dexter gives hugs back) 😺
Pile the snow up along your skirt to further insulate the underbelly. Snow is 32 degrees. It can get down to -3 degrees but it won’t get down below 20 degrees I bet if you have a snow bank along and as high as your skirt goes.
I didn't read all of the comments, so maybe this was mentioned already - I get wanting to keep weight off the roof, but I wonder if leaving some up there would've added to the insulation levels?
We wintered over in Golden CO in 2005 - 06 in a 3-season travel trailer. Not fun. No heated tanks, so we improvised and adapted with heat tapes and foil-lined flexible insulation. Worked perfectly and we were able to make it through some -20° F weather. We disconnected our sewer hose before the "polar express" moved in. I was offered a job in Texas, so we went there. Ahhhhh! 😍 So much BETTER! It was so nice and warm. There were skirting kits available. The were heavy fabric - reinforced plastic held on top by twist connectors and on the bottom by 2-inch pvc pipe inserted into sewn folds in the bottom of the panels. It seemed to work well unless there were really strong winds but cost about $1500 installed.
That's awesome ya'll were able to successfully RV in that cold of temperatures! Way to go 🙂 We hope you are enjoying Texas. Thank you for sharing and for your great support
@@HappilyEverHanks - Where we live is beautiful: the Cross Timbers Region in the North Hill Country. Not the Rocky Mountains but it is very nice. We certainly don't miss the below-zero weather, that's for sure. We really enjoyed y'all's Canada/Alaska adventure. Y'all certainly visited some really beautiful places and overcame some adverse situations with y'all's usual style. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and safe travels in 2024! Bob and Dottie
YOU GUYS this is my boyfriend and i’s first winter in the camper and when i tell you we are struggling… 😅 we are looking into ordering repurposed billboard vinyl to insulate our underside.
We hope things are working out for you both! Winter RV living can be such a challenge until you get everything in order. Keep us posted on how the billboard vinyl goes and stay warm!! 🤗 Good luck!
Nice job. A couple of standard 100 watt light bulbs underneath, with an enclosure like you did, can protect pipes also. One other tip, the roof of probably 90 percent of RV's can hold A LOT of SNOW ( 3 to 4 feet )......but NOT, repeat NOT the slide-out roofs!!
Hi John! We initially kept the insulation at our friends property in their garage, but they ended up getting rid of it because they didn't need it anymore. Merry Christmas to you as well 🙂
Great video you guys! Thanks so much for this information. I'm in a class c. Will be going to Quartzsite and hopefully it's not that cold there. I'm from WA state and with all the ski runs I have driven in school buses and charter buses, I'm tired of snow issues. I want out of that. This is great info... thanks so much! Happpppy travels!
Thank you very much, Kathy! We appreciate your kindness and support :) We don't blame you for being over snow, after this Pennsylvania storm, we were over snow as well LOL We hope you enjoy Quartzsite! Stay nice and warm. Tell everyone we said hello!
Have you wintered in PA since? Or anywhere else that cold? At least with the snap on skirting you can take it with you. But I would advocate for going where it won’t get that cold in winter.
Hi Steve! We have not wintered since LOL PA scarred us with the winter, so we end up parking somewhere just a little warmer. Very true with the snap on skirting. It would be a great investment if you knew you were going to be exposed to cold temps over and over. We appreciate your support!
This is good to know, thank you for taking the time to share! Have you ever heard of there being problems with rodents due to the bales of hay? Thanks for sharing - Kyle and Renee
Winter in Pennsylvania is nothing compared to here in Western Maine. Most people here use straw bales. Straw bales are like 20x more insulated than those rigid foam boards that you used. Then when the spring comes we can use the straw for many other purposes. Support local farmers that grow the straw rather than petrochemical companies that make rigid foam. How do you compost the rigid foam when you're done with it?
Somebody is upping their video editing game! Love the graphics and transitions! Great review of your winter creative solution... nice to see the cost comparison. I think I will pass on making the RV into an igloo! LOL... Stay warm and Happy Holidays!!
Hi Becky, we unfortunately will not be at the Tampa RV show this year. Thank you for your amazing support. We hope to cross paths with you one day soon! - Kyle and Renee
I have another tip for you - get yourself a CDH and route the output to underneath your RV. It will warm the floor and the pipes for very little $$$. Makes the world of difference in extreme cold. $100 investment gets you lots of utility, and the ability to use it as a backup heat source in the RV as well.
What is a CDH? Thank you for taking the time to share this with us! We are very eager to learn how we could have improved during this time...it was a rough winter to say the least 😅 - Kyle and Renee
Nice work, John! 😃 So dig into this a little bit more for me. How did it go with rodents? It always seems like anyone mentions the word "straw" or "hay," it is always followed by rodents (but we have no experience). What was your winter like with the straw?
I've yet to see any outside and none inside either. ill assume they are probably mice under but no bother. with my radiator heaters going im holding at 60 degress. over night with the outside temp around 20. So really impressed with the straw@@HappilyEverHanks
OMG! I already knew this, Do you want to know why? I watched your original video on this and took mental notes. Thank you two so much for valid and useful information. P.S. The family is growing. I got married in October. As you know I have Logan, Rockett, Cosmo, and Shadow, now I have Bucky the cat and two parakeets named Star-Lord and Nebula. Love you two, uncle Mac
That is AMAZING! Congratulations 🤗 Your family is growing super quickly. Thank you for all your amazing support throughout the years. Give everyone our best. Much love from the Hanks family ❤️ 🎄
A good Christmas seasonal topic is the xmas meals that some RV parks provide. I was surprises to see this when traveling and enjoyed the meal and camaraderie very much. it was nice for the RV park owners to put this on. I enjoy your videos. We were in the NW about the same time as you this year. Would love to have seen you somewhere. Regards. Steve D.
Can't wait to try out my Airstream Classic in the winter, don't think this skirting idea will work but still want to see what my RV is capable of handling. The Airskirts are ridiculous in price, don't think I'll be getting those anytime soon.
They are super expensive for sure! Yes, I am curious as well to see how your Airstream will hold up against the winter weather. Thank you for your support :)
living full time in alberta seeing -30 c winter scirting is most valable 7k installed heater undernieth was warm and comfrtable in 3 season trailer this year in a 39.5' raptor sumer scirting and 4 day before christmas no heater under it yetno problems as of yet seen -18c earlier this year furnace has gone out so using electric heat warm and cozy running a small trickle of water in bathroom sink to keep water moving in lines cost 5k in scriting but will be on for years
Nice work!! You will have to teach us your ways 😃 Winter camping was a little touch and go, but once you get in the groove...things seem to smooth out. Thank you for watching! Stay safe and warm
Good video but I think I’ll pass on the winter RVing. My trailer is pretty much put away for the winter. I’ll bring it out in the spring. I’ll sit up here and western Massachusetts and wait for the cold. Oh it’s here. Oh well good video though.
Thanks for the video letting us know know that your efforts worked. I remember the episode of you getting and putting the foam Skirting on but one thing I've wondered is did you take it with you? If so, did it fit in your underneath storage compartments? And did you have to buy new foam every year for certain areas? How long did last?
Great questions, Steven! We actually left all the skirting with our friends on their property. They wanted it after we left, but I think they ended up getting rid of it. The foam board skirting is certainly not the most ideal setup for those who travel between places frequently. I think it would have held up great if we were to return and reuse it 😃 Merry Christmas to you! Thank you for your support - Kyle and Renee
Yes, you are absolutely correct. Good call on the marine vinyl! We only got away with this because we were on some friends property. Thank you for your support!
Great video! You said you had no freezing issues after the insulation. I'm in the process of adding the insulation, but did you do anything special for your water cabinet to keep that heated and from freezing since it's on the outside?
Good solution for boondocking and a stationary trailer, but how to transport it when you go on the road? Definitely use two inch foam boards, less is just a waste of money. Along with this, run a good electric heater in that enclosed space. Not heating that space just won't quite keep you warm. Won't work in most decent RV parks.
Foil side goes towards the underside of the trailer, it's a radiant barrier. Park I'm at for the winter forbides foil tape so I'm seeing how well gorilla tape will hold up lol
Hello, I happened to come upon your channel. My wife and I are about to sell our home and live on an RV. I have a few questions. We live in South Texas. My first question to you and maybe to other RV'ers, is, How does it stand-up in somewhat high winds (like 50 to 60 mile an hour)? We are going to take the money from our house sale, and purchase the truck and finance the RV (using a big lump sum down payment). We went to the RV show here in San ANtonio, and fell in love with the floor plan on Jayco Northpoint. They tried to ask us to put $2500 down to secure it. I declined! Well, I guess I dont have any other questions (my mind went blank, lol). I will keep watching your channel to get educated. A little nervouse about this new venture in our lives. Wish us luck. God Bless.
Hi there! It's wonderful to meet you 🙂 Congratulations on the upcoming transition into RV life! That must be so exciting for you both. As far as the winds, our RV has held up pretty well in decent wind gusts. You just don't want to get caught towing on the road with those high winds. To be honest, you are going to love the most recent video we just put out regarding dealers and the secrets that they use against us buying RV's. We also have some videos about when we faced some high wind advisories. Lots to catch up on 😃 If any of the videos don't answer your questions, feel free to reach out to us anytime. We want the best for you both and to help set you up for the most success! Stay safe and keep us posted on the new Jayco - Kyle and Renee
Suggestions: First, use big long nails or tent stakes to help keep those concrete blocks from sliding back under the rig. Second, you can "pin" the foam boards at 90 degrees using bamboo skewers. Third, If you cut a board too short and it doesn't reach the ground, just cut a piece to overlap the short one, and fasten the two together using double stick tape, your favorite foil tape, etc. Fourth, a good tape to use to fasten the foam board to your rig's exterior is Gaffer tape. It's like duck tape, but has an easy releasing adhesive that leaves nothing behind. Fifth, if you position concrete blocks vertically, you can use furring strips (or 2x4's) run through the holes in the concrete blocks, which is particularly useful in high winds. You can just run long wood screws with washers through the foam into the wood.
I got these hints from a friend who wintered in Montana for four years in a 5th wheel.
These are really great suggestions, Mike! I like the Gaffer tape idea for sure 👍 Thank you for your wonderful support and for taking the time to share this with us!
@@HappilyEverHanksWhy not start a business manufacturing inflatables made from materials that are used in inflatable playhouses for kids. The great thing about it other than the insulating factor it could be deployed and uninstalled in minutes, and could be designed in easy to deploy sections, and would leave no wasted materials to deal with. and could be reused multiple times. And they can be easily stored away for the following season,You also could do this as a rental business for people that do not want to buy them.
@@raymonddriggersthere is a company that does that already called “air skirt”. Just really pricey
Straw bales work great but remember... the straw attracts mice.
The electric hot wire is perfect for cutting foam. Clean,precise and no mess. Seals up the cuts like cauterized
Thank you for sharing your experience with using an electric hot wire for cutting foam! It sounds like a clean and precise method. By the way, have you heard about the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It's a versatile power station with a massive capacity, powerful output, and fast recharging. It could be a great addition to your outdoor gear collection!
Oh what a great idea!! Thank you for taking the time to share 😃
We lived in our 5th wheel in Montana for two winters. We never used straw because it attracted mice. We used 2 inch insulated hardboard and never had a bit of trouble freezing up. It was the 3 coldest winters in MT since the 1930's. I could send you a picture of that in 2016 and 2017. We covered the front, sides, and bottoms where possible on the slideouts. My wife wished I had made a UA-cam video. She figures it would have gone viral. Thank you for your videos.
Hi Dale! I can only imagine how cold those temperatures must've been. Yes, we have heard the same thing about the use of straw attracting rodents. Sounds like you guys did it the right way! Thank you for your wonderful support and for your time in watching our videos - Kyle and Renee
Absolutely it works. There are lots of videos out there showing how to do it and how much it helps. Surprised you didn't already know!
I enjoy your videos. Very informative. One thing that sticks in my mind is an old HVAC guy who told me the shiny side should face where you want the heat. In the winter, shiny towards the underneath of the camper. It is supposed to reflect the heat back into the underneath. I will probably not ever need to try this but I just wanted to start a discussion if anyone is interested.
This is a great point. I have heard this on multiple occasions from other people as well. Thank you for taking the time to reply! Your support means a lot 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Dear Carl & Nay Nay, Consider this: buy A roll or 2 of Industrial VELCRO w/sticky back. Attach one side (male) to the RV wall leaving it on permanently. (No more constant build up of sticky gooey silver tape!) Then attach the other side (female)of the Velcro to the inside of your insulation boards. Then press them well against the Velcro on the walls. At the seems you can add the silver tape & then attach more Velcro from one panel to another connecting them to each other horizontaly near the bottom & in the middle. So when the winds blow the panels are secure to each other. When your ready to remove the panels just pull the Velcro apart female from male. Save & store the insulation panels for next time. (They are different strips that connect together. Comes as one set of each on the same role ) Who wants gooey sticky tape building up after you pull off that silver tape each time? Velcro saves the day!
Hi Melody! This is a GREAT idea 😀 I never even considered this. Thank you for taking the time to share. I would lovef to try and put this to the test sometime. Thank you for your amazing support - Kyle and Renee
This year I'm going to try 2'x2' gym floor matting interlocked together and taped to the rv.Its 3/4 inch thick and waterproof.Very durable and reusable.It was actually cheaper than foam board and fairly easy to cut.
i have something that a old trucker told me about, you know the trailers have that winddeflector on the sides of the tractor trailer? well, i took 4 of those and for every 4 feet installed a piano hinges so they could be stored away later, . on the trailer , i installed screw in hooks into the sides, and hung the deflectors on the sides . for the bottom ( where you placed brick,s) i placed 10" long tent spikes to use as a backing or to block the deflector on the bottom , later removed them to store away, this set up , covers the whole trailer all the way around from front to back and under the 5th wheel area too. on top of the trailer , i coated the top with RAIN X spray , ( i know it makes it slippery up there but that just the point, )?, snow doesnt stick to the top , when snow falls it slids off instead of sticking to the top. also on my trailer all pipes are insulated with insulated foam pipe covers (black) and foam spray to keep the pipes from freezing up?, the tanks too.!!
I've heard of people using stakes! This is wonderful information :) Thank you for taking the time to share!!
@@HappilyEverHanks WISHING YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR HAPPY TRUCKING TRAILS,
Pictures
your want pictures , come see my rig.
A very Merry Christmas to you as well!! 😊@@tm8747
I used a wood frame and three layers of vitex and green house plastic . The dead air spaces become a thermo pane cover . Won’t mold , stays dry , and has worked for five years . The tires look like new no weather checks . You don’t need posts , just make it like a box kite , I used two by fours cut in half length wise . If you want a round cover for the whole unit . Use sced 40 conduit . Make big arcs . Drive small steaks , about three feet long , a foot in , and put the hoops up . Run a center pole the length of the rv, use dry wall screws to attach and cover with green house plastic . I did this with my thirty foot bus and had a Patio in front .
It would get so hot I needed ac on some days .
Great idea! Thank you for sharing, Steve 🙂 Merry Christmas to you and thank you for your support - Kyle and Renee
Ok things to look at for DIY vs store etc.
1- is this a perm instillation? If you are not moving this RV, using it as a camper model on one location, then skirting it DIY vs professional can make a difference.
2- if you are moving it regularly, are you planning on moving the skirting with you? This again can make a difference if you are DIY'ing the skirting vs buying store made skirts.
3- are you just wintering in 1 location and do you have storage there? in this case, you may want to DIY/build a more rugged skirt, using 2x2's building the skirt in segments and sections... then when you park for the winter, pull them out of storage, and set them up. here you can get fancy adding actual access doors and ground spike locations.
4 cloth skirting. in some cases if you are moving a lot Cloth skirting can work as an option. often canvas, but this works best if the camper doesn't have slideouts.
Here's a fun one. Heavy snow loading, if again, you have storage at the site where you regularly winter, you COULD add on a peaked roof. thats also insulated. built in sections that can be man handled. when setting up for the winter you pull the sections on, set them over the roof, yes this will block solar unless you have solar on the 2nd roof as well then you can run that cable to your aux solar input. done properly these will dispeerse the weight across the whole roof and shed snow for you...
I do this in the winter, I use the 9 dollar boards which are thinner. I run 2x4's all the way around and use landscape ties to hold the 2x4 in place. Screw the bottom of the boards to the foam with big washers. Making the underneath air tight is the point here, I have been in -10f with no freezing. The smaller 9 dollar boards are much thinner but still have the same result. Another tip is if your water inlet is in an unheated front bay you can use the same foam to section off the bay so the residual heat from the heated hose will keep the smaller portion of the bay warmer. It is amazing how much warmer your rig will stay just by removing the airflow from under the RV. My cost with the thinner foam board is around 175 dollars.
I'm coming on 1 year of RV life in a Jayco Eagle TT. I'm almost through my first winter. I decided to give it a chance and skip the skirting even know we get many freezing days in the single digits. The things I have learned about this Jayco, The fresh water tank will freeze even know its insolated. I then used a heated hose connected to city water and that has solved that problem. But you would think what about your grey and black tanks. When its super cold I will put rv anti freeze down all the drains to assist keeping them from freezing along with running the furnace. Jayco did good with insolation but I find I loose the most out of the single pane windows. Come on Jayco! be better lol. But for that I put some of the window plastic on all the windows and it made a big difference. I appreciate your video because some people really need this but I'm happy to say the jayco for the most part has made it without. This is my last year in Oregon and I'm heading south!
It sure is nice to be friends with Mary Jane you guys blew me away this time thank you very much
i have a grand design solitude as well. a helpful winter camping modification i did was put a 12v marine 3in inline vent fan in the pantry. i piped it throu the top to draw the hot air near the ceiling. then ran the piping down along the back corner of the pantry into that dead space hidden under the bottom shelf, from there it goes directly into the underbelly near the ho twater tank and nautalus. this allows me to use alternate heating to help the furnace on those cold winter nights here. using a multi zone weather station i monitor my temps down there and it is consistantly warm as the living space.
I just found out this week that my tiny home will hold temp with 6 candles in -15c during a power outage a power outage. I was ok with 400 watts till -15 I had to switch to 600 watts. I’ve got a spare new heater ready that will run on 750 watts on low as my old heater did three years ago. I’ve also got lil buddy propane with a few green tanks and a big tank as well with the line for it. I made a holder for my lil buddy when it runs on a line instead of a mini tank. I’ve also got the candle heater which burns candle ps slow and keeps the burn safe. I’ve also got a lamp for extreme back up. I’ve also got a diesel heater installed for when I’m off grid and a wood stove for when I’m really off grid. 😂 I’ve extremely prepared and takes not much to keep my tiny home hot.
We've actually just bought some custom fabric skirting that's coated with PVC, so it's like a very heavy tarp, and it has eyelets on the top to hang it from 3M hooks and on the bottom to stake it to the ground with tent stakes. We're traveling down south and haven't used it yet, but I think that it should do a very good job of keeping the wind from sucking out all the heat of our 5th wheel's underbelly. Only $300 too! We'll see!
Hey that's not bad at all!! Way to go 😃 Ya'll be safe in your travels down south. Thank you for your wonderful support and for taking the time to watch out videos - Kyle and Renee
Hey guys we went to billboard vinyls bought a 48x14 used billboard vinyl cut the 14 down to 7 ft. Then purchased heavy duty snaps and the snap tool attached the one piece of the snap to the trailer using a level to make sure the snaps were in a straight line every 10 inches the attached the button side of the snap to the vinyl and covered the whole bottom of the trailer then used sand bags to keep it in place the complete cost was $300 and the nice part is you take it off and fold it up and put it into a tote when not using and not having to replace it every year. The skirt made a 20 degree difference from the out door temp and the temp under the trailer .
Nope, just clicked on the weekly UA-cam to spend time with y’all. Use that blower to blow the snow off the roof unless it’s iced up😉🇺🇸 MERRY CHRISTMAS too you three🎅🏻
Love this, David! I need to get me a blower for sure...I am SO over the broom 😄 Merry Christmas to you as well!! - Kyle and Renee
Well done ! We are not full timers but do go out year round. We don't camp in bug snowy areas but have been caught a couple of times. Each w/o any skirting. The dining room slide gets plenty cold and radiates into the living areas. If we were doing more of this I'd most certainly do a DIY skirting. Going up & sweeping the snow off the top is a real thrill.
Thank you for saying this :) Isn't it amazing how quickly those slide outs get cold? The walking on the ladder was so scary with the snow (afraid of falling). Stay safe!! We appreciate your support - Kyle and Renee
In our Alaska trip, I left my gray tank valve open, it froze solid to include the stinky slinky. I LEARNED. DO NOT LEAVE THE VALVES OPEN.
Oh my goodness 😱 That is such a bummer. Those learning lessons always stick with us the longest. Thank you for your support, Robert!
The pink insulation board costs more but it's denser and you don't have to deal with all the little beads everywhere (something to consider if you're going to haul it with you to use again...). And I think I'd put wide bands of heavy duty velcro along the bottom edge of my RV and on the boards to make them easy to install, remove, and re-install another time. But I don't care "how it looks" like some people might. Besides, velcro comes in a variety of colors, so color match! LOL! I'd use 2x4s along the bottom for reinforcement and stability which can be easily reinforced with cross-braces at the corners.
And no, don't use bales of straw or hay under your RV as someone else suggested. They absorb moisture from the ground and the air (and anything that leaks under it on a day warm enough to cause snow and icicles to melt) and then they can start to mold and mildew which generates heat and then they can spontaneously combust. Many hay stacks and hay barns have been lost because of wet hay/straw spontaneously combusting.
That is such a great idea and you get color options for the velcro as well! Win - Win 😃 Nice call on the 2 X 4's. I never thought about the mold and mildew side of things with the straw. You are very knowledgeable! Thank you for your amazing support and for taking the time to share - Kyle and Renee
You could consider using bales of straw under the RV . The straw bales would have provided insulation and cut down on the amount of dead air space under the RV. Bales of straw would provide a strong backing for foam board against wind. Stack bales of straw under the tongue area for extra insulation under the bedroom.
i stacked square bales of straw around my entire rv, working great so far.
And great habitat for mice 🐁 😱
true but havnt seen any inside so far@@richardbillin5190
I like this! A guy named John here in the comments just mentioned that he did the same thing with some straw. I was curious on how rodents came into play here. Do you think that could be a factor to worry about? Thanks for sharing 😃 - Kyle and Renee
I just realized "John" has been replying to you already LOL (my bad)
I have been experimenting off grid for a year now, my trailer is a 2 season 28ft and externally insulated with reflectix, half done the 2nd layer today, last year a low of -27F -33C and my primary heater was a 350w omni heater plus 40 mins of my 1500w. My basement with no heat was a low of 33.6F. Now you have a good idea of what I have the new upgrade could work well for you, my entire underside is airtight, this year I added a under rug heater , I put it on some flooring over the reflectix bottom, The Rug buddy is 170w 4kwh , with just the 170w heater it was 23F -5C for 10 hours, the basement was 64.4F 18C , bedroom was 68F 20C , Try tuck tape repair tape, clear and nothing pealed even on the roof after a year of -33 to 40C.
You may want to consider using 2” x 4” lumber and make a frame first and then use insulated orange construction tarps.
Our friends do this and it’s only $300 Canadian.
We once got a price for a custom fitted vinyl insulated skirt and she wanted $5000 Canadian. Suffice it to say we didn’t do that, we went South for the Winter.
Great suggestions! Thank you for taking the time to share 😃 Stay safe and warm this winter, we appreciate all your support!
The idea is to stop wind and make a dead air space. Have lived in mine for a year and a half. Last winter had a -52 C morning, it was -8 under my RV on my remote temp gauge. I don't run heat under the trailer because I don't want condensation. Pile snow around the base of the insulation pieces but leave small air holes in a few spots at the top edge.
Put the shrink film on your windows and a 400L pig propane tank, you will be fine.
If you install a plastic ground sheet directly on the dirt, you won’t get the worrisome condensation. I skirted, installed a ground sheet, and heated the area under the trailer back for the winter of 2019/20 in the Yukon 🥶 and the trailer did well. So much nicer to have a warm floor and no frozen pipes, even at -40.
what did you use to heat the underneath? @@YukonRJ
@@GamingWithOpinions 1500 watt electric space heater on 50% setting.
You could also use heated insulation that wraps around pipes and plug it into a outlet or what ever power source you choose
Have you considered Gaffer tape instead of the foil tape? It tears like duct tape, it does not leave any residue because it’s made to be taken off at some point and it holds up in weather. Originally designed for sound techs (which is why it’s called Gaffer). Storage craft use it to lay down wires and have a clean pull-up later when they are ready indoor or out.
This is a great tip, Michael! Thank you for the suggestion on Gaffer tape, we had not considered this. We appreciate your time and support! - Kyle and Renee
Oh yes I do know where to start, at the ignition switch. You insert the key start the engine and head south. Pretty easy, eh? I know everyone can't do that and I think you were in that situation. Once you get the foam board up you can pile snow up against it. It does a couple of things, it provides very good, if somewhat cold, insulation and it also seals any little crooks and nannies you may have in your insulation. How do I know this? I once lived in a small house built on piers and if there was snow on the ground the pipes didn't freeze. If there was no snow the wind would take all of the warm air out from under the house and freeze the pipes. Keep the good stuff coming guys.
I’ve used this method with 2x4 wedged up to the bottom of rv. Helped a bunch, especially in the wind. If you use an electric knife for carving turkey, it cuts nicely. They make a wire that’s electric heated wire that melts right through the insulation. Saves on all the little styrofoam pieces that seem impossible to clean up. All these neat things I discovered after doing mine. You 2 did a good job on yours. Happy new year and safe travels. Hanks for all the great content. We enjoy all of them. (Did you catch the dad joke…lol). We’ve been Binge watching over new years rainy day.
Love this! Thank you for taking the time to share with us, I really like the idea of the 2 x 4 wedge. We appreciate your amazing support in binging our videos and wish you a happy new year as well! 🙂 - Kyle and Renee
Happy Holidays, Hanks!!
Same to you!!! 🤗
According to National RVTrader training academy tech tip you can add a heater/warmer to your propane tank to make it more efficient
That's really interesting! Thank you for sharing this, because I had no idea. Have a Merry Christmas! - Kyle and Renee
We lived in our fifth wheel one winter in Alaska and we skirted it just like you did. Worked great.
WOW! That must have been chilly up there 😱 What part of Alaska did you stay in if you don't mind me asking? - Kyle
@@HappilyEverHanks We stayed in Palmer. We hooked up to my daughter and son in laws house. Now that we are retired we stay south. 😄
Haha 😂 Carl in the snow eating breakfast! 🍳
I just used bales of hay.. cheap and easy, stops wind and has great rv value.. cost me 100 bux to do a 33 footer
I am full time winter Colorado life in my 5th wheel and those foam boards are not very cheap here I got skirts but they were late getting here and it says 70 degrees for this high end velcro patches to stick proper so......... lol on a warmer days I'm gonna get started YOU GUYS do great at all your things you do.
That is so awesome!! What a great place to be full time 😊 It's wonderful to meet you. Thank you for your support and taking the time to watch our videos, we appreciate you! - Kyle and Renee
We are currently in CA for the winter in our RV with 5 dogs (we have a couple videos up now of our setup). Great info guys love your videos!
When we did our skirting we made a frame kind of and just screwed it into that but we live in ours so we kept it up year-round
That's awesome, Debbie! Thanks for sharing :) Hope you stay warm this winter! - Kyle and Renee
We live in Sarasota and don’t ever want to “winter” camp…lol.
My wife and I are both directors in the health care industry, and get out the 5th wheel at least three times a year…but it’s always south of the frost belt.
We missed you guys in Tampa…sorry.
Love your content. Give Dexter a hug for us.
AJ and Melissa.
Hi AJ and Melissa! It sounds like you guys do it the right way. What a great gig you have going on in the healthcare industry! 😃 hopefully our paths will cross soon. Thank you both for your great support, you mean so much - Kyle and Renee (Dexter gives hugs back) 😺
BAILS OF HAY OR STRAW WORKS WAY BETTER AND WHEN ITS COVERED BY THE SNOW WORKS PERFECT.the bails can be used for ground cover after winter
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to everyone!
Thank you, Diane!! Same to you 🤗
Great Video! You two make a wonderful team and make interesting and fun videos that are very useful! Thanks so much!
Wow! This means a lot to us that you said this 😃 Much love from the Hanks family! We appreciate you
Howdy Hanks, it's great to see you today.
Merry Christmas,I wish you all the best in the new year.
Hi Charlie! Thank you so much for your wonderful kindness. We wish you a merry Christmas as well 😊
I just want to say thank you, God bless you both, and have a Merry Christmas.
Thank you very much for saying this, Kyra! We really appreciate your support and wish you a Merry Christmas as well :)
The secret is to 2:37 make sure your Rv is in Florida for the winter.... way down in Florida 😊 uncle Mike ❤❤
So true! 😄 Miss you both!
Pile the snow up along your skirt to further insulate the underbelly. Snow is 32 degrees. It can get down to -3 degrees but it won’t get down below 20 degrees I bet if you have a snow bank along and as high as your skirt goes.
That's a great idea, Todd! Make an igloo out of it 😃 It helps!
I didn't read all of the comments, so maybe this was mentioned already - I get wanting to keep weight off the roof, but I wonder if leaving some up there would've added to the insulation levels?
This is a great question and I honestly don't know the answer to it. Let me know if you find any other information out. It seems viable! - Kyle
We wintered over in Golden CO in 2005 - 06 in a 3-season travel trailer. Not fun. No heated tanks, so we improvised and adapted with heat tapes and foil-lined flexible insulation. Worked perfectly and we were able to make it through some -20° F weather. We disconnected our sewer hose before the "polar express" moved in. I was offered a job in Texas, so we went there. Ahhhhh! 😍 So much BETTER! It was so nice and warm. There were skirting kits available. The were heavy fabric - reinforced plastic held on top by twist connectors and on the bottom by 2-inch pvc pipe inserted into sewn folds in the bottom of the panels. It seemed to work well unless there were really strong winds but cost about $1500 installed.
That's awesome ya'll were able to successfully RV in that cold of temperatures! Way to go 🙂 We hope you are enjoying Texas. Thank you for sharing and for your great support
@@HappilyEverHanks - Where we live is beautiful: the Cross Timbers Region in the North Hill Country. Not the Rocky Mountains but it is very nice. We certainly don't miss the below-zero weather, that's for sure. We really enjoyed y'all's Canada/Alaska adventure. Y'all certainly visited some really beautiful places and overcame some adverse situations with y'all's usual style.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and safe travels in 2024!
Bob and Dottie
I hope yall are somewhere nice and warm! Hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Great New Year! 🎄🎁🍾🎉🥳❤️🙏🏻
Thank you very much, Lynn! Merry Christmas to you as well!! 🤗 🎄 - Kyle and Renee
YOU GUYS this is my boyfriend and i’s first winter in the camper and when i tell you we are struggling… 😅 we are looking into ordering repurposed billboard vinyl to insulate our underside.
We hope things are working out for you both! Winter RV living can be such a challenge until you get everything in order. Keep us posted on how the billboard vinyl goes and stay warm!! 🤗 Good luck!
Nice job. A couple of standard 100 watt light bulbs underneath, with an enclosure like you did, can protect pipes also. One other tip, the roof of probably 90 percent of RV's can hold A LOT of SNOW ( 3 to 4 feet )......but NOT, repeat NOT the slide-out roofs!!
This is great information! Thank you for taking the time to share 😃 We appreciate you! - Kyle and Renee
Happy New Year Y'all, and best wishes for the coming year.
Happy new year to you as well! Thank you for your amazing support and for watching our videos 😊
Merry Christmas! Hope it's a great one! Blessings on you both!
Merry Christmas to you as well, Paula!! Thank you for your wonderful support in watching our videos 🤗
Hi Hanks
Enjoyed this video. Did you keep any of the insulation or will you have a do over
Merry Christmas to you and all your friends and family.
Hi John! We initially kept the insulation at our friends property in their garage, but they ended up getting rid of it because they didn't need it anymore. Merry Christmas to you as well 🙂
Great video you guys! Thanks so much for this information. I'm in a class c. Will be going to Quartzsite and hopefully it's not that cold there. I'm from WA state and with all the ski runs I have driven in school buses and charter buses, I'm tired of snow issues. I want out of that. This is great info... thanks so much! Happpppy travels!
Thank you very much, Kathy! We appreciate your kindness and support :) We don't blame you for being over snow, after this Pennsylvania storm, we were over snow as well LOL We hope you enjoy Quartzsite! Stay nice and warm. Tell everyone we said hello!
Have you wintered in PA since? Or anywhere else that cold? At least with the snap on skirting you can take it with you. But I would advocate for going where it won’t get that cold in winter.
Hi Steve! We have not wintered since LOL PA scarred us with the winter, so we end up parking somewhere just a little warmer. Very true with the snap on skirting. It would be a great investment if you knew you were going to be exposed to cold temps over and over. We appreciate your support!
Bales of hay are the go ,very cheap and you can take them with you.
This is good to know, thank you for taking the time to share! Have you ever heard of there being problems with rodents due to the bales of hay? Thanks for sharing - Kyle and Renee
Thank you for good information. Good video .
Winter in Pennsylvania is nothing compared to here in Western Maine. Most people here use straw bales. Straw bales are like 20x more insulated than those rigid foam boards that you used. Then when the spring comes we can use the straw for many other purposes. Support local farmers that grow the straw rather than petrochemical companies that make rigid foam. How do you compost the rigid foam when you're done with it?
I don't even intend to use my RV in the winter, but I still want to keep up with the Hanks!
Love this, Jeff! Thank you for your awesome support! :)
Somebody is upping their video editing game! Love the graphics and transitions! Great review of your winter creative solution... nice to see the cost comparison. I think I will pass on making the RV into an igloo! LOL... Stay warm and Happy Holidays!!
Well thank you very much for saying this 😃 We hope you and Mike have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Are you going to be at the Tampa RV show in January 2024?? Wanting to see you if we can?
Hi Becky, we unfortunately will not be at the Tampa RV show this year. Thank you for your amazing support. We hope to cross paths with you one day soon! - Kyle and Renee
Thanks for the info. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thank you for your wonderful support, Diana! Merry Christmas to you!! 😊 🎄 🎁
I have another tip for you - get yourself a CDH and route the output to underneath your RV. It will warm the floor and the pipes for very little $$$. Makes the world of difference in extreme cold. $100 investment gets you lots of utility, and the ability to use it as a backup heat source in the RV as well.
What is a CDH? Thank you for taking the time to share this with us! We are very eager to learn how we could have improved during this time...it was a rough winter to say the least 😅 - Kyle and Renee
@@HappilyEverHanks sorry - Chinese Diesel Heater.
Enjoy your holiday and thanks for sharing 🎄
Thank you same to you! 🙂
I stacked square bales of straw around my rv, using two oil filled radiator heaters, rarely use my furnace thanks to this. the straw only cost me 160.
Brilliant idea 💡
Nice work, John! 😃 So dig into this a little bit more for me. How did it go with rodents? It always seems like anyone mentions the word "straw" or "hay," it is always followed by rodents (but we have no experience). What was your winter like with the straw?
I've yet to see any outside and none inside either. ill assume they are probably mice under but no bother. with my radiator heaters going im holding at 60 degress. over night with the outside temp around 20. So really impressed with the straw@@HappilyEverHanks
Skirting always helps. Bigger questions are why staying in RV in snow country ???
Lol great question! We were staying there to be near family for Christmas. No more after this 😄 Too much snow and cold! Thank you for your support
OMG! I already knew this, Do you want to know why? I watched your original video on this and took mental notes. Thank you two so much for valid and useful information.
P.S. The family is growing. I got married in October. As you know I have Logan, Rockett, Cosmo, and Shadow, now I have Bucky the cat and two parakeets named Star-Lord and Nebula.
Love you two, uncle Mac
That is AMAZING! Congratulations 🤗 Your family is growing super quickly. Thank you for all your amazing support throughout the years. Give everyone our best. Much love from the Hanks family ❤️ 🎄
A couple working together to achieve a common goal. cool.
Thank you for your support! :)
Kind of remember this video from the original broadcast years ago.
Oh how time flies!! 😄 Thank you so much for your support during all these times. Merry Christmas to you - Kyle and Renee
A good Christmas seasonal topic is the xmas meals that some RV parks provide. I was surprises to see this when traveling and enjoyed the meal and camaraderie very much. it was nice for the RV park owners to put this on. I enjoy your videos. We were in the NW about the same time as you this year. Would love to have seen you somewhere. Regards. Steve D.
Hi Steve! Thank you very much for your kindness and support 🙂 We hope that our paths can cross one day soon! Be safe in your travels - Kyle and Renee
Nice tip, thanks for sharing.
Very well done guys…thanks!
Maybe roll south to warmer weather for the winter? Just a thought. Enjoying being outside a lot in the warm weather this winter in the Southwest US.
Can't wait to try out my Airstream Classic in the winter, don't think this skirting idea will work but still want to see what my RV is capable of handling. The Airskirts are ridiculous in price, don't think I'll be getting those anytime soon.
They are super expensive for sure! Yes, I am curious as well to see how your Airstream will hold up against the winter weather. Thank you for your support :)
living full time in alberta seeing -30 c winter scirting is most valable 7k installed heater undernieth was warm and comfrtable in 3 season trailer this year in a 39.5' raptor sumer scirting and 4 day before christmas no heater under it yetno problems as of yet seen -18c earlier this year furnace has gone out so using electric heat warm and cozy running a small trickle of water in bathroom sink to keep water moving in lines cost 5k in scriting but will be on for years
Merry Christmas from Sunny Arizona. Hope you guys have a Blessed 2024
Thank you very much, Timothy! Merry Christmas to you as well 🙂 🎄
Hi again Hanks. Will you be anywhere near Miami in January for the RV show. New models and RV goodies.
Hi John, we unfortunately won't be making Tampa Show this year. Hopefully our paths can cross someday soon! Thank you for everything - Kyle and Renee
Merry Christmas Hanks & a safe and joyous New Year!!
Merry Christmas to you as well, Bob!! Thank you for your support!
Winter in Montana -21° no issues
Nice work!! You will have to teach us your ways 😃 Winter camping was a little touch and go, but once you get in the groove...things seem to smooth out. Thank you for watching! Stay safe and warm
Thanks. What a great video.
Thank you for your wonderful support in watching! You mean so much 😊
Good video but I think I’ll pass on the winter RVing. My trailer is pretty much put away for the winter. I’ll bring it out in the spring. I’ll sit up here and western Massachusetts and wait for the cold. Oh it’s here. Oh well good video though.
We are in Virginia so this would be perfect
Great video, I don’t ever plan to camp in cold weather like this but if I do, I do what to do lol.
lol we don't blame you! After this, we don't plan on winter camping any time soon 😅 Thanks for watching, Hugo!
Thanks for the video letting us know know that your efforts worked. I remember the episode of you getting and putting the foam Skirting on but one thing I've wondered is did you take it with you? If so, did it fit in your underneath storage compartments? And did you have to buy new foam every year for certain areas? How long did last?
Great questions, Steven! We actually left all the skirting with our friends on their property. They wanted it after we left, but I think they ended up getting rid of it. The foam board skirting is certainly not the most ideal setup for those who travel between places frequently. I think it would have held up great if we were to return and reuse it 😃 Merry Christmas to you! Thank you for your support - Kyle and Renee
Hay bails and 60 watt string of light bulbs work well for Wyoming...cheap and effective
Side note, bait against critters
I was just going to ask what your experience was with critters. This is great information, thank you!!
Not a lot TG...but critters, believe it or not, search for water vice food first, to include insects (ants), so I personally discovered lol
Marry christmas and happy new year
Merry Christmas to you as well, Jim!!
Just want to wish you a very merry Christmas 😀
We appreciate this! A Merry Christmas to you as well 😊 🎄 - Kyle and Renee
That foam core will never fly in many parks. I'd suggest Marine vinyl attached with Velcro.
Yes, you are absolutely correct. Good call on the marine vinyl! We only got away with this because we were on some friends property. Thank you for your support!
Great video! You said you had no freezing issues after the insulation. I'm in the process of adding the insulation, but did you do anything special for your water cabinet to keep that heated and from freezing since it's on the outside?
Merry Christmas to you two and Dex!
Merry Christmas to you as well 😃 🎄 Thank you for your great support in watching our videos - Kyle and Renee
Good solution for boondocking and a stationary trailer, but how to transport it when you go on the road? Definitely use two inch foam boards, less is just a waste of money. Along with this, run a good electric heater in that enclosed space. Not heating that space just won't quite keep you warm.
Won't work in most decent RV parks.
Foil side goes towards the underside of the trailer, it's a radiant barrier. Park I'm at for the winter forbides foil tape so I'm seeing how well gorilla tape will hold up lol
That's a great point and one we failed to do the right way 🙂 Thank you for your support in watching our videos!! - Kyle and Renee
@@HappilyEverHanks Y'all good, we're here to help one another 😁
Thanks for the information Merry Christmas
Absolutely Deborah, Merry Christmas to you as well! Thank you for your support 😊
For those with the money, The Skirting Co. is very high quality
The 2 best methods for insulating under your RV are Arizona and Florida.
Couldn't agree more! After this experience, we are getting on board with those insulators 😄 Thank you for watching!
Hi nice seeing you again
Drive south you crazy kids! 😊. Nice video.
Happy New year 🎉
Great video and very informative. I believe what yall did was better than hiring it out.
Thank you very much, Rick! We appreciate your support 🙂
Hello,
I happened to come upon your channel. My wife and I are about to sell our home and live on an RV. I have a few questions.
We live in South Texas. My first question to you and maybe to other RV'ers, is, How does it stand-up in somewhat high winds (like 50 to 60 mile an hour)?
We are going to take the money from our house sale, and purchase the truck and finance the RV (using a big lump sum down payment).
We went to the RV show here in San ANtonio, and fell in love with the floor plan on Jayco Northpoint. They tried to ask us to put $2500 down to secure it. I declined!
Well, I guess I dont have any other questions (my mind went blank, lol). I will keep watching your channel to get educated.
A little nervouse about this new venture in our lives. Wish us luck. God Bless.
Hi there! It's wonderful to meet you 🙂 Congratulations on the upcoming transition into RV life! That must be so exciting for you both. As far as the winds, our RV has held up pretty well in decent wind gusts. You just don't want to get caught towing on the road with those high winds.
To be honest, you are going to love the most recent video we just put out regarding dealers and the secrets that they use against us buying RV's. We also have some videos about when we faced some high wind advisories. Lots to catch up on 😃 If any of the videos don't answer your questions, feel free to reach out to us anytime. We want the best for you both and to help set you up for the most success! Stay safe and keep us posted on the new Jayco - Kyle and Renee
Seems to me that the best answer to this issue is get get yourselves some work in Florida in the winter months!
I think that is the conclusion that we have come to as well, Dave 😄 Thank you for your great support in watching our videos - Kyle and Renee