RV Heating Options: PROS & CONS

Propane furnace? Electric heat pumps? Hydronic system? Space heater? What's the best way to stay warm in an RV? It all depends on the temperature and how & where you RV. Don't know whether to fire up the propane furnace or plug in the portable space heater? Is it too cold to run your heat pumps? Will your plumbing freeze if you make the wrong choice? Here's a detailed look at the most common types of RV heat and the pros & cons of each. If you like to start the camping season early and end it late, or just buck the trend and head for a cold climate, these tips will help you sort through the benefits and limitations of the most common RV heating choices. PORTABLE HEATERS AND ACCESSORIES: Mister Heater radiant heater: http://bit.ly/mr-heater-lil-buddy Extend-a-Stay Propane Tee: http://bit.ly/camco-propane-tee PREVIOUS RELATED VIDEOS: How to RV in the Winter: http://youtu.be/n5RGlcLSrM4 Connecting to External Propane: http://youtu.be/jovTYfltUO0 RV Buried in 2 feet of snow: http://youtu.be/BxOXapeYTMQ Winterizing RV Water lines: http://youtu.be/fyjFAFFe7xs Motorhome Block Heater: http://youtu.be/PaRdWKcf4Yk To hear about new videos, giveaways and other great RVing content as soon as it's released, visit our website and subscribe! http://TheRVgeeks.com The intro music is my own piano performance of Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag from 1899. Full-Time RVers since April 11, 2003, we share DIY (do it yourself) RV maintenance, repair, travel, upgrade and operational tips & tricks. While we're not RV technicians, we're very mechanically inclined and have learned a lot about RV systems over the years. We've handled most of our own minor service, maintenance and upgrade work on both of our RVs. We meet lots of newer RVers who are eager to learn some basics about using, maintaining and caring for their rigs. After more than a decade on the road, we're happy to share what we've learned (some of it the hard way). ;-) We hope our experience can help other RVers go DIY, saving time & money while experiencing the satisfaction of a job well done. We're handy RVers, not professional technicians. We're happy with the techniques and products we use, but be sure to confirm that all methods and materials you use are compatible with your equipment and abilities. Regardless of what we recommend, consult a professional if you're unsure about working on your RV. Any task you perform or product you purchase based on any information we provide is strictly at your own risk. We sometimes receive products for evaluation at no cost, but our opinions are our own and we only feature products we personally use, love and can recommend to friends with complete confidence. The RVgeeks participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Comments welcome! Thanks for watching! Don't forget to subscribe!

Comments

1. Hot pockets .. and a hot kettle in the bed
2. One thing you might want to mention is plumbing located outside the RV interior is typically kept warm with the RV heater through a series of heated chases. (At least that is the case with my travel trailer). A portable propane heater is great for the interior but will not keep this plumbing from freezing in very cold conditions. I know someone who tried to return his RV because his plumbing froze. The first question the dealer asked was "did you use a portable heater"? Thanks for the well presented information!
3. Can someone tell me the pro's and con's of Electric floor heating?
4. IM LEARNING THE BEST SOLUTION IS TO HEAD SOUTH BUT JUST COULDNT UP AND GO BEING A NEWBIE. IM IN A 2004 BOUNDER 35R WHICH THE FURNACE HEATS THE BASEMENT THANKFULLY. I PUT AN EXTEND A STAY TEE ON MY PROPANE SYSTEM. AND USE A SMALL DUAL WATT CERAMIC FOR ABOVE FREEZING BELOW FREEZING I HAVE TO USE THE FURNACE OR FROZEN PIPES. I MADE A HEATED DRINKING WATER HOSE WITH THE SELF REGULATING HEAT CABLE. NO CAMPGROUNDS OPEN IN THE MID ATLANTIC AREA. HOPING TO GET A WORK CAMPING POSITION WITH AN OUTFIT THAT HAS MULTIPLE LOCATIONS SO NEXT OCTOBER I CAN HEAD TO A SOUTHERN LOCATION.
5. Hi RVgeeks, very helpful video except in one key area for me. Why did you not address wood stoves, such as the Kimberly or Cubic Mini that a lot of full timers and boondockers are installing?
6. "Wake up dead" hahaha not possible
7. Hi, what do you think of those 3 ft high while oil type heaters? I run a quarts and a ceramic but hate leaving the coach in winter with them on. Looking for a heat sourse thats safer.Your thoughts?
8. may i know why you choose your ceramic vs mr. heater? seems like they both provide same kind of heat n many rver r using mr heater.
9. Question: I just purchased a new fifth wheel with a heat pump. It feels like it's just blowing air around and isn't warm at all. I've heard that the heat pumps don't put out a lot of heat. How do I know if it's broken or just doesn't heat very well? My dealer is a hour away or else I would just take it by there.
10. Down here in Australia I have seen adds about diesel heaters. Have you checked them out yet?
11. Hydronic, being labeled more complicated and expensive, is because of lack of understanding and the technicians benefiting from that lack of understanding. The single most expensive part would (should) be a fuel oil powered water heater. They are not common, but used to be. Fuel oil and diesel are similar enough that using diesel would not require any modifications. From that point, there is nothing complicated or exotic. You route hot water in multiple loops to the various areas you want heated, and install radiators to distribute the heat. They can have electric fans built in to move the heat faster, but do not require them. You can even use a central radiator to replace a propane burner furnace. They are quieter and simpler, once installed, than anything but a pure electric space heater.
12. yes we run a Alde warm water heating system in the new rigg, it heats thru out, equal, all lines and tanks heated, no fans at all, runs with pump ( solar and Batt) and an Propane or El hook up (3amps) big downside, slow heat up time or response, my previous carado with Propane furnace n fan,,made a rigg warm W/I 15 min...water heating can take hours
13. Re AquaHot hydronic. They're loud, and they have limited capability if you're running off the electric hot water.
    
    I've got a 2017 Phaeton 40' with AquaHot, heated floors, electric fireplace, and 3 AC/heat-pump units. I'm way down south at the moment (New Mexico) and it has been in the mid to high 20's at night.
    
    The Aquahot pump is quite loud and it cycles frequently, enough that it often wakes me up at night. The air circulation fans also cycle. They're not horrifically loud but definitely louder than forced air in a stick and brick home. I try hard not to use the AquaHot with diesel heat when I'm in an RV park because the burner and pump are plenty loud enough to hear outside.
    
    Using the diesel burner for the hot water, the coach stays consistently warm and toasty. Works as advertised, plus unlimited hot water. I've taken 15 minute very hot showers, works great.
    
    Using the electric hot water, it runs out of hot water long before it even gets the coach warm, let alone up to temperature (thermostat at 63F). The air circulation fans run briefly but the air quickly becomes lukewarm and so it shuts off until it heats the water up enough to run again...lather rinse repeat. Not a viable option below about 35F.
    
    Another pro for AquaHot, the engine preheat also works the other way around. You can turn off both diesel and electric hot water while you're driving and still have scalding hot water when you stop because it scavenges engine heat for the hot water.
    
    The heated floors combined with electric fireplace do a brilliant job of keeping the interior nice and evenly warm...with the caveat that they consume electricity like governments consume money.
    
    The floors don't have thermostats, they just have settings 1 to 5. I usually don't use the rear, I prefer it cool in the bedroom, but I
    usually set the front on 2, or if it's going to be really cold out, 3.
    
    I stayed a week at a park that metered the electric. It's the first time I've stayed like that so I used only the electric heat and hot water to see how much power they consume. Lowest overnight temp was 26F, highest daytime was 64F. I intentionally kept it warm, and I was less than vigilant, 3 or 4 times I forgot to turn off the floors in the morning until interior temps hit 67F to 73F.
    
    In 7 days I managed to burn through 326kWh of electricity! $59/week at $0.18/kWh. That also includes running 3 computers and UPS for them 24x7, jetpack, dash cams and half a dozen other electronic devices.
    
    That's also with a 1,600W solar array contributing 100-300Wh each day (it only charges the batteries so it doesn't offset loads that aren't on the inverter)
    
    I've only used the heat pumps once, just to make sure they worked. The problem with them is that if you use them at night, you've got to be certain that temps won't go below 40F before morning, otherwise you're going to have to get up and switch heat sources. They seem like they're only a solution for cool summer nights...and then I'd much rather have warm floors under my feet anyway.
    
    Thanks for another great video! How about doing one on tricks/tips for planning and driving when your destination is a place you haven't stayed before? How do you find 'em, how do you evaluate them, how do you plan your route?
    
    I use allstays, rvparkreviews, and overnightrvparking, and I try to use mapquest or google maps and satellite imagery and such but I sometimes miss turns anyway. I've been lucky so far only had to drop the towed unit once so that I could get turned around. I'm guessing it's mostly because I'm a noob and partly because I'm solo and can't view or adjust routes without pulling over, which isn't always an option.
14. I went to the ER for camping with the Mr. Buddy Portable model. Was deathly sick for a week.
15. RV living allows the owners to move to improve the climate they have to live in. THAT is the true answer for heating and cooling an RV.
16. Here in Southern NH we can get a lot of snow.You loose a lot of heat through the roof. Heating an RV and allowing it to cool off can cause water from melting snow to back up, if your roof is not in perfect shape.Also the weight of snow is a consideration and roof will need to be cleared.
17. Use the electric heater to allow you to lower the furnace temperature. All electric heaters are required to have tip over protection, whether they advertise it as a feature or not
18. A large crock pot filled with water is a great source of moist heat and does not draw a lot of power from electric source!
19. That's why I just supposed to get extra solar panel install. and get a portable windmill add it to your supply unit for boondocking.
20. We lived in our camper for two years in the mountains of WV (above the 3000' line) while we built our house. I decommissioned and removed the propane furnace from the camper because of the dangers of CO poisoning, having heard of the 12+ deaths that year from people using built-in units in their RVs. Instead, we opted for good insulation, consisting first of straw bales placed around the camper to insulate the underneath from cold and wind, then foam insulation for the exposed waterlines in the non-living spaces of the camper, being sure to leave the sides facing the interior clear.
    
    During cold weather (our weather station recorded temperatures of -9 F) we left cabinet doors open to allow heat from the main living spaces to radiate out to the plumbing and services (grey/black water). we used standard plug-in 115v forced-air space heaters (2) to keep us warm and kept the cold water supply running on a drip to keep the main water line from freezing.
    
    Of course, the grey and black water tanks froze during these periods, but a dose of RV antifreeze after a few days in each kept the system flowing in general and removed ice buildup in the drain lines, which is really the only concern for the RVer.
    
    Bottom line: Cold weather is not an issue, if you take reasonable steps..............................