Last Updated on December 25, 2021
Most people who live in a motorhome understand how uncomfortable they can get especially during summer. Basking under the sun can be great fun, but if it gets too hot outside you need to control the temperature inside your RV. The RV should be well prepared to regulate heat. Here are tips to keep your RV cool during summer:
The obvious step is to park your RV under the shade
When you get to the campground, it is advisable to take advantage of the shade especially on the side where the refrigerator vent is located. Keeping your RV away from direct sunlight cools it off due to the free flow of cool air and the efficiency of your refrigerator and roof A/C. You can inquire from the check-in people for a shady site if you cannot establish it on your own to park your RV in advance.
Maintain your roof A/C
Most RVs have at least one roof A/C used in regulating the temperatures inside the RV. Maintaining your A/C unit by cleaning the filters makes it run more efficiently and effectively cool your RV. Filters are more likely to clog with dirt and dust and hence regular and thorough cleaning is recommended. You can use warm soapy water to wash the filters, then rinse them well in clean water. Alternatively, you can use a small handheld vacuum cleaner to clean the filters. Either of the methods is effective but if you wash the filters in water, you should give them time to dry before reinstalling. As a precautionary measure, you can have a new set of filters to replace the old filters if the need arises.
Use your windows and main awnings to cool your RV
When you set up your RV on a camping site, open all your window awnings to cool the RV down. When you open the windows, you facilitate circulation of air with cool dense air getting into your RV while warm lighter air flows out. In addition, you can use your window curtains to prevent sun rays from getting into your RV. When parking your RV, look for a strategic area that will allow your largest awning to be on either the West or East depending with where the sun is and for how long you will park your RV at that point.
Check your Campground Voltage regularly with a digital voltmeter
The A/C unit which primarily cools your RV depends on electricity for performance. Therefore, with low voltage, the A/C unit may not perform effectively and this is the reason why you should regularly use a digital voltmeter to monitor voltage coming into your RV. Campground voltage is vulnerable to fluctuations especially during summer when the number of campers increases. Therefore, if your voltage either drops below 105 volts or goes above 130 volts, you should turn off electronic equipment and appliances until the right voltage is restored. This will not only prevent overheating of electronic equipment and appliances due to high voltage but also the inefficiency of the cooling unit during low voltage.
Cook smart
With proper planning, you can cook your meals outside to reduce indoor heating, especially during the day. It is obvious that cooking in a small kitchen inside the RV will result in overheating and hence, you can make cooking an outdoor event to minimize heat inside the RV. With a grill, electric frying pans, and electric boilers, you can cook whatever meal you like. You just need to plan in advance to avoid any inconveniences. Additionally, you can cook extra food for later use to save time and energy. It takes less time and electricity to warm already cooked food. Therefore, even if you will warm the food in the kitchen RV, it will take less time and hence less heat will be produced.
Install a vent fan
Installing a thermostatically controlled vent fan at the back or at the top of the refrigerator roof vent helps in blowing away hot air from the refrigerator. You can easily install these fans yourself if you have some basic skills. However, you can hire a local RV dealer to install it for you instead. The fans are controlled by heat to either start or stop their performance. They are very essential in removing built-up heat behind the refrigerator.
Enhance proper ventilation
Besides using windows and awnings to facilitate ventilation, you can install vent covers over the roof vents to facilitate airflow. With proper ventilation, air circulates easily keeping your motorhome cooler. These vent covers are cheap and easy to install and they let smoke, heat, odors, and stale air escape even when it is raining!
These tips will make your camping experience more fun and unforgettable. Follow these tips and camping time will be more enjoyable due to the conducive environment created.
