SURVIVING WINTER on a BUDGET
Winter can be a challenging time to live in an RV. Every climate has their own challenges and every RV has its own weaknesses, but the key to surviving winter as a nomad is being adaptable and living as a minimalist.
Most of us have to change to survive. Before I lived in an RV, I was “freezing” when the thermostat was set below 75. Now, I feel comfortable with 65. I feel proud of this, as something I have weaned myself of, my addiction to heat, my addiction to consuming instead of conserving. It makes me happy that I can adapt to changes in my environment. It seems simple, but I know some who could not adapt and may give up when confronting a decline of comfort or luxury. I don’t want to be dependent on these ideas. I want to be flexible, living as minimally as I can, using as little resources as I can. I don’t want to be an ever-working, ever-consuming slave, unable to live freely due to an addiction to this lifestyle. That has been my mindset my entire life and a major motivation for moving into an RV.
That being said, the bitter cold, wind, snow, rain and moisture can be tough to avoid or adapt to. Staying warm and dry can be costly, inefficient and difficult. Despite the challenge, we have managed to stay warm and dry during our first winter as boondockers by being thrifty, creating a routine and by becoming less demanding and more flexible. Some of these solutions were researched, some were invented by using what we had in our RV or found. We also did lots of thrift store hunting for many items such as blankets, a like-new portable fridge ($30!), inverters, a vacuum ($12), wool socks, etc.
As a traveler, it’s important to cater our specific needs to our current regional climate. We have spent our first winter near Seattle, Washington where the weather is very wet yet mild, with little to no snow and with averages in the lower 40s. The nights are colder, but rarely below freezing. Our furnace is non-functioning, so I did research and purchased a Mr. Heater Portable Buddy propane heater ($80) that many RVers use and recommend. It is cheaper than using our generator or battery to operate an electric heater. It claims to be “indoor safe”, but I don’t think the manufacturer actually recommends indoor use, especially in an RV. In the beginning, I feared fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. The manufacturer advertises it as safe and it is equipped with a tip-over shutoff and a low-oxygen shutoff. I bought a carbon monoxide detector anyway ($30) and it has never gone off. My boyfriend mounted the heater in front of our broken furnace because I was worried one of our pets might burn their tail, walking by if it was on the floor. It is made with screw fittings on the back, so it was simple.
At first, we used the small one-pound camping tanks, but those were too costly. They are $3/lb and last about 3-8 hours, depending on the heat setting (low or high). With a $9 hose, you can attach a larger tank and save money. We attach a 15 lb tank and it costs about $1.33/lb. This size tank will last five to fourteen days, depending on use. (This tank also has warnings about indoor use, but I think it applies to products that can give off carbon monoxide, like grills and camping stoves.) This heater has allowed us to live comfortably and I recommend it as long as you turn it off nightly, never leave it on unattended and tighten all connections.
A thermometer reads the average temp of 65°-68° degrees when running the heat. We usually turn it on high until it warms up to about 70°, then turn it to low. When we feel comfortable, we turn it off until it becomes too cold again, usually around 60°. We do not leave it on while we sleep. We get it as warm as we can, then leave it off until we wake. When I wake up in the middle of the night to urinate, I turn it on high for a few minutes to get the room warmer before turning it off and falling back asleep. Depending on the weather of the day and the time we wake, it can be as low as 45° when we get up.
To keep the heat in, we try to minimize the area to be heated. We close the attic curtains; hang a long, thick blanket from the attic bunk that separates the sleeping quarters from the cold cab. We keep the bathroom door closed and the curtains down. Sometimes, I put a blanket or a reflectix sun visor ($3) between my bed and the wall, which adds some effective and simple insulation. I also have two layers of memory foam ($30), the RV’s seat cushion mattress and a thick blanket under me. I use two blankets, one because of its softness, and the other for its warmth. I bought a large polyester blanket from Wal-Mart ($20) that I was happy with until Matt found a better one at Goodwill ($15-like new) that makes me feel as if under layers of thick fur. I used to be kept awake when I wore socks to bed, but now I can’t sleep without them. I also wear sweatpants and long sleeves and am never cold when I sleep with all these items.
The heater causes the moisture in this wet climate to condense onto our windows, closets and cabinets. I was not prepared to handle the effects of this and the lack of proper ventilation caused a breakout of mold in the loft and my closet where I kept my wardrobe. I moved my wardrobe out of the closet and into the shower, trading places with my cat’s litter box, after Matt tore out the floor and back wall of the closet. He also junked the loft mattress and parts of the floor when we discovered a build up of moisture under the mattress that had been trapped. He used some gap filler ($6-$9) under the windows where some rain and cold air may have been getting in. Since then, the issue has been contained. Matt explained to me that the age and condition of our RV is the primary cause of our moisture issues. We need better-insulated walls and better seals around the doors and windows. Although, it was much worse when we bought it.
The windows get covered in condensation that can build up and drip onto the wood walls below, causing further damage. To prevent this, I purchased two AquaDry shammy towels ($15) and wipe the windows daily. It saves money on paper towels and is more efficient than bath towels. We also now keep the attic side windows cracked to ventilate the moisture and keep the windows and walls dry. We tried putting rice in the closets and cabinets, but it didn’t seem to help and neither did the Eva-Dry Petite dehumidifier I bought ($60-a waste). If it is not raining, I also crack the vent in the daytime.
It is still winter here, but I think the worst has past. I feel proud of the work we have done and the things I have learned this season, but I am still looking forward to Spring’s challenges!
