How To Save Propane When It's Cold
12-19-2017
Author: in Henley's Happy Trails
During the summer months, it is common to have a high electricity bill due to air conditioner usage. When the weather turns cold, the energy cost switches from cooling down your rig to heating it up. For many, this means propane bills skyrocket. After spending a couple of winters in cold climates, we have found a few ways to reduce our propane bill when it’s cold outside.
Keep your RV cooler.
Turning your thermostat down is one sure way to cut your energy cost. You don’t have to be miserable to reap the benefits either. Just turning your thermostat down three degrees can have a huge impact. It may be a little chillier than you prefer, but one can always put on some extra clothes. If you don’t feel comfortable with the thermostat turned down any further while you are at home, you can turn the temperature down when you leave. Many pet related companies make heating pads and heating blankets if you are worried about your furry friends being cold. Dogs and cats are generally comfortable in temperatures of 68 to 70 degrees with a full body of fur.
Supplement with electric heat.
We have a heating blanket when we sleep. It can get pretty chilly in the rig, but we always sleep comfortably. Electric heaters can be used, as well. Using them all the time can create quite a large electric bill. The trick is to use the gas and electricity together. If there is an area of your rig that is always cold because of large windows or lack of insulation, you can put a small 1500 watt heater in that area and set the thermostat of that heater to a low setting.
Ideally, you will want to find a setting that just takes the chill off that area without preventing the gas heater from turning on. Keep in mind that you are using the electric heater to give a slight boost to the gas heater, not to heat your whole rig. You want to increase the time it takes for the RV to cool down and kick the gas on again, so make sure the thermostat on the electric heater is set low enough for that to happen. The result: neither the electric or gas heater will run as long as it would if you were only relying on just one or the other.
Ideally, you will want to find a setting that just takes the chill off that area without preventing the gas heater from turning on. Keep in mind that you are using the electric heater to give a slight boost to the gas heater, not to heat your whole rig. You want to increase the time it takes for the RV to cool down and kick the gas on again, so make sure the thermostat on the electric heater is set low enough for that to happen. The result: neither the electric or gas heater will run as long as it would if you were only relying on just one or the other.
Insulate your RV.
The best thing you can do to conserve propane is to prevent the heat from escaping your RV in the first place. This can be accomplished by insulating your RV better. Start with windows. Find out where drafts are coming from and plug them up. Slides are notoriously under-insulated, so attending to that section would help as well. Blankets hung like curtains can help. Place rugs on the floor of linoleum surfaces to insulate the floor. There is really is no wrong way to insulate your rig. If it keeps the cold out and the heat in, then it works.
Just be careful of condensation in areas that you cover up or can’t see. When air isn't moving in an area such as between insulation and a window, condensation can form. This may cause water damage and mold. For this reason we try to insulate the outside of windows and keep air flowing as much as possible.
Do you have any propane conserving hacks?
Just be careful of condensation in areas that you cover up or can’t see. When air isn't moving in an area such as between insulation and a window, condensation can form. This may cause water damage and mold. For this reason we try to insulate the outside of windows and keep air flowing as much as possible.
Do you have any propane conserving hacks?
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Author: Levi and Natalie Henley
