Community Forums

Hansville · 02-11-2010, 09:54 AM

Hello,

Just wondering what you fellow full timers are doing to eliminate drafts in your motor homes on cold windy days. We are here in Junction TX and it is getting a bit drafty in Monaco Diplomat. It gets down into the 30's and that wind picks up and you can feel the breeze going right through the motor home with all four sliders out. It seem that the seals on the sliders really are not that air tight, the heaters are running constantly and it seems a bit hard to hold the heat inside the motor home. We are really enjoying the full time experience and would not go back to home ownership for a very long time. The only real issue I have is trying to seal the motor home up a bit tighter. Are any of you guys doing things to tighten up the cold air leaks a bit tighter and what are you doing.

itdave · 02-11-2010, 10:03 AM

I think you will find most of the drafts are coming in under the slides. Most of these areas are hard to get to but if you take a look at the bottom of the slide with the bed you may find you can see light from outside. I guess you could put towels or something on the floor to help block the draft.

The other chose since you are full timers is MOVE. Drive to somewhere warmer that why you have an engine and at least 4 wheels

.

NMBeemercouple · 02-11-2010, 11:23 AM

We have noticed this too. Once the heater kicks off you can almost feel the exchange of warm air for cold, then it seems the heat then kicks on again all too soon. The wife is thinking of making some sort of fabric covered roll to stuff in the gap under the slide. Something else to carry along, but only in the Winter.

Sixpack98 · 02-11-2010, 11:26 AM

I agree with Dave, the bottom of the slides do not seal very well. I reduced the leaks a little by using some water slinkees and pushing them into the cavity between the slide and coach. It works pretty well but certainly not exceptional. I get a lot of leakage in the front of our Endeavor and found a lot of cold air comes from the AC/heater fresh air valve. It sometimes stick open even when the knob is set to off. Helps some but I still get a lot of cold air up front. Our front heater runs almost constantly while the rear unit runs half as much as the front.

mark

powerboatr · 02-11-2010, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixpack98

I agree with Dave, the bottom of the slides do not seal very well. I reduced the leaks a little by using some water slinkees and pushing them into the cavity between the slide and coach. It works pretty well but certainly not exceptional. I get a lot of leakage in the front of our Endeavor and found a lot of cold air comes from the AC/heater fresh air valve. It sometimes stick open even when the knob is set to off. Helps some but I still get a lot of cold air up front. Our front heater runs almost constantly while the rear unit runs half as much as the front.

mark

yep i use the fat tubes that cover water pipes to add a second layer of protection on the bottom outside of the slides,
i also have some foam like used for window a/c units and cut it in pieces to stuff down on the edges of the flush slides inside and stop drafts.

Hansville · 02-11-2010, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powerboatr

yep i use the fat tubes that cover water pipes to add a second layer of protection on the bottom outside of the slides,
i also have some foam like used for window a/c units and cut it in pieces to stuff down on the edges of the flush slides inside and stop drafts.

Thanks for some very good ideas, we love here in Junction TX. It is not too bad, it just gets a bit drafty especially at night when the wind starts to blow. I like your fat tube idea, it may stop some of the drafts in our home. Full time motor homes are the way to go, it is really fun.

AFChap · 02-11-2010, 04:09 PM

We are in East Texas ...had a couple inches of snow today. We don't notice any particular drafts under slides or other places, but do think it helps to pull the window shades down when it is particualrly cold. I have know folks who say they pull the slides in during really cold weather as that makes for a smaller area to heat ...shades down, entry door floor extended (on a diesel), and slides in may be best ways to really cut down on drafts. Our ceramic tile floor is rather chilly ...wish we had electric heat there or aqua hot to warm it up!!

powerboatr · 02-11-2010, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFChap

We are in East Texas ...had a couple inches of snow today. We don't notice any particular drafts under slides or other places, but do think it helps to pull the window shades down when it is particualrly cold. I have know folks who say they pull the slides in during really cold weather as that makes for a smaller area to heat ...shades down, entry door floor extended (on a diesel), and slides in may be best ways to really cut down on drafts. Our ceramic tile floor is rather chilly ...wish we had electric heat there or aqua hot to warm it up!!

ketk just said 6-10" tonight
our ceramic floor is cold at the dash area

Jobert · 02-11-2010, 08:03 PM

We also have used the pipe insulation cut in half like a half moon, and also self adhesive foam strips of various widths and thickness used around window and doors in a stick house. We have used these to effectively seal most of the slides pretty well. In the round corners under the bedroom slide, we have a rolled up small towel. One we have not completely solved is inder the kitchen slide, but still working on it. We don't pull any slides in for cold weather and usually use a small heater in front and back. We do pull in the slides for predictions of more than an inch or two of snow, learned that the hard way. Digital replacement thermostats are much more accurate than the originals.

Hope this may help, happy trails Bert

powerboatr · 02-11-2010, 08:58 PM

took the dogs out

8" of soft powder in the yard now

MonacoMama · 02-12-2010, 12:26 AM

I can also tell you that I bought some inexpensive beige colored towels that I was able to stuff along the inside crevices around the bed platform area. The color matched the carpet close enough that no one else could notice them. I think this would enhance the "pipe wrap" method if you needed a bit more protection.

Good Luck and stay warm!

gg · 02-12-2010, 10:46 AM

I have used the 1/2 in copper pipe insullation in the bedroom corners to help the seal the jamb interface. THis eliminated the draft.

If you have your slides extented and it snows a couple on inches how does the slide cover handle the snow?, and if it rained and then freezes as you drive down the road, extent the slide, does the slide cover pull the attachment to the drip rail off

I found no info in the owner manual about this.

Is is live and learn?

gg

lonnie4801 · 02-15-2010, 04:14 PM

I also used the pipe insulation and cut it into 2 pieces - use 3/4 inch. It is very easy to put under the slideouts and to remove.

We also find a lot of air coming in around the door and steps. We put out the floor at night and stuff a pillow in the opening between the door and floor. That cuts out a lot of wind.

2007 Ambassador (Monoco Knight)

wa8yxm · 02-16-2010, 09:43 AM

I agree, Actually there are two major sources of drafts.. Slides and windows/doors

We had a serious problem, not so much a draft (that we noticed) as heat loss, via the window in the bedroom...

Well I had a Navajo blanket we picked up when I was out west and frankly, as a blanket it was a bit nasty.. But as a wall hanging, it was art.

I got a 1x2 and some "Binder Clamps" (kind of a super paper clip made of spring steel) and cut the 1x2 so it fits up in the window shade housing like a torsion type curtain rod.. Clamped the blanket to it, and then closed the day/night shade over the blanket.

It is much warmer at night now in the bed.