How to live in it during the winter? Help a newbie

[J_Ram]

Hello. This is my first post and also my first camper. I have a 2013 Jayco jay flight 32bhds and I live in New Hampshire.

I am looking at possibly living in it this winter but I'm a bit confused on to how to make that possible, hoping you guys can help. Aside from the obvious things like insulation inside and covering the windows etc, where I need help is water/toilet. How do I make that work?

I did a quick Google search and it looks like there's heating pads I can out on the fresh water tank, the Grey tank and the black tank. Does it pretty much just come down to that, heat tape on the water lines and a heated supply hose coming from the hookup I'm running off of? Also this is anticipating being hooked up to a 30amp station all winter.

I had planned to make skirting with foam board and my thought was to sort of make a door I could utilize for the sake of dumping the tanks.

Also I imagine I need some sort of cover over the slide out. I've seen people mention that in blogs talking about living in them during the winter but everyone pretty much implies you shut down anything to do with water for the winter but I feel like there's got to be a way around that.

Also the bottom of my camper is all covered with some sort of black covering, so I'm assuming being all sealed off like that it must be something along the lines of a winter package?


Feel frame to call me out on anything that should be obvious but I'm ignorant to lol. I do have a background in automotive and I grew up in mobile homes so I understand some stuff already

[TaftCoach]

There may be a heated underbelly to your rig, you will need to verify. Basically it is a heat duct from your furnace to the underbelly.

That little bit of plastic underbelly is (in my opinion, others will comment) little more than cosmetic and mouse resisting, not winterizing.

Water will be your biggest challenge which is why most people just avoid using it. Filling your tanks is generally the easiest to keep from freezing.

You will use a lot of propane running the furnace. An electric heater may be more affordable depending on your electricity rates.

It is doable if you have persistence and grit. Just be prepared for frozen water lines that need repair and high energy bills keeping warm.

Let us know how you're doing.

[GHen]

If you use propane heat, can you get propane delivered? Maybe rent a big tank. Depending on temperature in New Hampshire, you could use a 7-10 gallons a week.

[J_Ram]

So any input on the water tanks?

[klook]

If you are going to create a banking for it, do an exceptional job and heat the space. Mice etc. are going to love the space. Do something to mitigate them. I have a bunch of experience with trailers in Maine wintah's....heat tapes and all things electrical are great except for the price of power up there, and when it goes out.....Things freeze quick as you know. Have a backup plan and monitor that space underneath....a watchdog that alerts you to a temp drop.