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Old 11-20-2020, 04:56 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by Larry-NC View Post
Don't even think about using that extinguisher for anything beyond a grease fire in a skillet on the range (and a pan cover works better there anyway). Just get out--fast as you can. That little canister will give you maybe 15 seconds of operation. Unless you've practiced aiming at the base of the flame with that canister before, it will be exhausted before you've zeroed in on the target.

Look at the expiration date. When it's close to expiring, try it on a campfire.
One of the first additions to my new trailer was a larger fire extinguisher. A 10ABC rated one. I've known people that could have saved a lot of their personal property if they'd just had "a little more fire extinguisher".

They larger ones can be serviced when expiration date is reached but in many cases a replacement unit isn't much more than the service.
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Old 11-20-2020, 06:19 PM   #22
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One of the first additions to my new trailer was a larger fire extinguisher. A 10ABC rated one. I've known people that could have saved a lot of their personal property if they'd just had "a little more fire extinguisher".

They larger ones can be serviced when expiration date is reached but in many cases a replacement unit isn't much more than the service.
10-4... us too.. and one for the bedroom.
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Old 11-20-2020, 06:27 PM   #23
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I dont have any personal experience in skirting, but I ran across this one day last year.

https://billboardtarps.com/?gclid=Cj...RoCjIoQAvD_BwE

Might not work in your conditions, but I know people have used it for skirting. I also believe that many who skirt use a small electric space heater under the trailer to maintain temp above 32F.

Good luck!!
I saw a video about a travel trailer skirt made from one of their used/recycled billboard tarps. I bookmarked the above page, I have confidence that with a house under construction and other projects coming up, it could be handy. I doubt there's a cheaper source for 20x60 foot tarps anywhere.

I've decided to go with my original plan: cover the bottom with Reflectix. With the slide out nearly 4 feet off the ground, a site that slopes and has zero flat spots, frequent wind storms with 50 MPH gusts, and the fact I'm moving in a year to a flat site, it makes the most sense. We just had a NOAA Wind Advisory storm with 70 MPH gusts, sounded like the world was ending. That kind of wind would take a 4 foot skirt and just rip it off, regardless of what it's made of. Had 2 carports shredded in one year here.
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Old 11-20-2020, 06:51 PM   #24
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Not knowing the layout of your rv and where the emergency exit(s) is located you could have a picnic table under the exit. Our bedroom E-exit is on the curb side of the TT and the bed slide is on the opposite side. For the past 7 years we have always had a patio table under the E-exit. That makes it nice as the table sits under the main awning.
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Old 11-20-2020, 08:06 PM   #25
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I think you've been given plenty of food for thought on the skirting. As an aside, since your son is going to be living in your trailer have you considered getting him to help? Seems to me that as an adult he should be taking some responsibility for protecting your property as you've been kind enough to let him borrow it.
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Old 11-20-2020, 08:15 PM   #26
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Maybe...

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One of the first additions to my new trailer was a larger fire extinguisher. A 10ABC rated one. I've known people that could have saved a lot of their personal property if they'd just had "a little more fire extinguisher".

They larger ones can be serviced when expiration date is reached but in many cases a replacement unit isn't much more than the service.
We trained with 10ABC units. The coordinator would use ones from the buildings that were ready to expire, because the cost to recharge was the same whether the extinguisher had been discharged or not. They last about 60 seconds. People should not visualize themselves as heroes with a 10ABC.

Unless you have a clear exit to your rear, don't even consider using it. You are not likely to knock down a fire so you can get through it.

If you have one that's ready to expire, use it on your next campfire. If you have a good, blazing fire, try to knock it out with your 10ABC. You will be surprised and disappointed.
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Old 11-20-2020, 08:17 PM   #27
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Great thought

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Not knowing the layout of your rv and where the emergency exit(s) is located you could have a picnic table under the exit. Our bedroom E-exit is on the curb side of the TT and the bed slide is on the opposite side. For the past 7 years we have always had a patio table under the E-exit. That makes it nice as the table sits under the main awning.
Great thought, Richard, but the next cabin is about 5 feet from the escape window. In this case, it would completely block the access.
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Old 11-21-2020, 11:30 AM   #28
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Reflectix is great stuff but it’s still just bubble wrap. I’d use foam boards sealed with foil tape on the undercarriage. Cut out window covers of reflectix. Make them snug and they can be press fit into the window frames at night and on the non-sunny windows. Also great shading for sleeping during the day.
Condensation is a problem year round in a TT. Expect to have to crack open a window occasionally, or use the stove vent. Maybe line the stove vent cover with reflectix. Foam board or reflectix inside cupboards and spaces on the outside wall helps with all. PITA but opening the cupboards at night will help with condensation problems.
Make or buy vent covers. If the Air Conditioning is not a heating unit, pull the inside cover and insulate there. You can also cover the outside unit, too. Make or buy an easily removed and replaced bathroom vent cover.
Did you run full capacity electric, 30 or 50 amp service, to the TT site?
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Old 11-26-2020, 11:38 PM   #29
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I would not use hay bales. They attract mice and I have seen campers burn using them. I would either use plywood or the styrofoam
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Old 11-27-2020, 01:13 AM   #30
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I saw a video about a travel trailer skirt made from one of their used/recycled billboard tarps. I bookmarked the above page, I have confidence that with a house under construction and other projects coming up, it could be handy. I doubt there's a cheaper source for 20x60 foot tarps anywhere.

I've decided to go with my original plan: cover the bottom with Reflectix. With the slide out nearly 4 feet off the ground, a site that slopes and has zero flat spots, frequent wind storms with 50 MPH gusts, and the fact I'm moving in a year to a flat site, it makes the most sense. We just had a NOAA Wind Advisory storm with 70 MPH gusts, sounded like the world was ending. That kind of wind would take a 4 foot skirt and just rip it off, regardless of what it's made of. Had 2 carports shredded in one year here.
Rethink the hay or straw bales by buying a bag of lime & sprinkling it all over them.
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Old 11-27-2020, 08:14 AM   #31
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hay

im using hay bales,they are cheap and work great
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Old 11-27-2020, 08:39 AM   #32
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Hay or Straw?

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im using hay bales,they are cheap and work great
Just wondering...

Does everybody here who is saying they use hay bales or advocating the use of hay bales really mean to be writing hay, or do they really mean straw? There’s a big difference in the cost of the two and there are many downsides to using hay bales instead of straw bales as insulation around your RV. Just a couple of bad things about using hay instead of straw is, hay is food for mice, hay molds much easier than straw and once hay gets wet, it can actually get hot enough to spontaneously combust due to chemical reactions with the seed contained within it.

Straw bales are a much better solution than hay bales.

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Old 11-27-2020, 08:48 AM   #33
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When I got my job at Central Michigan University 42 years ago I "borrowed" my fathers 25 foot Discovery motor home and drove it down to Mount Pleasant from Gaylord, Michigan. I lived in that motorhome at a campground with a dog and a cat for 5 years. I used rolls of insulation and plastic to skirt it off. I placed an electric heater under the motor home and an electric heater in the motor home to supplement the furnace (electricity was included in the $80.00/month lot fee)
I only had 1 mouse in 5 years dare to enter that my cat got!
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Old 11-28-2020, 01:19 PM   #34
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I lived in my 5th for 18 months while looking for a house that I could call mine. I had skirting made for it (wasn't cheap) as well as a "scarf" for the bedroom slide. The skirting should be long enough to drape on the ground (the part that is on the ground wasn't insulated) & have holes in it so you can use tent spikes to secure it. I also put on 1.5 inch insulating styrofoam on the other 3 slides (sides & top - bottom is protected by skirting). I built a couple small saw horses & wired 4 bulbs (100 watt plain incandescent house bulbs) and had them under the trailer spaced out. I purchased a weather station that was capable of reading 3 other sensors. 1 sensor was under the trailer, secured to a tank, second sensor in the outdoor section of the fridge (ventilation/access panel) & 3rd was simply outside. That trailer had heated fresh tanks & also some of the furnace air was pushed into the belly of the RV. I had temps of -40 for a few days here & there & the coldest it got under the trailer was -2C (28F). The only issue I ever had was that the lines going to my washing machine froze. They were (in that unit) in the master bedroom, so, in the 5th wheel section, behind a little trim piece on the floor that was against a non protected wall. All it took was removing the trim piece & allowing room temp to get to it.
One other piece of advice, get a dehumidifier.. extreme moisture buildup inside the RV will cause a lot of damage to inner walls/floors. My RV was also a 4 season unit, while most are only recommended for 3 seasons.
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Old 11-30-2020, 01:11 AM   #35
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Originally Posted by nomad297 View Post
Just wondering...

Does everybody here who is saying they use hay bales or advocating the use of hay bales really mean to be writing hay, or do they really mean straw? There’s a big difference in the cost of the two and there are many downsides to using hay bales instead of straw bales as insulation around your RV. Just a couple of bad things about using hay instead of straw is, hay is food for mice, hay molds much easier than straw and once hay gets wet, it can actually get hot enough to spontaneously combust due to chemical reactions with the seed contained within it.

Straw bales are a much better solution than hay bales.

Bruce
Another benefit of straw bales is the stems are hollow and they naturally create dead air space. Growing up in the 50s and 60s it was common to see stacked around the foundations of farm houses.
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Old 11-30-2020, 11:18 AM   #36
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A few years ago my wife took a travel nurse contract in Myrtle Beach and lived in the camper. Believe it or not it gets pretty cold there in January(it was snowing the day we got there!)

I went to Lowes and bought some foam Rmax insulation sheets, wooden stakes, and gorilla tape. Drove the stakes in at an angle and taped the joints and where it met the camper.

Pipes never froze the 3 months she was there. Did run a ceramic disc heater underneath when it got below freezing.
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Old 11-30-2020, 02:34 PM   #37
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Old 11-30-2020, 02:47 PM   #38
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This is what l did, l used silt fence with fence wire and metal post, like used on construction jobs. I didn't have to screw it to the trailer just drove my post down tied wire fence on post with tie wire and then used tie wire also with silt fence, it keeps the wind from blowing under trailer. We live in middle Alabama and it gets in the teens. We live full time in our trailer, l keep all our tanks open because l have sewer tied in to septic tank, except toilet sewer tank but have no problems with freezing. I drain water only when its 25 degrees or lower that will last 8-12 hours, l drain it at low point drains, l put cut off valves and hose where it drains under skirting on outside and not under trailer.
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Old 11-30-2020, 02:50 PM   #39
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Old 11-30-2020, 02:57 PM   #40
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ID:	243922 l wrapped my hose with foam wrap and plastic then duct taped. You can see my hatch door to get under trailer, l used an old washing machine lid for access, lol.
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