Just sitting around

[crasher]

My Outback is currently in Western PA where it's been since February.
I work the week and use it as my motel room and I fly home on the weekends.

Last winter was pretty mild, but I'm getting antsy about this coming winter. I don't like the cold to begin with, and everyone was saying last winter was unseasonably warm, and we a due for a cold one. To me it was cold and uncomfortable in my trailer.

So I used 2 100# lp bottles and put heat tape on my water hose. The sewer is hooked up with PVC pipe with a flex connection to my outlet. I pretty much just kept my grey and black valves closed and dumped the tanks each week. I was always monitoring the thermostat cause I was always afraid of running out of gas in the night. Getting those heavy bottles in the back of my truck and taking them to get filled is also a PITA.

My Outback has R7 walls, no thermal windows, R10 ceiling (block foam) and R14 blanket floor with enclosed and heated underbelly. Stupidly, I didn't get the fireplace option cause I thought it was silly. Thought a space heater would do better. Dumb, I know.

I'm really on the fence about just getting a better trailer or 5th wheel for this winter. But I doubt I can actually purchase one considering the logistics involved and the shopping/research needed. I like the floorplan OK, but I'd get something a bit different if I was replacing this one.

So I need some advice on surviving the winter. I've thought about getting a big bottle - like 100 gal. - and just running the furnace at a high level. Not sure if these are up to the task. I definately want to get a better water hose - something with the heating element built in. What to do about windows? Should I rig some kind of skirting?

If worse came to worse, I can stay in the Hampton Inn down the road for some serious stretches of cold.

[Hob]

We spent the winter in Pocatello, ID. It got down to -10 F one night. I had 2" foam insulation board taped around the bottom of our trailer and ran 3 100 watt brooder lights all the time. I did this rather than keeping the 250 watt heat lamps that normally go in brooder lights running and had absolutely no problem with freezing. We had a 120 gal. propane tank moved in and the propane company kept it filled. When we left we turned the heat down to 65 F and had no freezing problems or us being cold at all. With the insulation in your trailer and the 2 inch insulation foam board I don't think you should have a problem at all.

[Herk7769]

I agree that keeping the wind out from under the trailer needs to be your first priority.

[crasher]

so you think that even with the enclosed underbody, I'm still loosing a lot of heat that way?