From RVbookstore.com
Help your RV keep its cool!
By Chris Dougherty
Ah, those 'Ol Dog Days of Summer. . .they're here! So here are a few tips to help keep you cool when it's really hot out.
A
clean A/C is a happy A/C! Be sure to keep the inside air filter clean
of dirt and dust. Take it down every now and then and give it a
cleaning. Most of these plastic filters can be washed in the sink.
Also, you should look at the roof-top unit once a year for nests or
debris, and to make sure the condenser fins are pretty clean. If you
aren't comfortable up on the roof, have your RV Tech check it.
Keep
those window screens clean, and the windows operational. RVs are
designed to have a decent air flow throughout. While you're at it,
check the emergency windows for safe operation.
Roof vent covers
are one of the greatest inventions for RVs, I think. But they do need
cleaning once in awhile. The inside screen can be taken down for
cleaning, or it can be done from the roof. High flow roof vents
(Fantastic Fan, etc.) are excellent air movers and can help keep the RV
nice any time of year.
The refrigerator needs air flow too. Take
a look behind the unit, and see if there is a lot of nests, spider
webs, etc., in there. Clean them out. Also, it's a good idea to pop the
refrigerator cover off on the roof occasionally to check for wasp
nests, etc (just be careful about the wasps!)
Today's
thermo-pane RV windows are great. They help keep the RV cooler in
summer and warmer in winter. But, they're not perfect, and not every RV
has them. So here's another well tested point by yours truly: if you're
parked out in the sun during hot weather, keep the shades down during
the day… it'll help keep the RV cool and allow the A/C to run more
efficiently. Day/Night shades are great for this, because they allow
the occupants to see out, while they add some thermal efficiency to the
windows.
People have asked if it's ok to run the roof A/Cs (and
the genset) while motoring down the road. Absolutely! They're designed
for it. Fuel consumption will increase, but the dash air can't keep the
whole unit comfortable. Want to be more efficient? The old Winnebagos
with the pull-down bed (remember those?) had a curtain that pulled
around behind the pilot and co-pilot seats. It's not too hard to
install something similar in your coach. This way, you can keep the
vents and windows open slightly in the back, but run only the dash air,
and manage to stay comfortable up front.
I love attic fans. My
coach has two, but every RV I have full-timed with has had one brand or
another, with covers to keep the elements out while allowing the fan to
run. This is a great alternative to A/C when the temperatures are
moderate, and the fan's power to move air assures a constant supply of
fresh air from the open windows. They can be added to most any RV out
there or can be included as optional equipment on any new unit. The
fans with a wall thermometer are great because as the temperatures rise
the fan(s) turn on and off, maintaining a constant temperature in the
RV.
These few conveniences and tips will help keep your RV (and you) cool during the Ol' Dog Days of Summer!
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