What We Learned From RVing In Freezing Weather
Video: Winter Storm in an RV | What We Learned
We learned a lot from the experience of being caught in a week-long winter storm. We've talked about what we did to prepare our RV prior to the storm. And we've also shared how the community came together to help each other during Winter Storm Uri.
This week, we're sharing more about our personal experience with the storm, how our preparations worked out, how we fared compared to our friends and family in sticks and bricks homes, and what we will do differently in the future.
As we've said, if we had to be stuck in an Arctic freeze, we're happy that we were at Jamaica Beach RV Resort on Galveston Island. The community of RVers and the Gustafson/Salois Family who own and operate the park stepped up to provide as much assistance as possible.
What We Learned About RVing In Freezing Weather
- Over preparation is better than lack of preparation.
- It's important to keep all vehicles fueled up.
- A spare water pump is good to have on board.
- You just don't know how long it will last, so it's important to conserve all resources.
- Having a functioning generator makes life MUCH easier.
- Even though we normally rely on our Travel Berkey for our drinking and cooking water, we will buy a case of bottled water before the next storm to increase our fresh water capacity.
Things That Helped Us Make It Through a Week of No Power, Water or Sewer
- Our generator was in good working order and we had plenty of diesel fuel.
- We sanitized and filled our fresh water tank and emptied our grey and black tanks prior to the freeze.
- We filled our propane tank right before the storm.
- We rationed our resources (use of propane, water and diesel fuel) from the beginning of the storm.
- We set our thermostat at 60 degrees so that we (and our basement bays) would get heat, but we wouldn't burn through propane too quickly.
- We alternated our heating sources: furnaces, fireplace and portable electric heater so nothing would be overworked.
- Prior to the storm, we stocked up on food that we could cook without using our propane cooktop. Our crockpot was our best friend for meals during the blackout. Our generator allowed us to cook with the crockpot and have leftovers.
- We turned on the hot water heater for a bit here and there to keep it warm.
Important Tips To Remember
- If your batteries get too low, your generator will not start.
- If your water pump fails, you will not be able to access your fresh water tank.
- If you get low on fuel in your motorhome, your generator will shut off so that you'll still have some fuel to drive with.
- Grocery stores, propane fill stations and gas stations may be inoperable due to lack of power or unsafe roads.
- Don't wait until you might need your generator or water pump to know if they work. Regular maintenance and testing are important.
We went into this winter storm hoping that we were well prepared, but not expecting to be completely self-sufficient for a full week. Thanks to our careful use of the resources we had on board, we came out of the blackout and water restrictions still having diesel fuel in our tank, a 1/3 tank of fresh water, and 2/3 tank of propane!
So, if you ever find yourself facing a winter storm with your RV, don't panic. Use the time you have to prepare and use all of your resources sparingly. And if you find yourself needing assistance or having questions, don't be afraid to ask your RVing neighbors for help.
