4 Tips to Keep Your RV Cool During Hot Weather

In this post, we list 4 tips to keep your RV cool during the scorching summer months.

 

 

If possible, call the campground ahead of time to request a shaded spot. Available shaded areas aren’t always a guarantee, but this can help keep the temperature in your RV down. If you have an awning, that will provide additional coverage for when you are outside.

 

Speaking of being outside, if it’s possible, try cooking outside more. Using your propane stove/oven is only going to intensify the heat in your RV. Bonus: you get to look outdoorsy for your guests.

 

 

Tinted windows are another great addition for keeping your RV cool. If you don’t like or want tinted windows there are a couple of other options to choose from. We have seen window covers that you can hang up on the outside of your RV windows. Another great option, and maybe less expensive, are blackout curtains. You can make them yourself, or buy them for a decent price on Amazon. We have even seen instances where people hang up black towels instead of curtains.

 

 

First and foremost you want to make sure that your air conditioner is in working order. This means inspecting the filters, cleaning them or replacing them if needed. To clean your air filters, you can wash them with a mild soap and water then let them dry. Alternatively, you can vacuum the filters with the brush attachment. Keep additional filters on hand just in case you need to replace it during your trip.

 

The last thing you want is stale air moving around in your RV. If you have any tabletop fans, make sure they are packed for the trip. It doesn’t hurt to have a box fan on hand to help circulate air either. Other recommendations are to have some vent covers at both ends of the RV to promote cross ventilation and let the heat escape.

 

Going back to an earlier comment about being outside, try not to go in and out of your RV constantly. You want to keep the cool air in as much as possible. Take this time to go explore. Go hike, shop or enjoy a new restaurant experience. And if you’re in the Denver, NC area – stop by Steele Rubber Products for a free tour!

 

 

Last, but certainly not least, you want to check your RV seals for any damage or cracks that will cause your cool air to leak. Around your windows, check to make sure that the glass run channel has not popped out, and that it isn’t starting to look deformed. For your compartment doors you will typically find a push-on clinch seal with a bulb attached, or a Peel-N-Stick half round ("D" profile) seal. Make sure that these seals aren't worn, ripped or flattened and that they are securely in place. To check your access door, we recommend what we call the dollar bill test. Simply close the door on a dollar bill and see if it comes out easily or has some resistance to it. Check around the entire diameter of the door. If it comes out easily with little to no resistance, that area, or possibly the entire seal, is not functioning properly. 

 

Don’t forget to check your AC unit for leaks! If the gasket needs to be replace, we have developed an AC gasket kit that has everything you need. This Steele Exclusive one-piece design ensures no leaks and the quality closed-cell rubber yields a higher durability than what was originally supplied.

 

 

Now that you know 4 ways to keep your RV cool during the hot summer months, you can stop worrying and spend time enjoying the great outdoors! Do you have any other tips to add to our list? Leave us a comment!