Welcome to The Village Square, the series that answers common RVing questions with tips, tricks, and camping hacks from your fellow RVillage community members.
For most RV owners, summer is what camping is all about. You’ve patiently waited through months of cold weather with your rig tucked safely away in storage––dreaming of warmer temps, sunshine, and summer nights at the campground. But while the heat can be a welcome change of weather, too much can put a damper on even the best camping trips, and staying cool can be an adventure all on its own.
How to Keep Your RV Cool in Summer
So how do you beat the heat while RVing? We turned to the RVillage community to answer this “hot” topic.
Ways RVillagers Keep Their RV Cool
We never travel without our outdoor metal fan. We learned the hard way in Alabama last summer! —Linda M.
In the heat of the day, keep your slide-outs in so the air conditioner doesn’t have so much room to keep cool. —Tom C.
We purchased a cooling topper for our RV mattress. It’s 2 inches thick, white in color, and no ridges for comfort. It has kept me cool every night since we purchased it over a year ago. —Lori S.
Avoid cooking indoors until later in the day when it’s actually cool out. —Roger T.
Magne Shades are awesome at keeping the heat out. So easy to put on and take down. They might be a tad pricey, but they’ll last forever. Nice to be able to see out and still have privacy. —Janice M.
We use aluminum duct insulation. We cut it to size and placed it between the shade and window. It works great. —Nick G.
Set up an outside fan to blow the heat out from under your unit. Since heat rises, the underbelly of your RV is holding heat there too. —Sa I.
How to Keep Your Air Conditioner in Top Shape
We lined cupboards, closets, and under the bed with fan-fold insulation and a 1-inch-thick foam board that we cut to fit. —Marian M.
We installed a mini-split air conditioner unit and it makes a world of difference. The thing we like about it most is the reduction in noise. We can actually hold a conversation while it’s on. —Randy K.
I have some small recharging fans that use a USB port and can really move some air. —Helen L.
Thanks to the RVillage community for providing these helpful, but certainly not enjoyable, experiences for others to learn from. If you want to see your advice featured on “The Village Square,” be sure to share your favorite RVing hacks, tips, and tricks with the community, and keep an eye out for questions from RVillage Camp Hosts.
Editor’s note: Some quotes have been slightly edited for clarity.
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