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How To Boost The Energy Efficiency of Your RV

Jan. 18 2021 Lifestyle By The Outpost RV

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Improving your RV's energy efficiency is simple to do and incredibly advantageous. As you decrease your vacation’s carbon footprint, you reduce your negative environmental impact. You also save money on energy sources. It's a win-win!

But knowing you want to improve and knowing how to improve are two separate beasts. We've gathered up the following tips for increasing your RV's energy efficiency. If you have any questions or want to shop RVs for sale, chat with the experts at The Outpost RV. Our dealership is located in Middlebury, Indiana, and we also serve those in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Maintain Your RV

The first step is keeping your camper in good condition. Leaky roofs, cracks in windows, and other issues can cause energy efficiency problems. You end up blasting the air conditioning or heating to cope with the discomfort, but the better solution is to solve these problems before you hit the road. 

Regularly inspect your camper to find issues, then fix them as soon as possible. For example, check all the seals around windows and doors. They should be in good condition and not causing heat loss.

Upgrade Your RV

Another helpful approach is to invest in certain upgrades. They will be a larger upfront cost, but they can save you money in the long run. The more often you travel, the more you will want to make these upgrades.

RV Energy Efficiency: Heating

Consider swapping out your current heating options for alternative heating solutions.

This can include:

  • A solid fuel heater, such as a model that uses wood or biofuel briquettes
  • A rocket mass stove
  • An electrical space and water heater, especially a model that can be run by solar panels.

It's also helpful to improve your camper's insulation. New RVs are likely fine, but older models may be lacking. 

Focus on eco-friendly insulation options such as:

  • Wool-based
  • Hemp-based
  • Ones made from recycled clothing. 

Pay extra attention to heat-loss prone areas, such as behind storage compartments and areas where the wiring connects to the living space.

Don't forget to address heat loss problem areas. Adding thermal window blinds and RV skirting can help keep the warmth inside your camper.

RV Energy Efficiency: Lighting

Odds are, your current lighting options are not ideal. Swap them out with low energy LED bulbs. These options are designed to provide the necessary lighting, but without using up so much electricity.

You can also rely on off-the-grid lighting accessories. These include:

  • Battery-powered lanterns
  • Hand-cranked LED lanterns
  • Portable solar-powered lights

RV Energy Efficiency: Appliances

Start by limiting the number of appliances that you bring on your trip. Next, make eco-friendly swaps whenever possible.

This can include:

  • A handheld French press, instead of an electronic coffee machine
  • Solar-powered cell phone chargers and power banks, which can be used to charge smaller electronics
  • Solar powered fans
  • Hand cranked or battery powered radios

Finally, swap out your larger appliances with eco-friendly options.

Change Your Vacation Approach

There are simple tweaks to your vacation that can help improve your RV's energy efficiency.

RV Energy Efficiency: Temperature Control

Where you park is important! To keep your camper warm, avoid parking in the shade, such as underneath towering trees or nearby buildings. It's also helpful to position the camper so that the main areas of glazing are pointed south. This will allow it to better soak up sunlight and warmth.

When you want to stay cool, do the opposite of the above. Seek out shaded areas and position the RV to receive the least amount of sunlight.

RV Energy Efficiency: Appliances

Try making some meals with renewable fuel sources. For example, use a campfire or solar oven. 

When boiling water, use a kettle instead of an open pot on the stove.

RV Energy Efficiency: Lighting

Only use lights when necessary. For much of the day, you can rely on natural lights. Open up the curtains and let the sunlight illuminate the room.

Get in the habit of turning off lights when you leave a room. It sounds overly-simple, but it truly does make a difference. If you are traveling with younger children, it may take them longer to build the habit and you may need to go behind them and turn lights off.

We hope you found this guide helpful. For more advice or to shop RVs for sale, reach out to the staff at The Outpost RV. We can go over our various models and help you pick the perfect match. We also offer parts replacement and servicing to keep your camper running well. Whatever you need, you can find with us. Our dealership is based in Middlebury, Indiana. We also serve those in Kalamazoo, Michigan.