Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
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  • Campground Reviews
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds
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    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Luray KOA (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, Florida)
      • Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Vacation
      • Monhegan Island Maine
      • Two Days in Acadia National Park
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • Tennessee
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Eats in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • How to Prepare for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • Learn How to RV Full-Time
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Maintenance Tips
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
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    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
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      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
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    • RV Travelers: How to Read Books While Saving Space and Weight in Your RV
    • Slow Travel
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      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
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      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
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      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • Roadmap to Financial Freedom
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report April 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report May 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report June 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report July 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report August 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report September/October 2018
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Why You Should Attend An RV Show
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
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August 13, 2019 by Guest Post 4 Comments

How to Keep Your RV Cool in the Summer

We spent much of last summer in Florida and this summer in Arizona, so we have experimented with different ways to keep the RV cool in the summer heat. Here are the things that worked best for us.

Take Care of your Air Conditioner 

The beauty of having an RV in the summer months is that it comes with air conditioning. You don’t want to end up like we did a few years ago and have the A/C fail in July IN FLORIDA! To avoid this, be sure you are keeping up with your preventive maintenance.

The first step is to visually inspect it when you are preparing your RV for the season. Just as you check your RV roof for leaks and damage, you should also look over your roof top A/C unit. Make sure that the unit is securely mounted, the plastic cover is in good condition, and there are no cracks in the plastic. Inside the RV, keep your filters and clean and make sure there is no buildup of dust inside the unit. 

Look for Shade

A little shade can go a long way. Many campground reservation systems these days have maps to allow you to see what type of site you are reserving. Normally we avoid trees so we can take advantage of solar power, but in the summer we’re more interested in staying cool under some shade trees. 

Enjoy a shady riverside campsite at Gunter Hill COE in Alabama.

Don’t forget to climb up on the roof and check for twigs or other debris before you pull in your slides. You don’t want anything interfering in getting a good seal. Wash off any sap right away. It will only getting tougher with time. 

Use your Awning

Your awning not only provides you with shade to sit under when you are outside. It also blocks some of the hot sun from coming in your windows. As the awning shades part of your RV from sunlight, it reduces total solar heat gain or the amount of heat your RV receives. This can reduce the amount of time your air conditioner has to work to cool down your RV. 

Your awning not only provides you with shade to sit under when you are outside. It also blocks some of the hot sun from coming in your windows. As the awning shades part of your RV from sunlight, it reduces total solar heat gain or the amount of heat your RV receives. This can reduce the amount of time your air conditioner has to work to cool down your RV.

WARNING: Don’t leave your awning out when you go sightseeing. Summer thunderstorms can come in quickly with high winds and rip it right off. 

If you are in need of a new awning, we recommend Shade Pro. They’ve been in business over 30 years and offer a terrific warranty on their products. You can install a new awning yourself to save on costs or they can help you finding someone to install it for you.

For those windows that aren’t shaded by an awning, reduce the amount of light that can enter with other techniques. The easiest step is to keep the window shades closed. Last summer when we were in southern Florida, we even put reflectix insulation on the inside of the windows.  You’ll also want to be sure to block the light that enters from sky lights. 

Keep the Air Moving 

Fans can make you feel several degrees cooler via the wind-chill effect. A fan doesn’t cool a room, it just makes it more comfortable by dispersing cooled air more efficiently. If you are so hot that you are perspiring, blowing air over your skin causes quicker evaporation which allows your heat energy to escape much quicker than normal, making you feel cooler.

We’re very happy with the ceiling fan in our new Arctic Fox, but don’t despair if yours doesn’t have one. We used a couple of inexpensive oscillating fans in our last RV and they worked well. I still use a USB fanwhen I’m working. I just plug it into my computer. 

Cook Outside 

Grilling is synonymous with summertime for good reason.  If your air conditioner is struggling to keep up, don’t make things worse by adding heat to your RV interior. Instead of cooking inside, take it outdoors. There is a portable grill for every size of family or you can even cook over the campfire. We found the Weber Q1000 to be perfect for the two of us and I’ve heard great things about the Blackstone table top grill. 

Choose a Cooler Destination

We were so surprised on our recent trip to the Pacific Northwest how cool it was in mid-July. A couple of years ago we enjoyed a coastal Maine vacation and were able to keep our windows open at night.

An idyllic campground along the river near the Redwoods National and State Parks.

So take a look around at places you might want to visit and see what the typical weather is like. Chances are you can find a destination that you’ll enjoy while you avoid the heat. 

Sharing is caring! Feel free to share the image below on Pinterest.

Follow these 6 simple tips to keep your RV cool this summer. It's hot, but you don't have to be uncomfortable on your next camping trip. Whether you have a motorhome, Class C, Fifth Wheel, or travel trailer these tips and tricks will work for you.

Filed Under: RV Resources Tagged With: Keep your RV cool in summer, RVing in summer

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