[A/S] Re: Permanent Setup

["Brett" <denverdeco@xxxxxxxxx>]

John,

I am certain that you will get a great deal of good advise here. My 
two cents work:

What is you water supply source?  If you are using a hose 
connection, you will need to winterize it. This is a fairly simple 
task. Wrap your NSF hose with the "heat on demand", metal braded 
heat tape. Follow the directions for this product VERY carefully and 
be certain that the ends and joints are very well waterproofed 
(potential fire hazard.) Cover the hose and heater assembly with 
foam pipe wrap and tape the seam a good water proof tape. (I like 3M 
brand 1.5" wide Scotchkote underground electrical splicing tape.) 
Plug into a GFIC circuit. 

The same methods can be used to freeze proof your waste lines.

You will need to keep the cold air from under your coach. There are 
all kinds of methods here. One that I favor is inexpensive and easy. 
You can use cheap or free strawbales to pack up under the belly pan. 
They can be retied and cut to height. Apply a covering over the 
outside to protect it from water. The straw is tightly compacted 
when bailed and does not contain enough air to support combustion. 
It can smolder but the risk is not any greater than foam insulation 
board. The critters may move in but there is no nutriants for them 
in the straw. The best, but more expensive, method I have found is 
to use 2" polyisocyanurate foam board.  It has a good fire rating, 
an R value of 7.5 per inch and the critters hate it. You can get a 
foil face on it that should last for the two years you are talking 
about. You are looking at a Canadian winter so you may need some 
heat under there to keep the frost off the water lines in the floor. 
An electric, thermostatically controled, ceramic "cube" heater will 
work with the essential safety precautions.

Your tires would be okay one the ground but would benefit from being 
up in the air and covered from the daylight. A set of treated wooden 
blocks under the approriate place on the chassis will hoist you up a 
bit and level you out.

Critters will mostly leave you alone if you patch any holes in the 
belly pan and tighten up all other openings. A common mouse can get 
through a hole the size of a dime! Plastic containers for dry food 
storage are a necessity. 

The holding tanks are mostly inside the coach. The potable water 
will be okay, the waste tanks can run on through if you have the 
some heat underneath or antifreeze inside.

Brett
TimelessTravelTrailers.com
303-432-3919