10 Hot Weather RV Tips for Summer Adventures

Summer’s warm temperatures are perfect for RV camping and a lot of other fun outdoor activities.

After all, many RVers spent winter and spring eagerly anticipating the heat of summer.

However, in the case of scorching summer temperatures, too much of a good thing can be no good at all.

That said, sweltering temperatures aren’t just uncomfortable, they can be hazardous.

Not to worry though, because I’ve gathered 10 hot-weather RV tips that experienced RVers use to keep things cool in the RV when temperatures soar.

1. Pick a Shady Campsite

It’s a good idea to check out a satellite view map of the campground before you book a site. That way, you’ll be able to see which campsites are shaded by trees.

If booking ahead isn’t your camping style, survey the scene and pick a spot that’s shaded by trees.

2. Park Near a Creek or Other Body of Moving Water

Moving water cools the air around it through evaporation.

Although the temperature difference is only slight, it can still make the ambient temperature of your campsite a little cooler than other areas.

3. Keep the RV’s Orientation in Mind When Parking

The direction the RV is parked can make a big difference on how hot it gets inside.

Windows tend to radiate heat and this can have a big effect on the temperature inside the RV.

With that in mind, it’s a good idea to park with the fewest or smallest windows on the western side of the RV.

That way, they won’t be radiating the hot afternoon sun into the RV.

4. Use Your RV’s Awning

Deploying your RV patio awning and any window awnings will help keep hot temperatures out of the RV by creating shade.

Slideout toppers and window awnings can be key players in providing shade for RV slideouts and windows, too.

With that said, any awning can be damaged by wind.

Therefore, it’s always a good plan to retract any patio and window awnings before leaving the campsite or going to bed.

5. Cover RV Windows

Keeping the RV windows covered helps keep the sun (and heat) outside.

Drawing the shades can help, but covering windows with reflective insulation (such as Reflectix) can be a game changer.

6. Cover RV Skylights

While it’s true that RV skylights can really brighten up the interior of the RV, they can let in heat, too.

Installing a skylight shade, Reflectix, or a skylight insulator on skylights can help keep heat outside and cool air indoors.

7. No RV Air Conditioner? Try a Battery-Powered Portable Air Conditioner

Tent trailers and many other RVs often don’t have built-in air conditioners.

If your RV doesn’t have an air conditioner (or you’re not plugged in), a battery-powered portable air conditioner could be just the solution you need.

Companies like EcoFlow and Zero Breeze offer higher-end, more effective larger models, but there are a number of smaller units available as well.

8. Use the Overhead Fan to Create a Cross Draft

This tip takes advantage of cooler evening and early-morning air.

Either at night or as the sun is rising, run the overhead fan and open a window on the shady side of the RV.

This will create a cross draft of cool air that will stay in the RV a surprisingly long time without turning on the RV air conditioner.

9: Cook Outdoors

Cooking food inside the RV generates a surprising amount of heat.

Instead of cooking indoors, set up a complete camp kitchen outdoors with everything you need to prepare your favorite camping meals.

Some things to include might be:

• A propane stove/oven combo
• A grill
• A portable smoker
• Electric appliances
• A portable refrigerator
• A water supply
• Grill baskets and other utensils

10. Monitor Temps While You’re Away, for Pet’s Sake!

Once summer arrives, it’s best to avoid leaving pets alone in the RV for more than an hour without anyone checking on them.

This is because there are many reasons an air conditioner can suddenly fail while you’re out.

One common cause of this is power outages caused by the enormous electrical draw of multiple RVs running air conditioners all at the same time.

That said, RVs tend to heat up very quickly when the air conditioner stops working.

This can cause temperatures inside the RV to reach potentially deadly levels very quickly.

Fortunately, there are numerous phone apps and devices (including some portable A/Cs) that allow you to monitor temperatures in the RV remotely.

Here are just a few of them:

• Microair Easytouch RV Thermostat This wall thermostat upgrade features simple DIY installation. More importantly, it works with a Bluetooth app that lets you monitor and control the temperature in the RV from your phone.
• Firefly Smart RV System: This smart system panel comes stock in many new, higher-end RVs. It features an app that allows you to monitor and control almost everything in your RV, including the temperature.
• Waggle Pet Safety Monitor: This device monitors real-time temperature and humidity levels in your RV, instantly alerting you of any changes via text, email, or the subscription-based Waggle app.

Keep Your Cool This Summer

When summer temperatures soar, it can be hard to cool the RV, even with air conditioners running full blast.

What’s more, while RV air conditioners are invaluable for bringing the temperature inside the RV down to a tolerable level, they can only do so much, often only reducing the interior temperature by 15–18 degrees.

That means when it’s hotter than 90 degrees outside, you’ll have to take extra steps to keep the interior of the RV comfortable.

Whether you’re on a road trip or spending the summer at an RV park, these hot-weather tips can help you and your family have a comfortable and safe RV experience, even when it’s sweltering out.

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