The Works
South Carolina
Full Member
Joined: 10/03/2007
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
We are working on employment in the Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Tenn area and I'm wodering what are the winters like? We have a three season Heartland Sundance 3300SK which we would like to stay in, I don't mind running the furnace, hopefully not 24/7, or having a electric space heater but we don't want to constantly be freezing. Thats for your thoughts and input.
|
Pond Jumper
North Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 01/19/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
I've spent 6 winters in my "Artic package 5 er" and I can tell you its not like living in a stick house. #1 The bigest problem is the that the floors are cold.
#2 U get use to it. #3 Get the right clothes. My wife and I wore thermal underware, heavy socks, house shoes and had plenty of blankets to wrap up in. If you like setting around with the thermostat set at 70 deg at home (stick house) wearing a T shirt during the winter you will find it doesent work in an RV. Don't worry, you'll make it like the rest of us!
JMO
|
Merrykalia
Appalachian (apple at chun) Mountains in SW VA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/18/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
We live about 100 miles north east of the PF/G area, but we do travel there several times a year, usually in late fall (Thanksgiving) and Christmas and then again in early spring (March). We don't FT, so I am not going to try to tell you how that works, but, we usually spend a week at a time there.
The weather is normally (but who knows what normal is now, it's 92 degrees @ 10 am the 2nd day of June) a bit warmer there than it is here. Thanksgiving, the weather is 60ish during the day and high 30s at night; Christmas still gets into the 50's and maybe 60, but gets cooler at night, around freezing. We have an enclosed underbelly and other than the floor being cold, we don't have much of a problem. We will usually shut the water off at the inlet when it is going to be below 32, but have water in our tank and tank heaters for nightly bathroom trips.
During the day, with the sun shining, the water hose will warm significantly, so water is no problem then.
To solve the cold floor problem, I purchased 3 different size cheap rugs at Dollar General that I put down over the vinyl. If they get dirty, I can carry them out and shake them and at the end of the season, I put them in the washing machine and give them a good cleaning. They have lasted for 3 years, so far. I have one in the kitchen, one in the living area and a small one in the bathroom - nothing worse than stepping out of the shower onto a cold, cold floor.
We have a small electric heater that we run during the day, almost exclusively and then we use the furnace at night, supplemented by the heater. I leave the cabinet doors open under the kitchen sink and bathroom sink at night to allow heat to get in there on the pipes.
It's worked fine for us - I hope you will enjoy your time in PF/G.
|
fishingbob61
cookevill tn
Senior Member
Joined: 09/26/2003
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
We live 140 miles west and spend a lot of time there in the winter and never had any problems.In our 5er the floors and basement are heated when the main furnace is running. W e use elect heaters at times. The only times we really get cold is when snow is on the mountion and cold air comes down, but in our rig we stay warm.
Bob and Sue
40 years camping 48 years July 2011
2005 Holiday Rambler Presidential 36RLT 5th wheel
2004 Chevy 3500 D/A crew cab long bed 4x4 Dually 3.73
Honda eu3000 gen
|
jamway
Ranger TX.
Senior Member
Joined: 04/13/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Try this site, maybe it will help.
average weater for Pigeon Forge
Happy Camping
2004 2500 CTD HO LB 4X4 auto
2005 Discover America 29 RL
James
|
|
|
The Works
South Carolina
Full Member
Joined: 10/03/2007
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Thanks everyone for their valuable input, the extra rug idea is a good one from Merrykalia along with the temps they recorded. After doing some repair work to the flooring in the bathroom I realize there isn't much insulation there. My son doesn't know it yet but he is going to help me put additional insulation under the flooring in the kitchen and living room! Thanks again for answering my question. Be careful out there.
Dave
|
richfaa
Ohio
Senior Member
Joined: 04/24/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
Yes the underbelly is heated and the floors are sort of warm in cold weather. However take a look at the slide outs..Floors heated???? take a look at the seals particularly at the corners,,Tight seal?????
If you are going to be in these things in very cold weather...you are going to be cold.
06 Montana 3400. 08 Ford F-350 6.4L
|
