Staying Cool Without Running Your AC All the Time

Most RV’s come with air conditioning units installed. If your RV doesn’t then you’ll need to find another way to stay cool. Also, if you do have an AC, but are boondocking and don’t want your AC using up tons of energy, then you’ll need to find alternative ways to keep from cooking yourself inside your RV.

Here are some tips and tricks you can use to stay cool in your camper without cranking up the air conditioning unit.

Think About Where You Park

Shade is key to staying cool when you’re in an RV. Even if you have to park or get a campsite in an area that isn’t your first preference, you might find that it’s better than that super sunny spot by the lake or beach. If you can, try to find a large tree to park near. This will help keep the temperature down in your RV.

Also, think about where wind or a breeze is blowing. You’ll want to park where you can catch moving air. This might mean you park your RV away from others or near an open area. See if you can survey the campground before you choose your campsite or think about looking at a Google Map view online to find a good spot to go. It also helps to keep moisture out of your RV.

Open Up Windows and Think About Ventilation

First thing’s first, screen doors and windows are your friend. Use them. Opening up your RV will only help let hot air out and keep your RV well ventilated. On super hot days, this might not be enough, but it should help otherwise.

As I said above, you should think ahead about ventilation. This is important for choosing the right campsite, but it’s also helpful to think about when positioning your RV in a specific campground. You may want to orient your rig differently depending on which way the breeze is blowing. At some campgrounds you don’t have much of a choice, but it’s always worth thinking about.

Use LED Lights Inside Your RV

This is a small thing, but it can make a big difference. Those incandescent light bulbs in your rig actually waste a lot of energy producing heat. By switching to LED light bulbs, you should not only cut down on the amount of energy used, but you should also cut down on the amount of heat created inside your RV. When you’re trying to stay cool, even little things like this can help a lot.

Cook Outside

This one’s kind of a no brainer. When you cook inside you rig, you create a lot of heat. It can take a long time for that heat to dissipate once you’re done cooking. Instead of heating up the inside of your RV by cooking in your kitchen, fire up the grill and cook outside.

If you don’t have a grill, consider cooking over an open campfire. This is a great thing to do with a family, and honestly pretty easy to do. There are also plenty of recipes out there designed specifically for cooking over a campfire.

Use a Fan or Two

Fans don’t use as much energy as your AC unit and can help move air around the inside of your RV, helping to keep you cool. I highly suggest having at least one fan in your RV if you don’t want to use your AC unit. It will help keep you comfortable, especially at night when you’re trying to sleep.

How do you stay cool? Leave your tips below!