Heating your caravan or motorhome

It might be the height of summer but we can’t exactly say this year has been blessed with high temperatures and glorious sunshine! In fact, some of you may be thinking of investing in a new heating system for your touring caravan or motorhome to ensure you’re comfortable during your trips away.

Most modern caravans and motorhomes will be heated by a Truma or Alde system, which work off either gas or electric power or a combination of the two.
 
The main difference between the two is that the Truma system pumps warm air through vents under the cabinets of your leisure vehicle, whereas Alde heats radiators that run along the wall of your caravan or motorhome – powered by the same boiler that is used to provide your hot water.

Generally speaking, you will gain the greatest heating efficiency by using a combination of gas and electricity to power your heating. In terms of gas, it’s better to opt for propane over butane as it will work at a lower temperature.

The most effective way to heat your leisure vehicle is to keep the temperature fairly consistent, rather than letting your ‘van or motorhome’s temperature fall and then blasting the heating on its highest setting.

Keeping the windows and doors closed where possible will keep your vehicle’s core temperature higher. It takes 20-30 minutes to fully heat a touring caravan or motorhome from switching on the heating, so you might want to set an automatic timer if you are planning to go out for the day and want to return to a cosy setting.

Coast is a specialist provider of touring caravan insurance and motorhome insurance. To find out more about our policies and receive a no obligation, competitive quote, call our UK based sales team on Freephone 0800 614 849. Touring caravan owners can also click here for an instant online quotation.