Heating Outlet in Garage

[MichaelT]

Getting van ready for our trip starting Friday and got heating on to air it out and warm it up. We have a hot air outlet in garage and was wondering what others do with theirs, leave it open/closed or partially open? Currently have it part open as don't want to waste too much heat going to garage but want some heat in there as we sleep above it so don't want a large cold void underneath plus we have some drinks stored there but just wondered what others think/do?

 

[philw111]

I tend to keep ours closed as it is blocked anyway by the contents of the garage (chairs, tables, misc boxes, etc.). We have never felt the "cold void"

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Leave mine on as it’s handy for drying coats and shoes.

 

[Toady]

I tend to keep the heaters on at night in the garage otherwise the wife would get cold when sleeping.

 

[Mikey RV]

Leave it on in garage so when I put my damp biking cloths in there they dry, also towel in winter after shower.

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[daveclare]

Open all of the time.

 

[stevewagner]

Closed if not needed as it diverts more heat elsewhere

 

[Landy Andy]

Mine is closed, but still some heat comes out of it. But due to having it closed you notice the bedroom above is much cooler than the rest of the van.

 

[tomm]

Purely coincidental , but we had a full tidy up and clear out of clutter in our garage today. Part of that clear out was to free up the area around the heating vent in the garage which had been blocked by said clutter . We will have the vent open over the winter months so as not to have a huge cold void beneath the transverse bed .

 

[Lucky]

Getting van ready for our trip starting Friday and got heating on to air it out and warm it up. We have a hot air outlet in garage and was wondering what others do with theirs, leave it open/closed or partially open? Currently have it part open as don't want to waste too much heat going to garage but want some heat in there as we sleep above it so don't want a large cold void underneath plus we have some drinks stored there but just wondered what others think/do?

I've wondered the same and typically close my garage vent as it's doors seem poorly insulated in comparison with the rest of the motorhome and so I assume potentially a big heat loss.

Are other Funsters garage doors insulated or plain grp sheeting (or whatever the door is made from) like mine?

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[cyberyacht]

Doors and walls are double skinned like the rest of the van. Just a single skinned GRP floor.

 

[Lucky]

Now I've come to look, yes, doors are double skinned. Shows how easy it us to make assumptions. Doh...

 

[Stealaway]

I see no point in heating an empty space so I've sealed the garage from the cab and rerouted the heater pipes.
I then insulated under the bed's with 1inch insulation cetex board.

 

[Lucky]

... I've sealed the garage from the cab...

The ventilation gap between garage and bedroom above is quite sizeable in the case of my mh, say 3cm gap across the full width at the head of the bed.

Stealaway, why do you think they do this? It seems overkill to me but I'm reluctant to block the gap if there's a sound purpose for it to be there in the first place.

 

[poppycamper]

Always on... you never know when you may be "sent" there with sleeping bag in hand.

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[Lenny HB]

Leave mine open but the washing machine sits in front of it blocking lot of the heat. Like a bit of heat in there as there is perminant ventilation to the hab area.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

I believe the theory is the the hot air rises around the outside of the beds, and carries on up the walls, entering the cupboards by way of the cut outs under the cupboard bases. This air circulation is a process of keeping the cupboards aired and free of condensation.
We always leave all cupboard doors open when the van is not in use for the same reason. I have however read other threads where the views are diametrically opposed to this theory , take your pick. A moisture meter of EBay is a really good investment, and their not that expensive.

Mike.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Open

Warns the bed, stops condensation

 

[poppycamper]

Open

Warns the bed, stops condensation

I have however read other threads where the views are diametrically opposed to this theory

Interesting... I too leave cupboards open... what harm can it do to leave open???

 

[busbuddy]

Closed, the piping runs along the garage wall and then enters the bathroom so I did wrap it in good insulation
I insulated under the transverse bed slats
My garage was built sealed from the rest of the van so all the stuff I put in it would be usually kept in the shed at home

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[Stealaway]

The ventilation gap between garage and bedroom above is quite sizeable in the case of my mh, say 3cm gap across the full width at the head of the bed.

Stealaway, why do you think they do this? It seems overkill to me but I'm reluctant to block the gap if there's a sound purpose for it to be there in the first place.

I sealed my garage off as soon as I bought the van and its still as dry as a bone with no condensation
Its a huge space and didn't want to loose any of my heating to that empty space.
The heater pipes are in that gap down the side of the beds and I fitted large pipe lagging from underneath.
Filling those gaps so that all the heat is directed around the mattress's
I also laid a 25 mm Celotex insolation sheet on top of the garage roof to keep the mattress's warm