7 Hacks For Sleeping Cool in Your RV

RV life has its perks, especially in the summertime when the open roads are calling! But forgoing the creature comforts of traditional hotels can be tough when you’re dealing with sweltering, humid nights.

In most cases, you won’t want to run heavy-draw appliances like A/C units for long periods on your RV’s battery. If you don’t have a generator or solar panels integrated into your rig, staying comfortable come bedtime can be a problem.

Fortunately, it’s easy to keep your cool with a few simple tricks and tips. Read on to learn how to stay cool as a cucumber on your next RV excursion.

1. Park in the Shade

Before heading out for your trip, take a minute to look at maps of the campgrounds you’ll be visiting. This will allow you to plan out your parking to avoid baking in the sun all day. A tried-and-true tip is to park your RV facing north. That way, your awning will keep the sun out in the morning, and you’ll get a cooling shadow over your outdoor seating area during the heat of the afternoon. If it's difficult to find shade because you are staying in a desert climate, think about adding light-blocking shades to your windows. After all, shade is Mother Nature’s air conditioning!

2. Close the Windows in the Morning

This little trick is a holdover from the days before air conditioning. By shutting all windows in the morning, you will trap the cool night air into your RV. To keep that cool air in place, reduce the number of times you open and close your RV’s doors throughout the day

3. Cook Outdoors

Grilling a delicious meal on an open fire is arguably one of the best parts about RVing. Using a grill or open fire instead of your RV’s oven, range or microwave keeps the heat and humidity from filling up your sleeping space. To make outdoor cooking easy, prepare a few foil packet dinners that you can throw right on the fire once your belly starts rumbling.

With the GhostBed RV Mattress, you get all the comfort and cooling features that GhostBed mattresses are famous for in an RV-friendly size. Plus, it’s naturally antimicrobial and resistant to mold, bacteria and dust mites—an important feature for your home-away-from-home.

4. Invest in a Cooling Mattress & Bedding

Another way to stay cool at bedtime is to deck out your sleeping space with the coolest mattress, sheets and pillows possible. And good news: that’s GhostBed’s claim to fame! We design all of our mattresses and bedding to keep you cool and comfortable, all night long.

The GhostBed RV Mattress features 3 temperature-regulating layers, all in an RV-friendly size. And our luxury GhostSheets are crafted with a patent-pending blend of super-soft Supima cotton and breathable TENCEL™.

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5. Use a Portable Swamp Cooler or Fans

We all know how refreshing a fan can be on a hot and humid night, but have you ever heard of a swamp cooler? A swamp cooler uses evaporating water and a fan to lower the thermostat. Because swamp coolers add to humidity, they are most effective in hot, dry climates like the south and southwest. Conversely, you can wind down with a fan and damp towel around your neck before bedtime to mimic the evaporative effects of a swamp cooler.

6. Opt for LED Lights

If you consider yourself eco-conscious, you’re probably already a fan of LED lighting in your home and RV. LED lights use 75% less energy than traditional light bulbs and are more efficient to boot! Instead of wasting resources on producing heat, LEDs put all their energy into creating light. So not only will this type of bulb reduce heat, it’ll cost less to use.

While we’re at it, consider this your reminder to turn off any unused lights throughout the day. This simple move will help keep temperatures comfortable once it’s time for bed.

7. Shore Up Insulation

Many of us think about keeping the cold out when it comes to insulation, but did you know that improving your RV’s insulation can also help cool things down? Places to shore up your insulation include around any windows and doors, skylights and the walls of your camper. Also, it never hurts to invest in high-quality skirting, as warm air can rise up into your RV from below.

Let the Adventure Begin!

With these 7 easy hacks, you should have no issues staying cool, calm and collected on your next RV trip. Because every RV is different, no one tip will work for everyone. Instead, try combining the ones that make sense for you and enjoy a noticeably cooler indoor temperature next time you head out on the open road.