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Old 01-29-2014, 09:46 AM   #1
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Insulated vs non-insulated

Out of curiosity, if two Escape Trailers were parked together at a camp site, in a heavy snow condition, one insulated and one not, would the furnace melt the exterior snow off the non-insulated trailer?
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Old 01-29-2014, 09:52 AM   #2
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It would likely melt both trailers if kept at or near room temps.
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Old 01-29-2014, 10:04 AM   #3
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I'm just wondering about the possibilities of the door freezing shut on an insulated trailer, with the occupants inside, during an ice rain situation. Would the furnace on the non-insulated trailer keep the shell of the trailer at a temperature above freezing....preventing the door from freezing shut.
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Old 01-29-2014, 10:18 AM   #4
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I've never camped in winter conditions and I've never had the need to turn on my trailers furnace. Would the furnace heat the inside of a non-insulated trailer and thus warm the outside shell to a temperature just above freezing?
I've been reading about how some of the winterized trailers on this forum have their doors iced shut. Couldn't this happen with the occupants inside?
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Old 01-29-2014, 10:25 AM   #5
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The awning would disallow the melted snow to run down over the door. Ice from mist or freezing rain would be a different story.
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Old 01-29-2014, 10:37 AM   #6
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I live on the West coast so I don't have the problem of a frozen door on my trailer this year. Why are some of the more Eastern trailers experiencing frozen door symptoms? I'm just wondering if it could become a safety issue.
Thank you Jim Bennett for your input but the question is still not answered.
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Old 01-29-2014, 01:59 PM   #7
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Actually this just happened to me here at home. I leave a small heater on inside BlackJack and we have had temperatures at -0- or below for past 5 days. Yesterday I tried to open the door and it was frozen shut, not the lock but the hinges had ice and door would not budge. There was iceicles running down the side of the camper from the awning and there was one below the door as if water had come out from under the door, Today I went out and unlocked and removed the ice off the hinges and pulled and the door opened. there was some ice all along the bottom where water had dripped down around the gasket and then froze, thus the stickiness. I drilled 3 small 1/64" holes along the door bottom to allow any future water to escape and not collect. I noted there were already drain holes in the rubber gasket. I also coated the rubber with vaseline to prevent future sticky situations. My trailer does have the insulation package. So in summary, coating the door seal with vaseline or some other product should keep this from happening and drill a tiny hole on the door bottom right next to the seam, in the middle to allow any water or condensation to escape.
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:03 PM   #8
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Vaseline is a petroleum product and will rot rubber gaskets.

Would this have happened in a non- insulated trailer is the original question/topic.
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:05 PM   #9
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Silicone?
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:06 PM   #10
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here are some pictures
Attached Thumbnails
DSCN0952.JPG   DSCN0953.JPG   DSCN0954.JPG   DSCN0955.JPG  
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:07 PM   #11
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I know that when I wash my car during cold weather, there is always a good possibility that the wet weather stripping on the car doors will freeze to the car and it may not be possible to open my doors the next day. There is no reason why the rubber weather stripping on the Escape door should behave any differently when wet and subjected to freezing conditions. Jim's solution of improving drainage away from the weather stripping and putting a lubricant over the rubber weather strip seems like a reasonable approach to reduce the risk.

I suspect the risk of the door freezing is greater when the heat has not been on inside the trailer, thus, if you are using your heater while camping, there should be lesser likelihood that you could get trapped in your trailer with the door frozen shut.
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:08 PM   #12
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Go to Lordco or any automotive shop.

Do you have an answer to the original question?
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:11 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J Mac View Post
Vaseline is a petroleum product and will rot rubber gaskets.

Would this have happened in a non- insulated trailer is the original question/topic.
I would say yes, it was the water that froze around the door gasket and hinge that kept the door shut and the heat inside was not the cause of the ice. The cold temperature and sun melting the water was the cause. I have to figure out why water was dripping under my awning rail down to the door.
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:11 PM   #14
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I'm really curious as to weather or not the insulation package has any bearing on this freezing aspect but I'm having difficulty finding/getting an answer.
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:13 PM   #15
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Quote:
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I'm really curious as to weather or not the insulation package has any bearing on this freezing aspect but I'm having difficulty finding/getting an answer.
IMHO the insulation package was not the issue, ice forming around the door was and this was not a result of insulation but water dripping down and then freezing.
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:18 PM   #16
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I seem to recall a gutter installed just over the door of my 17B (don't have it anymore to check). It shouldn't need it, but evidently water can get under the awning rail.
I might install a piece of stick on rain gutter on my 21.
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:27 PM   #17
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Yes, I have then ready to install, once it get above 65 degrees. They come in 25-50' lengths and you cut and then attach with the vhb tape on the item.
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:29 PM   #18
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My thought is that a non insulated trailer with an interior heater would warm the fiberglass shell enough to melt ice or snow before it freezes the door.
An insulated trailer would not allow the interior heat to radiate to the exterior of the trailer and freeze the door shut.
Any input on this?

This is the original question I asked on this topic.
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Old 01-29-2014, 02:35 PM   #19
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I think with the non insulated trailer you will get ice on the inside and possibly on the outside. I do not think that happens when you do have the insulation. The water was outside and froze, that can happen with the best insulation package. Remember the single pane windows where ice would form on the inside and with double pane there was none.
By the way the door is insulated and the water was not near the insulated part but around the bottom door water channel where it is just single f/g.
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Old 01-29-2014, 03:12 PM   #20
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I think with the non insulated trailer you will get ice on the inside and possibly on the outside. I do not think that happens when you do have the insulation. The water was outside and froze, that can happen with the best insulation package. Remember the single pane windows where ice would form on the inside and with double pane there was none.
By the way the door is insulated and the water was not near the insulated part but around the bottom door water channel where it is just single f/g.
Okay, once again I ask the question, with a non insulated trailer like my 2008 with a non insulated door, would/could shore powered heat or furnace heat melt the ice on the outside of the trailer that can freeze a door shut?
Further, would an insulated trailer not transmit the heat through the trailer walls to melt ice because it is insulated?

20 entries in and I still don't have an answer.....curious.
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