Welcome to ‘Heating: air’ a guide that will take you through everything campervan heating related. Van life can be challenging during cold weather, so having an adequate heating system is important.
There are various types of heaters available for campervans, each with its own pros and cons. Some are excessive, some are inefficient, most won’t work for your needs, and they are almost all expensive on either energy or up front cost.
The fact is, and we can say this from experience, that a really cold night in a van is unpleasant, and when you are in the middle of it, you’d pay good money not to be.
When do you need heating?
The answer is, it depends on how comfortable an experience you are after, the length of time you are happy to endure cold temperatures, and where you are intending on travelling.
This guide is going to be most useful for all year rounders, full timers or for people who want to travel in, up, and around mountains.
The best camper van heater for you will depend largely on your electricity load, budget, and DIY abilities.
Size matters. Heaters come in different sizes, so it’s important to consider how much space you have in your van and how much of it you are willing to offer to heating. Radiant heat, wood stoves, and air heaters take up more space than electrical heaters and propane heaters.
Price is always important. The cost of a campervan heater can vary greatly depending on the type of heater you choose. Diesel heaters and radiant heat options tend to be more expensive, while electrical heaters are usually much cheaper.
Ease of installation. Some campervan heaters require more setup than others. Diesel furnaces, radiant floor heat, and wood stoves typically require drilling holes in your van and some electrical work. On the other hand, electrical heaters and propane buddy heaters are easier to install and use.
Stealth-i-ness. If you plan to do a lot of stealth camping, you may want to consider a heater that won’t draw too much attention. Some heating equipment requires venting outide (a flue, for example) which can be a dead giveaway that someone is living in the van.
Passive Heating
Haven’t heard of it? When it comes to heating your campervan, passive heating can be a great option to keep you warm without relying on electricity or fuel. Here are some tips for staying warm using passive heating in your van:
Curtains: Curtains are important for campervan windows and can be secured to the wall with magnets, Velcro, or snaps.
Sleeping bags, blankets (and towels?): Use a mummy sleeping bag, blankets, and if you really need it, towels to layer on top of you at bedtime.
Insulation: Insulation is key to keeping a campervan warm in the winter. Insulate the walls, floor, ceiling, and windows of the van. If full insulation is not possible, window insulation panels can be a cost-effective and fast solution. More on insulation here.
Winter accessories: Must-have winter accessories include warm socks or slippers, wool clothing, head coverings, and plenty of blankets and sleeping bags.
Warm clothes & layering: Always have warm clothes on hand in case your heater fails or you don’t want to run it all the time. Layering is recommended for the highest personal insulation.
Double-paned windows: Glass campervan windows can let in a lot of heat and cold. Double-pane acrylic windows offer better insulation and are a popular choice among van lifers.
Divide your van with curtains or insulated dividers: Sealing off parts of your van can make it more efficient to heat. Hanging a curtain or insulated divider can help seal off the cab area from the rest of the van. Use a thick curtain or blanket to block cold air from entering through the front and back doors of the campervan.
Add a rug to your campervan’s floor: The floor can be one of the coldest parts of the van, so adding a rug can help keep your feet warm.
Parking: If you know it’s going to get cold, park in the sun for as long as possible and try to heat up the air inside the van.
Door closed: Obviously. If you open the doors at night, you’re going to let cold air in.
By incorporating some or all of these passive heating tips, you might be able to negate a campervan heater entirely. But probably not.
Active heating
There are three main types of campervan heaters to consider: propane heaters, diesel heaters, electric heaters and butane, and we’ve thrown in a wildcard option too. Each has its own pros and cons.
Propane Heaters
Propane heaters are a popular choice for van lifers who want an efficient and effective way to heat their living space. These heaters use propane fuel and an air intake to produce heat, which can be distributed throughout the van to keep you toasty and warm on even the coldest nights.
One of the most popular types of propane heaters is the integrated propane air heater, such as the Propex. This built-in heating system is installed under the front passenger seat and draws fresh outside air in, heats it up, and blows warm air throughout the cabin. It’s a floor-mounted unit, so you don’t have to worry about it tipping over, and it features external ventilation to reduce condensation buildup and blow combustible gases back outside.
While these heaters require some construction to install, they take up less space and are more efficient in the coldest temperatures. However, safety is always a concern, and you’ll need to monitor oxygen levels, keep the area properly ventilated, and keep both the heater and lines clean to prevent oil buildup. Additionally, they’re not suitable for use at high altitudes.
Portable propane heaters are another popular option because they’re affordable, portable, and safe when used correctly. They use disposable canisters or refillable propane tanks to produce heat, and they can be moved around the van as needed. However, they can cause condensation and require constant airflow to reduce carbon monoxide buildup, so they’re no candidate for being overused.
One thing to keep in mind with all propane heaters is that they add humidity to your van, which can be a problem if you don’t have proper ventilation. Additionally, they can be noisy and require adding fresh air into your van while in use. Finally, propane heaters can be more expensive than electric heaters, and they might not work well at really high altitudes.
To conclude, propane heaters are a great option for van lifers who want an efficient and effective way to heat their living space. Be sure to follow all safety guidelines and maintain your heater regularly to keep it working effectively.
Diesel heaters
When it comes to heating your adventure rig, a diesel heater represents a well trodden path. Not only are they efficient and cost-effective, because they draw fuel from your vehicle’s fuel tank, which is assumedly always quite full. Some models are so fuel-efficient that they can burn only 1 of fuel for every 10-25 hours of use. A loose tick for the environment.
However, diesel heaters do require installation and can be a little more work to set up than other heating options. They can also be noisy, and all models may require drilling holes in your van. (But you should already know how to do that). Plus, they draw a fair amount of power upon startup.
Of course, safety is always a concern when using any type of heating source. Diesel heaters release Carbon monoxide, out of an exhaust (that goes outside your van). Carbon Monoxide is odourless, colourless, and can fill your van without proper installation, so, it’s crucial to ensure proper installation, regular maintenance, and monitoring for carbon monoxide buildup.
If you like the sound of diesel heaters, look for one that offers the highest heat output available for its size and is easy to install and maintain, with an integrated control unit.
Electric van heaters
If you’re travelling in a big motorhome or camper and have access to grid power, electric heaters can be a good option; there’s a lot to like about them. They’re not usually too expensive, are quite compact, and quiet. They are easy to use and provide consistent heat output. They’re also safe to use in confined spaces since they’re odourless and don’t produce harmful fumes. But, they’re not the best option for off-grid living as they can be taxing on a 12v/ solar-powered system, so become fairly limited for staying cosy while connected to AC ‘Shore Power’. You also need to find somewhere to store them, when not in use.. And we know how important storage space is.
For reasons of energy consumption, it’s recommended to install an electrical furnace in addition to another off-grid-friendly heat source (like a propane or diesel-powered heater).
Butane Heaters
Butane heaters, like the Camplux, are a great heating option for those looking for an affordable and portable solution. These compact heaters are a breeze to move around and store when not in use, making them perfect for those who like to keep things simple.
While the fuel source for butane heaters is slightly more expensive than propane, it’s still a viable option as they use the same canisters as those used for cooking. But be aware that these canisters cannot be refilled and they are expensive.
Like with any heater, proper ventilation and monitoring of oxygen and carbon monoxide levels are essential for safety.
So, if you’re travelling in areas where propane is not readily available, a butane heater might just be the perfect solution for your van.
Wildcard: Infrared
Infrared panel heaters are not a popular choice for heating small spaces like campervans, yet. They have several benefits that make them stand out from traditional convection heating methods. For starters, they are slimline and can come in different designs such as mirrors, paintings, or plain panels. This is good if you’re tight on space (which we all are).
One of the most significant advantages of infrared panel heaters is that they are highly efficient and cost-effective to run. They are supposed to heat the actual fabric of the campervan rather than just the air, which means that they can provide a more comfortable and consistent level of warmth to users.
Compared to the other electric heaters, infrared panel heaters cost much less to run. So, all the pros of electric heaters without the cons? The downside is, nobody is really doing this at the moment, so it’s slightly unchartered territory.
Things that work but that we don’t recommend
One option, which we regrettably have done, is to simply crank up your cab heating while driving to generate some heat. If you have good insulation, you will heat up the camper space and it can stay warm for a bit, which makes it good if you are driving to a spot to then go to sleep. While this does work, it’s not a long-term solution.
If you have a propane stove in your van, you can also use it to generate heat. However, it’s important to note that this can be very dangerous and you should not be doing this without at the very least, lots of ventilation (i.e. doors open). Which, if you have, negates the point in trying to heat the van.
What we did
Our plan was to drive South, from summer in the UK to winter in Greece.
We – naively – thought it would be 20 degrees C all the way down through the Balkans. As the year goes on, we get further south.
Turns out that isn’t the case.
In our naivety, we did not include any active heating systems for the air in the van.
We were all about using the glass in the cab to help heat up the air temperature, layering up on clothes and going to be early in the colder times. In fact, when we were driving home for Christmas, we were in a cold snap through central Europe that saw snow and negative degree C at night time, and we survived it by blasting the cab heating when we were driving, keeping doors closed and layering up.
That being said, I am actively looking into heating options. Even travelling in summer time, if you go up into the mountains, it gets really cold really quick.
The heating type that I’m most interested in are the InfraRed panels. By heating up the things, I think you could warm up the bed space at night time, and that would be very efficient.
Not noted here, but I am also pretty interested in an alcohol burner. I haven’t managed to find one that is closed off and doesn’t have a naked flame licking out of the top of it. I’m very nervous. about having an open flame in the van (we don’t even allow candles).