It’s an age old question when the weather gets cold. “Why don’t I feel more air flow coming out of my travel trailer heat registers?”. The simple answer is that your furnace may need some help.

Even new RV furnaces are not very efficient. So every bit of heat you can capture is beneficial. There could be a number of issues that are keeping you from getting the heat you expect. Locating your furnace and doing a simple inspection may help you get to the root of your problem. There are a number of things that could be the source of low air flow.

  1. A detached duct at the furnace
  2. A kink in the flexible duct work
  3. Debris in the duct work
  4. Air flow escaping around the ducts where they attach at the furnace

Of course it could also be that you are getting all the heat your furnace can provide in which case your search is over.

We noticed when we ran our furnace that the drawers above the cabinet where the furnace was located, became very warm. This is not an unusual problem for our brand and model of travel trailer. There are many posts on line related to this particular issue.

So, I removed the cabinet drawer over the furnace in order to do an inspection of the duct work. What I found was that all the duct work was attached securely. The next thing I did was to turn the furnace on and then feel for air leaks. What I noticed almost immediately is that there is an amazing amount of air loss around the furnace panel. The panel itself just slides down over the unit without any sort of gasket. Additional duct work is attached to this panel.

As a result of the air loss, I purchased some high temp furnace tape and sealed the furnace panel to the unit and at the same time taped the top duct entry points.

Your Furnace may need help
The Furnace after taping was complete

The difference in air flow through the duct work increased rather dramatically. In addition, the drawers above the furnace are now cool when the furnace runs.

Now keep in mind I’m not advocating that you do what I did. However if you are not getting proper air flow through your ducts, I would certainly spend a little time investigation the cause. Remember, your furnace should be approached with caution and if you think there is an issue that you are not comfortable dealing with you should seek out a qualified repair person.

Cold Weather Ahead – Stay Warm!