Heaters and Winter Hacks - FAQ
Staying warm and dry in your van seems to be an easy job for some and a very complicated task for others. The fundamentals of heat management in a vehicle like a cargo van can be quite simple to understand. You have a big box that you’ve hopefully insulated. Now you need to heat the inside of that box. Seems easy. Right?’
Here's a quick Q&A about heaters and other ways to stay warm and safe during the colder nights ahead. These are the questions we get most here at Vanlife Customs. If you feel like we missed something, let us know!
Q1) Do I need a heater?
This is a question we hear a lot and it’s a good one. Installing a heating system in your van can cost between $2000 and $4000 depending on what you choose. For those on a budget this become a very serious question. Here’s a couple questions to ask yourself:
Will I be living and travelling in places where temperatures never go under 60˚F.
Will I simply be driving place to place and not sleeping in the van?
Do I enjoy Polar plunges?
Is the polar bear my spirit animal?
If you answered no to most of these questions then you will want to consider heating your van. Yes you can bundle up and add blankets but it won’t be as relaxing as coming back from a winter adventure and stepping into a warm room.
Q2) How do I choose the perfect heater for my van?
The truth is most models from Webasto, Espar, and others will do the trick to keep you warm at night. Since vans are small spaces in general, small heaters will warm you up in no time. At Vanlife Customs, we install Espar (Eberspacher) heaters like the Airtronic AS3 -D2L (diesel) and the Airtronic B4L (gasoline). Both have the reputation of bringing your home on wheels to comfortable temperatures in a matter of minutes.
CREDITS - pavedtopine.com
Q3) We saw someone with a woodstove! Can we install one in our van?
You can, but we do not recommend it and won't install it. We know they're cute and get many likes on Instagram, but they can be dangerous for many reasons:
Some materials in your van have a high level of flammability (ex.: wood, propane, gas, diesel), and the risk of fire is definitely higher with your woodstove.
They require a lot of attention when burning, plus you'd probably have to watch it during the night to keep it going.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide buildup in your tiny space can be very dangerous.
Q4) What's the difference between Espar and Webasto?
Espar and Webasto are very much like Coke and Pepsi. They're basically offering the same thing but are competing hard to make it look different. Webasto tends to be a bit cheaper, but both brands deliver precisely what they promise. Their warranties are similar in value, their systems have the same physics, and their options (air heaters, coolant heaters, fans, etc.) have the same names.
If you want more info on our preferences, don't hesitate to discuss with your VLC representative.
Q5) I have a Mr. Buddy Heater; is that enough to stay warm during winter?
We have a love/hate relationship with Mr. Buddy Heaters. They are practical tools for many cold scenarios, and they've been tested by a large crowd! However, you still have to be really careful with any kind of combustion taking place inside your van. Remember: you are basically burning propane, and most likely, you might be sleeping while doing so.
Two safety tips here:
Leave your windows cracked to allow fresh air to replace the air in your van.
Install a CO detector somewhere in your van. Carbon Monoxide is deadly and doesn’t have an odor to warn you of its presence.
Q6) Can you install cheap heaters from China?
We can, but we don't recommend it. Why? Because those heaters are cheaper versions of the Webasto and Espar that we buy from our European suppliers. The "official" heaters come with warranties, technical support and lots of safety testing from the manufacturer. Most of the knock-off heaters do not include manuals, installation instructions or troubleshooting guides.
The savings on the parts may be lost to the cost of labor on install and troubleshooting.
Q7) What about electric blankets? Do those work?
Some staff here use them all the time, and they confirm it's one of Vanlife's best hacks ever! These blankets only use around 5 amps/h on high, so they won't drain your batteries even if you leave them on all night! Plus, they're 1000 times safer than your favourite woodstove on Instagram.
Q8) What are your recommendations?
Other recommendations? No. But other systems you might want to learn about? Yes.
Another heating option is the Rixen System. It uses an Espar Hydronic heater to warm up glycol (antifreeze). This mixture is then circulated through a radiator with a fan that pushes warm air into your cabin. The glycol is also circulated through a heat exchanger to heat your tap water as well. This system can also be expanded to heat the engine block and even and in-floor heating.
Vanlife Customs is an Amazon Affiliate and may earn a small commission when readers purchase products through our links. This commission helps pay our hosting and operations fees for the blog.
Thanks for your support!