Climate Control: Teardrop Camper AC and Furnaces

Traveling in extreme climates is never comfortable, but installing climate control on your teardrop camper helps ensure you have an enjoyable camping experience, no matter where or when you travel.

Vistabule has furnaces that warm your space to an inviting temperature, As well as humidity-reducing air conditioning (AC) units that keep you cool. To help you never miss out on the beauty around you Vistabule offers open ventilation systems that let in the fresh air.

If you’re considering purchasing a teardrop with climate control or if you’re thinking of adding it to your existing teardrop, here’s what you need to know to stay comfortable year-round.

• Do You Need Climate Control in Your Teardrop?
• How Can You Control the Climate of Your Teardrop Trailer?
• Teardrop Camper AC Units
• Teardrop Trailer Furnaces
• Open Ventilation
• Design a Trailer With Your Comfort in Mind

While you may not need climate control if you’re traveling in moderate conditions, or can otherwise withstand an overly hot or cold climate, a camper furnace or AC system makes the overall travel experience easier and more enjoyable.

Whether you’re traveling through the mountain peaks and are looking for some added warmth as you enjoy the elevation, or want to stay cool as you head south for the winter. It is never a bad idea to have the added security of comfortable temperatures inside your teardrop.

Installing a climate control system in your teardrop acts as a buffer that allows you to travel to more places that may have unpleasant outside conditions. In particular, high heat combined with humidity can be the biggest obstacle to a good night’s sleep. While you might think you can get by with a fan or opening a window to cool your space, an AC system is the best and quickest way to take the humidity out of the air.

Likewise, there’s nothing quite like pressing a button and letting your built-in propane furnace efficiently and safely warm up your cozy teardrop cabin to get the chill out after a long day of cold weather adventures.

When it comes to controlling the climate in your teardrop trailer, there are several ways to do so, depending on your electrical capabilities and storage space.

However, the following systems are by far the most popular and effective options:

Air Conditioning

Delivers cold air into the camper through an AC unit, lowering heat and humidity.

Furnace Heating

Delivers hot air into the camper through a furnace unit to keep cold air at bay.

Rooftop Ventilation

Circulates air throughout the interior of the camper.

Natural Ventilation

Including cracking a window, door, or other openings to let air in from the outside and control temperature.

Teardrop camper AC units are a popular option for people traveling in hot and humid climates, from the beaches of Florida to the Grand Canyon of Arizona.

The first advantage of having a teardrop camper air conditioner is it quickly cools down the small interior space. Since most teardrops fall within the range of eight to 10 feet long, four to six feet wide, and around eight feet tall, the effects of an AC system are felt almost immediately.

Second, it’s particularly helpful for people traveling as a couple or a small family. Just as the small size allows AC to distribute quickly, body heat from multiple people can build up and become trapped inside. This amplifies in hot climates and makes sleeping quite uncomfortable. An air conditioner will help keep everyone at the right temperature.

Many teardrop trailers come equipped with an air conditioner or can be requested in a custom build. For example, Vistabule offers a 5000-BTU air conditioner for $595. Many companies like Vistabule also retrofit their teardrops with AC. However, you do risk some compatibility issues if AC model dimensions change over time. See our pricing and options page for more details.

Keeping your AC system in good condition ensures that you’re never left without proper cooling. Regular cleaning and maintenance are some of the duties that come with owning a teardrop air conditioner. Assuming your AC is an adapted window unit, you can do this by removing the air conditioning unit from its storage cabinet after long trips or when traveling across dusty roads.

After a long trip it is important to clean the internal compartment and vents, while checking all components and the cabinet structure to ensure no damage occurred. Also, remove the front air filter element, clean the filter and inspect the front face of the AC and gently remove any accumulated dust and debris.

Not only does this keep the unit running efficiently and eliminate potential repair bills but it promotes cleaner air blowing from the unit — particularly nice for those sensitive to airborne allergens.

While there’s no better way to escape the heat than by installing a teardrop AC system, there are a few downsides to be aware of. The biggest downside is the price and the need to be plugged into the grid. In addition, the AC requires its own, dedicated space in the center headboard storage compartment.

If you value extra space for gear, this will reduce that.And, while you can install one yourself, a professional will make safety a top priority in terms of electrical connections and proper intake and exhaust, including condensation drainage. As long as it’s installed in the appropriate position, there shouldn’t be a major impact on weight distribution since it’s normally located near the axle.

Do you often find yourself traveling to snow-covered destinations?hether skiing in the Rockies, or ice fishing in Alaska those frigid temperatures can get uncomfortable fast. Especially if you’re wet from your snowy adventures. If this sounds like your type of adventure a furnace may be an essential addition to your teardrop camper. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you might want to install one.

Anybody who’s easily affected by colder temperatures will enjoy a teardrop camper furnace. These units warm up the small space quickly and keep the teardrop at just the right temperature for a good night’s sleep.

Another great advantage is that it helps manage onboard electrical and battery systems. For example, because they are light in weight, many teardrop models use lithium batteries to power things like electrical outlets and lighting, among other components. But, because they are also sensitive to cold temperatures, heat control lets you keep these batteries at the right temperature and prevent them from malfunctioning.

Some teardrop camper manufacturers offer furnace installation, while others don’t. Vistabule provides you with the option to include a propane-based furnace in your build for $1,595. While these can be added later with retrofitting, it’s easiest to install these units upfront. See our pricing and options page for more details.

The majority of today’s teardrop campers use propane furnaces. The great thing about these units is that they’re both simple to understand and reliable. If you don’t want to be left without heat, keep up with regular furnace cleanings and maintenance.

The furnace works by burning propane to heat the cabin air and delivers that air throughout the teardrop cabin. A separate, sealed combustion chamber has its own fresh air intake and exhaust to safely deliver harmful fumes outside of your teardrop.

Servicing Your Furnace

In order to service your furnace, first locate it via the access door, located either inside or outside, depending on your camper.

There are three main components of the furnace that you’ll want to check for overall cleanliness to make sure the furnace is secure, undamaged and nothing has gotten inside.

• Propane
• Air Intake
• Exhaust

If you tend to run hot, travel in warm climates, or simply prefer huddling around an open campfire, you may be able to skip the furnace installation and avoid some of the disadvantages associated with these units. For instance, you can expect to pay more for a furnace than an AC, which can cut into your travel budget.

There will also be a limited loss of storage, since the furnace requires its own dedicated space in the cabin, although less than an AC unit.

Finally, you’ll need a good ventilation system to manage condensation when running the furnace. A quality rooftop fan and operable vents or windows that can be cracked will take care of this.

Open ventilation is a more natural approach to teardrop trailer climate control. This type of airflow normally comes in the form of powered rooftop fans, openable rooftop vents, passive side vents, and windows and doors. These are typically included in the base of most teardrop campers and are an effective option for those that want to avoid installing heating or air conditioning units.

There are some advantages of choosing a standard ventilation option compared to dedicated AC and heating systems.

Personalized Experience

open a window or passive vent to bring airflow near your side of the bed, while your partner keeps theirs closed tight.

Affordable

This option is cheaper to install and maintain. AC units and furnaces can break if they’re not well taken care of, but these simple ventilation mechanisms are reliable day in and day out.

Quieter

This allows you to stay more connected to nature – listening to the trees rustling in the wind, birds chirping and all the other sounds you came to hear.

Because of their unique and versatile window design, Vistabule campers offer the perfect mix of temperature control and airflow. With a 10-speed, reversible rooftop fan, you can bring in fresh air for circulation, or pump stale air outside. In addition, this quiet 12V system keeps energy requirements down since teardrop interiors cool down quickly thanks to their compact size.

For those thinking about taking off on a new journey with a teardrop trailer in tow, a climate control system can make the entire trip more comfortable for you and your travel companions. Regardless of where you’re traveling, from a tropical paradise to a frozen landscape or somewhere in between, air conditioning, furnace and open ventilation systems provide their own unique way of making the experience that much more enjoyable.

If you’re searching for a new, custom teardrop camper, built to your desired comfort level, turn to the engineers at Vistabule. We craft machines that are designed to be as adventurous as you are, offering comprehensive heating, cooling, and ventilation systems that can be added to any camper. If you’re looking for more information about building your own custom teardrop, check out our pricing worksheet today.