Enclosed building for winter?

[lappir]

Has anyone had any luck finding a building to rent that's been large enough for indoor stay during an upper Midwest winter? 

I'm good to the upper teens even for several days to weeks, but much lower I'm not so sure. I'm thinking just having 4 walls around to prevent the wind would be enough, but time will tell. IF I can find someone to rent enough room. 

I'm not in a position to buy or build one, especially not this year and have used various techniques in attempting to find a place. Last week I found an abandoned factory with a "For Sale" listing by a local Realtor and gave them a call. The Realtor was interested, but didn't know if the owner would be. Got the message yesterday that it was a NO GO.

The end of August is here and I will have to decide soon. I've heard of inside stuff in the Dakota's, but I'm in SE Iowa and need to be close enough to be able to help my brother at his Tire business for a bit longer. 

Going to put a Craigslist ad out and maybe will try the "Facebook" market place. May reach out to a couple other Realty companies too. 

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. 

 

Rod

[Darryl&Rita]

Any place that's cold, and has trucks, should have bay space for rent. It won't be cheap, though. It'll probably smell of diesel, exhaust, and grease, too.

[Kirk W]

28 minutes ago, lappir said:

I'm in SE Iowa and need to be close enough to be able to help my brother at his Tire business for a bit longer. 

Are you looking for a place to put the RV inside while you live in it? That is going to be much more difficult than just a storage facility. I did a Google search and found Mega Storage with several Iowa locations. A garage type structure that is 35'12' rents for $294/month.

[lappir]

Just now, Kirk W said:

Are you looking for a place to put the RV inside while you live in it? That is going to be much more difficult than just a storage facility. I did a Google search and found Mega Storage with several Iowa locations. A garage type structure that is 35'12' rents for $294/month.

Yes, I do want to live in my home while in the building. 

I had hoped a relative who usually took their RV South for the winter would have an open space this winter. They sold the RV last year and bought a "Park Model" and the space they used for inside storage for their rig is now going to be filled with "Seed Corn" for spring. Just my luck. 

Thanks for the quick replies. Darryl&Rita and Kirk.

[sandsys]

5 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Are you looking for a place to put the RV inside while you live in it? That is going to be much more difficult than just a storage facility. I did a Google search and found Mega Storage with several Iowa locations. A garage type structure that is 35'12' rents for $294/month.

I tried one of those, of a different brand, once. It turned out the big doors were just to the unloading section for those renting cubicles. The drive-in storage units just had regular garage doors.

Linda

[Chad Heiser]

The ones I am personally aware of are in south western North Dakota (not really helpful for you).  They were built during the oil boom when housing was very scarce and oil workers were living in RV’s in the area because they could find any permanent structures to rent.  I haven’t been back that way in a few years and with the recent down turns in the oil industry, I don’t know if they are still a thing in that area but they were big business for a while there.

[Randyretired]

We lived in our RV over 2 years mostly in the garage as we finished our house.  The garage was insulated but not heated.  It was significantly warmer than outside.  It had a dump but even with doors open it wasn't a fun time when we used it.  

[RV_]

How do you handle heater/propane exhaust or go all electric?

 

 

[lappir]

8 hours ago, RV_ said:

How do you handle heater/propane exhaust or go all electric?

 

 

Have a Mini Split HVAC system that hasn't required propane assistance. Only propane will be for water heater, but it's not on unless being actively used. I will address that issue. 

 

Rod

[lappir]

8 hours ago, Randyretired said:

We lived in our RV over 2 years mostly in the garage as we finished our house.  The garage was insulated but not heated.  It was significantly warmer than outside.  It had a dump but even with doors open it wasn't a fun time when we used it.  

I will have a Composting toilet, so only dumping will be grey water. Most of the time if there is a floor drain it will run constant (Depending on the risk of freezing). Otherwise I have a few 475 gallon containers that I can use and a location to empty them. 

 

Rod

[Kirk W]

You haven't found anything yet? Why not set up in an RV park and skirt the RV?

[2gypsies]

There must be a very good reason for staying inside a building in an upper Midwest winter!  Why not go somewhere warmer and sunnier?  Sounds depressing to me.  We're from Michigan.

[Chalkie]

On 8/31/2022 at 6:48 AM, lappir said:

The end of August is here and I will have to decide soon. I've heard of inside stuff in the Dakota's, but I'm in SE Iowa and need to be close enough to be able to help my brother at his Tire business for a bit longer. 

 

13 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:

There must be a very good reason for staying inside a building in an upper Midwest winter!  Why not go somewhere warmer and sunnier?  Sounds depressing to me.  We're from Michigan.

He said why in is first post.

 

I understand that preppers have created underground campgrounds in various parts of the country, kind of on the down low. You might ask around. The only one I know about for sure is in Kansas and only because they advertise.

[RV_]

8 hours ago, lappir said:

Have a Mini Split HVAC system that hasn't required propane assistance. Only propane will be for water heater, but it's not on unless being actively used. I will address that issue. 

 

Rod

👍👍I was unaware how efficient at heating these things have become. Sounds like a good plan! Here are some users (scroll down) who are having great success heating with them in serious cold. https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/cold-weather-performance-reports-from-minisplit-owners

Keep us posted and good luck!

 

Edited September 1, 2022 by RV_

[lappir]

3 hours ago, RV_ said:

👍👍I was unaware how efficient at heating these things have become. Sounds like a good plan! Here are some users (scroll down) who are having great success heating with them in serious cold. https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/cold-weather-performance-reports-from-minisplit-owners

Keep us posted and good luck!

 

I've used it for the past three winters in the Midwest. First in Edmond, OK and the next year a bit further South in Lawton, OK. Last year my spot was near the same longitude, but in a more HUMID area. The issue is not keeping me warm enough, it's the Ice build up on the Out Door Unit (ODU) and the need for it to reverse to an evaporator vs a condenser to melt the Ice. It's a very loud event. Had I fully known about it I would have had the ODU placed  in  an area farther away from my sleeping area. 

My experience is it needs to be in the upper teens or 20's outside and at a low humidity. I guess if it were more noisy all the time the defrost wouldn't be such a change. It's actually very quiet running even though the fan runs constantly during the summer cooling mode. In the winter the fan only runs when there is heat production. TMI maybe. 

 

 

Rod

[RV_]

Great info Rod thanks! Something I had not researched before.

🖖