Clothes Chute Closure

We have never used the "clothes chute" for its stated purpose. All it did was create a huge draft in cold weather, so I figured out how to close and insulate the chute and the opening for the pipes to the sink.





I apologize for the hard to read text. I will try to edit and correct.

I'm hoping this project will add considerable warmth in the camper and help hold heat in the basement also. It will definitely add useable storage space beneath the sink.

Very clean looking job, I've thought of doing that myself. Looks good.

Thank you for the kind comments. We are going camping this weekend with lows forecast in the 20s. I hope the difference is noticeable.

I did the same exact modification to our Wildwood 5th wheel. When we ordered our 2006 WILDCAT we made sure they didn't put the chute in. Happy Camping Jim

Good mod.

We use the clothes chute. Where do you put your dirty clothes? I suppose a hamper could go below the vanity, but we installed shelves down there. I'd love to have the extra storage space under the bathroom sink.

I blocked off the clothes chute just by laying a piece of plywood in there. We needed the extra bathroom storage. We have a wall to wall closet in the bedroom and we put the dirty clothes in one of those mesh laundry bags.

John

Scruffy and Tater wrote:Good mod.
Where do you put your dirty clothes?

We use a rectangular clothes basket which sits on the floor to the left of the bathroom sink cabinet. It is out of the way in that location. That basket is used to bring laundered clothes back into the camper when we are packing for departure.

We use those mesh collaspsible hampers under our laundry chute. Scruffy put hooks on the sides of the chute, so the clothes will fall in the hamper and not on the floor of the basement. The hamper is tall enough to reach from the floor to the chute. We don't have room in our closet. Our closet goes across the front, with drawers on each side, and part of the floor is taken up by the "safe."

To the left of the bathroom sink is where we installed shelves.

I guess we'll just stick with our present arrangement. :) We could probably make a lid for the chute to help insulate it when the weather gets extreme.

Just placing a plywood panel over the top of the chute makes a big difference in the amount of cold air that will come into the camper. We use Cordova hangable travel kits for our toiletries and I cut the panel to cover the chute so the travel kits had a place to be stored. There is a little room along the side of the chute in our vanity where we keep a basket to hold other materials. When parked, we remove the travel kits and they can be hung on the shower and/or bathroom door, thus making the laundry chute available. If it is cold the chute can be closed again, or if warmer it can stand up along the side. We use the mesh hamper baskets placed in the basement. Our hamper reaches to the chute and I think I will look at the hooks to keep it in place and open.

We use a regular hamper that stays in the shower until we use it. Most of the time we dry camp at the lake and swim every day. If we do, we use the outside shower. We have towels and cleaning products stored down there to keep the chute closed. I haven't noticed a draft.

I did kind of the same thing.............I put a hinge on the back side and ran a cord from the front up to a eye in the shelf.

The kids now just pull on the string and it lifts the 'lid' enough for them to throw their dirty clothes down the hole.

Good idea. We might try that.

We found a tall clothes basket with a rectangular shape. Fits through the shower door. We pull it out of the way and shower, then put it back in after things have dried a bit.

The basement is the cats boudoir with her separate entrance from the living room.

Results Update: The DW and I were very happy with the results of this mod during our camping trip (see Lake Wissota trip report) this past weekend. It was easier to be comfortable and the furnace ran much less.

I cut 2 pieces of 1/4 inch plywood and i saved some syrophome packaging im going to place between the two this weekend to close up the laundry shute.
Thanks for the idea.
Im also going to finish the wall in the garbage can area, that stops 60% of the way up sealing any trash odors and cold out hopefully.

bags24,
I've had that thought also, but the challenge of getting around all the plumbing and wiring (and still control drafts and odors) in the area still has me thinking. If you come up with a solution I would love to know it.

Someone on here has done it, i remember pictures on the old site. They also put in a shelf for the trash can and store a wash bucket under the shelf.
Im going to give it a shot, woodworking has never been my best subject.

I've already done a shelf for the waste basket and recucling bag with storage space below. I plan to add another small shelf below that to hold the trash bags which go in the basket. I keep the extra 30 amp cord and shoe scrubber there also.

One of the reasons we bought our cat was because i loved the clothes shute. How handy could that thing be! I understand your mods though everyone has different needs.

We've decided to do this mod. On our last couple of trips, when the hamper under the clothes chute got full, we just left it and started another hamper up in the bedroom. So, we're going to close off the laundry chute and make that another storage area, and keep a hamper upstairs - in the closet, most likely.

I did that mod. DW didn't want any Anacondas (snakes) or others critters coming in thru there.

Ole Yella wrote:I did that mod. DW didn't want any Anacondas (snakes) or others critters coming in thru there.

Boy I'm glad my wife doesn't read this forum, otherwise I would have a new project this weekend.

We used ours once as it was intended; didn't like it. We closed it off shortly afterward and have used the extra space for bathroom storage. We quickly learned you can NEVER have too much storage!

TC

well, you didn't have to start talking about snakes. Now it's not looking as cool as it once did. I am imagining all kinds of creepy things curled up in my basket when i pull it out to take it in to wash it. Thanks alot you guys! lol shelly

Try posting this...



If that doesn't work, try this...



If all else fails try this...

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Cook-a-Snake/

TC

You only have to worry about snakes or creepy things if they have the famous CH751 key to get in to your basement. Happy Kamping

You guys are too funny. Wish i could get the no snake sign to print, i would put it on the basement door just to get a laugh out of the hubby. I will have to make sure that he doesn't leave his CH751 keys laying around either! Thanks for the help, maybe i will cut a piece of plywood and lay it over the hole just in case.

Try left clicking on the picture.

Just laying a board down won't stop snakes. You've got to nail, screw, weld, rivot!! They're sneaky AND resourceful!!

Also, take special care not to lay that CH751 around. Next thing you know, them snakes will make copies and start passing them out!!

TC

You can right click the picture, and select "copy." Then, from the same list, you can select print, or "save picture as..." Or you could paste it into a blank works document, word document, other word processor or paint, and then print it.

I did get it to print but hubby wanted to know what no cobras meant. It's still going on the basement door, just for fun, if it ever stops raining here. Thank gosh the hubby was a welder at one time he can fix us up. Thanks guys!