Grooming vans · Heat and insulation
How a ProVanWorks grooming van stays warm in winter
A ProVanWorks grooming van stays warm through a Canadian winter because the cargo area is insulated and heated from the floor and the walls. A small diesel, gas or electric heater under the seat warms fluid that circulates through pipes in the floor and walls, and heat exchangers around the cargo area blow that warmth into the work area. A thermostat holds the temperature you set.
What goes wrong in a grooming van that isn't built for winter?
A grooming van built for a mild climate runs into four problems in a Canadian winter:
- Water lines, pumps and tanks freeze overnight or between appointments, and a frozen line can split.
- Lithium batteries lose capacity in the cold, and most shouldn't be charged below 0 °C unless they are warmed first.
- A wet dog loses heat quickly in a cold space, which makes for a miserable bath and a slower dry.
- Warm, wet air from bathing meets cold walls and turns into condensation and frost inside the van.
Each part of a ProVanWorks cold-weather build answers one of these.
How is the van insulated?
The cargo area of a ProVanWorks grooming van is insulated across the walls, roof and floor, so the heat the system makes stays in the work area. Insulation also keeps the inside surfaces of the walls warmer, which cuts down on the condensation you get when a bath steams up a cold van. It cuts road noise too, so the van is quieter to drive between appointments and calmer for a nervous dog waiting inside.
Insulation thickness depends on where the van will work. For the Lower Mainland, where winters are mild and wet, ProVanWorks uses about 16 mm (5/8 inch) of insulation. For colder climates, such as Northern BC, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, we build the insulation much thicker. Tell us where you groom and we size it to match.
Where is the heater, and why under the seat?
The heater is small and mounted under the seat. It doesn't take up any room in the work area, and it sits close to the van's fuel system when it runs on diesel or gas. From there it heats fluid that runs back through the van in pipes.
You choose between three heaters: diesel, gas (gasoline) or electric. Most groomers match the heater to the van, so a diesel van gets a diesel heater and an electric van gets an electric one.
How does in-floor and in-wall heat work in a van?
In-floor and in-wall heat works like radiant heating in a house. Warm fluid from the heater under the seat runs through pipes laid in the floor and in the walls of the cargo area. The floor and wall surfaces warm up and give off heat evenly, so there are no cold corners and the floor isn't freezing under your feet or the dog's paws.
Heat exchangers around the cargo area add faster, moving heat. A fan passes air over a warm coil and blows it into the work area, which brings the temperature up quickly in the morning and after the cargo door has been open.
Does the heat keep the water from freezing?
Yes. The water reservoir and the auxiliary batteries sit in the utility area at the back of the van, inside the insulated and heated shell. Hot water at the tub keeps working in very low winter temperatures. Depending on the build, the lines to the tub run inside the heated area, are heat-traced, or both. See the water system page for overnight storage and winterizing.
Which heater should I choose: diesel, gas or electric?
Choose the heater that matches your van's fuel and how far from an outlet you work. A diesel or gas heater burns a small amount of fuel from the van's own tank and puts out steady heat in deep cold without drawing much from the batteries. An electric heater has no combustion and suits electric vans, but it uses the same battery bank that runs your equipment, so the bank has to be sized for heating as well. The table below compares the three.
| Heater | Fuel | Where it fits best | Things to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel heater | Diesel from the van's own tank | Diesel vans, and groomers who work long days far from an outlet in deep cold | Burns a small amount of fuel and vents exhaust outside. Needs routine service. |
| Gas heater | Gasoline from the van's own tank | Gas vans, so there is only one fuel to buy | Same idea as a diesel heater, matched to a gasoline van. Needs routine service. |
| Electric heater | The auxiliary battery bank | Electric vans, and milder routes such as Vancouver or Victoria | No combustion. Heating draws on the same batteries that run your equipment, so battery size matters more in deep cold. |
How does the van control temperature in summer?
The same thermostat that runs the heat in winter runs the cooling in summer. A ProVanWorks van has two fans in the cargo area, one at the front and one at the back. The front fan also runs the air conditioning. Optional windows in the work area open for fresh air on mild days.
How cold can a ProVanWorks grooming van work?
A ProVanWorks grooming van is built for the climate it will work in, not to a single number. Insulation thickness, the heater, the battery bank and the way the water lines are protected all change between a van for Vancouver and a van for Winnipeg. Tell us the coldest conditions you work in when you request a quote, and we'll build the van for them. Our guide to winter mobile grooming covers day-to-day habits that help in the coldest weeks.
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