[bstark]

My answer is hypothetical at best but here's my take on this: I believe DT has done it this way to ensure that the tankage and service area gets heated by the air in the trailer being drawn down into the basement to be reheated by the furnace. In this manner sub-zero temps can't freeze your tanks or valves etc., and neither area is affected by a positive or negative volume problem as a "ducted" basement would result in air being fed to basement area and air inflitration occuring above in the coach area to replenish net loss. I don't presume to know what DT designers were thinking but that's my guess.

I completely removed my furnace from the rig and rebuilt rear support platform to stabilize it and keep it off the tank underneath it and also replaced the wooden cabinetry with insulation on the backside of panels around the electrical panel to ensure less air leakage and, more importantly, noise from furnace was substantially reduced.