RV Windows

[Gage]

Does covering your windows help with reducting heat? If so, what have you used in the past to cover them? Something taped up / semi-permanent? Or just blinds? We just used our drapes but didn't know if there was a better way to keep an old travel trailer cool. I did like being able to look at them once in w hile, but won't miss it if the inside will be cooler...

Thoughts?

[Elderberry]

Don't know about the heat, but you should definitely tape them up to stop the dust infiltration.

[Raymaker]

I believe this is covered, no pun intended, in 'cooling your tent or van'. We are buying some survival blankets and taping them over the window.

[phil]

Curtains will absorb heat from the sun. We tape aluminum foil to the insides of the windows, and no heat gets in. Our white van remains cooler than ambient outside temps all day.

[dragonpilot]

Check your local Dollar Store for reflective sun screens...they only cost...wait for it...a dollar. Using blue painter's tape, tape them to the inside of every window inside your vehicle that gets direct exposure to the sun. You should be able to do the taping so that the screens can be removed from time to time when the sun is on the opposite side so you can look out and also get the benefit of some cross ventilation when the dust isn't blowing too bad.

You will be glad for the slightly extra expense and time of doing this. When you're ready to depart, the screens are easy to remove and store for next time.

[Just_Joe]

@Dragonpilot & Phil- great idea with the dollar store shade/foil. We've never done it but it might help. I *do* like looking out the windows tho. Ultimately it will depend on how we are oriented to the sun/street.

Speaking of covering...One thing I do is fashion a cover for the exterior stove exhaust vent. Cardboard and blue tape. I attach it before I arrive. I'm not sure if my RV is different, but if I leave the vent uncovered, I end up with little piles of dust on the stove.

[mskitty63]

Dont tape all of them. Last year I saw a few motorhomes/trailers with open windows(for air flow) but they had those a/c and/or heater filters. Like you use in your home for air intake. white and different sizes or cut it to size. they said it worked good to keep dust down and keep air flowing. I will try it this year. Dont think taping will make it cooler, just keep dust down.

[trilobyte]

On the windows you cover, remember that lighter colors (ideally shiny/reflective) will reflect away more of the sun's energy (heat) than darker colors.

[Eric]

We used silver bubble wrap from Home Depot last year- it helped. I wouldn't say it was a miracle, but it definitely helped.

Use something like gaffers tape, not masking tape to hold it down. Gaffers is designed to hold well but come up easy, we all know what happens if masking is left too long. I had as little tape touching the RV as possible to minimize any chance of damage.

[essjay]

Tape foil on the outside of your windows - use blue painter's tape.

[oneeyeddick]

Check your local Dollar Store for reflective sun screens...they only cost...wait for it...a dollar. Using blue painter's tape, tape them to the inside of every window inside your vehicle that gets direct exposure to the sun. You should be able to do the taping so that the screens can be removed from time to time when the sun is on the opposite side so you can look out and also get the benefit of some cross ventilation when the dust isn't blowing too bad.

You will be glad for the slightly extra expense and time of doing this. When you're ready to depart, the screens are easy to remove and store for next time.

we do this but we do it on the OUTSIDE, not on the inside.

Doing it on the outside helps keep the dust out also, not that it matters.

[Canoe]

We used silver bubble wrap from Home Depot last year- it helped. I wouldn't say it was a miracle, but it definitely helped.
Use something like gaffers tape, not masking tape to hold it down. Gaffers is designed to hold well but come up easy, we all know what happens if masking is left too long. I had as little tape touching the RV as possible to minimize any chance of damage.

Vote for the Silver Bubble Wrap.
Worked, and like a miracle!

Results of Silver Bubble Wrap (without A/C):
* without = uncomfortable by 9:00 a.m.
* with = uncomfortable by noon
* with, and taped = comfortable til noon, tolerable most of day, sometimes uncomfortable
* with, taped, over-lap window frame = very comfortable morning, staying comfortable all day, except for late one day where I resorted to using A/C for 15 minutes[/u]

With A/C, you'll use A/C a lot less as the heat it removes is gained back at a much slower rate.

Apply with tape to East, South and West facing widows (this includes the windshield!). North windows can use the curtain tracks or a few tabs of tape for quick removal for times it's suitable to throw the window open. Apply to interior of roof popups (for quick removal) or if you're climbing on top, tape over the sky/moon-lights. Note: although North facing windows do not have the sun shining through them, the outside heat still radiates through the window, but has much less heat coming through the frame as the frame is not in the sun.

While the curtain tracks on my rental RV worked to hold the silver bubble wrap in place (quickly removed), once taped in place with the green painters' tape (holds well, no residue to collect playa dust during cleanup), it worked even better as it prevented heated air between the window and the silver bubble wrap from escaping into the RV (convection).

IMPORTANT:
It was amazing how soon after sunrise that the aluminum widow frames (black) heated up in the sun and where conducting heat into the interior, making the frames too hot to the touch!
Make sure the silver bubble wrap overlaps the frame by an inch or two to cover the frame and some surrounding area to minimize the radiation of heat off of the frame. Made a huge difference in the interior temperature. The silver bubble wrap over the wrap was still rather warm to the touch, but much better

Applied to the outside, it should work even better, but would it hold up in all winds?
Of course, applied inside and outside...

TWEAK:
light coloured tape over the outside of black window frames to minimize absorbing heat.
green tape over the seams of windows you won't be opening, inside and outside to keep dust out - cleanup was a breeze.

[Gage]

We used silver bubble wrap from Home Depot last year- it helped. I wouldn't say it was a miracle, but it definitely helped.
Use something like gaffers tape, not masking tape to hold it down. Gaffers is designed to hold well but come up easy, we all know what happens if masking is left too long. I had as little tape touching the RV as possible to minimize any chance of damage.

Vote for the Silver Bubble Wrap.
Worked, and like a miracle!

Results of Silver Bubble Wrap (without A/C):
* without = uncomfortable by 9:00 a.m.
* with = uncomfortable by noon
* with, and taped = comfortable til noon, tolerable most of day, sometimes uncomfortable
* with, taped, over-lap window frame = very comfortable morning, staying comfortable all day, except for late one day where I resorted to using A/C for 15 minutes[/u]

With A/C, you'll use A/C a lot less as the heat it removes is gained back at a much slower rate.

Apply with tape to East, South and West facing widows (this includes the windshield!). North windows can use the curtain tracks or a few tabs of tape for quick removal for times it's suitable to throw the window open. Apply to interior of roof popups (for quick removal) or if you're climbing on top, tape over the sky/moon-lights. Note: although North facing windows do not have the sun shining through them, the outside heat still radiates through the window, but has much less heat coming through the frame as the frame is not in the sun.

While the curtain tracks on my rental RV worked to hold the silver bubble wrap in place (quickly removed), once taped in place with the green painters' tape (holds well, no residue to collect playa dust during cleanup), it worked even better as it prevented heated air between the window and the silver bubble wrap from escaping into the RV (convection).

IMPORTANT:
It was amazing how soon after sunrise that the aluminum widow frames (black) heated up in the sun and where conducting heat into the interior, making the frames too hot to the touch!
Make sure the silver bubble wrap overlaps the frame by an inch or two to cover the frame and some surrounding area to minimize the radiation of heat off of the frame. Made a huge difference in the interior temperature. The silver bubble wrap over the wrap was still rather warm to the touch, but much better

Applied to the outside, it should work even better, but would it hold up in all winds?
Of course, applied inside and outside...

TWEAK:
light coloured tape over the outside of black window frames to minimize absorbing heat.
green tape over the seams of windows you won't be opening, inside and outside to keep dust out - cleanup was a breeze.

I love you guys.

So another question for you. Would it help cover the entire roof in reflective material?

[Canoe]

So another question for you. Would it help cover the entire roof in reflective material?

A silver shiny version?

Technically yes.
Practically, depends.

Is your roof black tar?
Definitely yes.

Is your roof white?
I'm sure there's a way for instruments to measure the improvement.
Don't bother.

DO bother for roof vents/skylights/etc..
Outside works better, but you can't open them. Inside works much better than not using them, and a great backup if the outside one is ripped off by the wind.

Made for a significantly cooler bathroom once the vent was taped over with the silver bubble wrap, and the bathroom was no longer a heat source for the rest of the RV. One edge was taped with a folded over edge of tape so it could act as a tab, allowing me to pull the silver bubble wrap cover off and leave hanging by one edge, to let the light in to save the batteries so I could save the generator for emerg use. The green tape worked throughout the week without having to redo it, although with the window seams taped over, there was very little dust.

I also taped the roof vents shut from the inside with the green tape to keep dust out.

p.s. North facing windows. I only taped their seams from the inside, so I could easily open them when I wished. Nice in early morning before the wind and heat is up.

p.s.s. I used both 2" and 3" green painter's tape.

[oneeyeddick]

Funny how all the painter's tape around here is blue, and elsewhere is green.

[ygmir]

Funny how all the painter's tape around here is blue, and elsewhere is green.

there are both at Home *$%(, different glues/recommended uses.

[Canoe]

Funny how all the painter's tape around here is blue, and elsewhere is green.

there are both at Home *$%(, different glues/recommended uses.

Fairly dark green (not the light green stuff), Home Depot, Reno, 2010.
I don't remember if it was store brand or name brand.
Stayed stuck on outside window seams & track (glass, frame), came off easy without residue or paint damage - YRMV.
Same for the plastic dash, doors and plastic type headliner where I taped the silver bubble wrap over the inside windows and windshield.

The silver bubble wrap was from Lowe's, Reno.
Debit card and credit card wouldn't work there, even though they work in Lowe's upper New York State.
HD guys said they got lots of requests for it, but the store wouldn't carry it.

The dollar store (same brand I saw in other stores) sticky no-residue kitchen shelf liner worked fantastic on the table, the floor where I used it, and on the outside of the RV to cover RV company's logos.
Prep was a damp cloth wipe, wipe dry and apply before playa dust settled.
Some of the edges came loose on some of the outside stuff, but it all stayed on in the wind and sun.
Peeled off with little force, no logo or paint damage - YRMV.

[mzfit]

One of the things I did was to gather large pieces of cardboard from a big box store. I then custom cut window inserts that slid between the window and the interior blinds that my RV has. They fit in place well and were held there by the interior blinds. I had to use tape for the 2 pieces that fit together for the windshield. I noticed a huge difference anytime I don't use them. Storage is easy - I slide them between the mattress and the bedframe in the back - it keeps them flat and in good shape for whenever I use them. Generally speaking I could sleep til 10:30 or 11 before getting too warm. Depending on the night I had before - I would either get up then or turn on the Gennie and AC and go back to sleep! I have a 20 year old RV that I picked up pretty cheap (considering) and I honestly sleep better on the playa than I do in the weeks leading up to departure!

[dragonpilot]

Check your local Dollar Store for reflective sun screens...they only cost...wait for it...a dollar. Using blue painter's tape, tape them to the inside of every window inside your vehicle that gets direct exposure to the sun. You should be able to do the taping so that the screens can be removed from time to time when the sun is on the opposite side so you can look out and also get the benefit of some cross ventilation when the dust isn't blowing too bad.

You will be glad for the slightly extra expense and time of doing this. When you're ready to depart, the screens are easy to remove and store for next time.

we do this but we do it on the OUTSIDE, not on the inside.

Doing it on the outside helps keep the dust out also, not that it matters.

I do it to the inside because I can then more easily take the reflective screens down when the sun is on the opposite side for better views and cross ventilation. I tape the outside window seams to minimize dust, but the windows can still be slid open for cross ventilation when conditions permit. Lots of folks prefer to do as Oneeye suggests...there are always trade-offs.

[Canoe]

One of the things I did was to gather large pieces of cardboard from a big box store. I then custom cut window inserts that slid between the window and the interior blinds that my RV has. They fit in place well and were held there by the interior blinds. ...

Sounds good.
That's what I did first with the silver bubble wrap. Then:

* Significant improvement when taped to seal air flow between the wrap and the window.

* Huge improvement when the silver bubble wrap extended to cover the black aluminum window frame. I cannot over emphasize how great a difference this makes. One morning, before placing the wrap over the frame, the black frame was so hot inside that after feeling the heat radiating onto my face, I burnt my finger checking just how hot it was.

* I would expect a meaningful improvement with silver metal duct tape taped onto the outside black window frames (as the sun light and IR waves from the air and ground would be reflected away and would not even be gathering heat to conduct to the interior). But I do not know if the adhesive would lift the finish on the frame if it was paint, or lift the paint on the exterior walls.

If your window frames are white or anodized silver, you're already good to go.

[TwoHott]

Silver bubble wrap rocks.

Last year I had good results covering the windows and frames from the outside using 3M 2" blue masking tape around ALL the edges. If you leave even a few inches open then the wind can get under and rip the whole thing off.

How did I get the tape to stick with all the dust? I cheated. I put it on while waiting in line to get in. I entertained some obviously virginal people who were wondering what the hell I was doing. They were afraid to ask but I know they wanted to.

Window priorities: 1) South 2) East 3) West. I prioritize East over West because sometimes I like to sleep in the morning until it gets two hott. I knew my orientation prior arrival (I'm setting myself up with that line) so I could cover the windows that transfer the most heat. My east facing wall has a large window that used to get so hot you couldn't touch the window frame. After applying the wrap it was no problem. Bought me another couple of hours of comofort each day. Worth it for sure.

[Rusted Iron]

I've used the same sheets of Mylar gift wrap that I bought from the party store about 8 years ago. The stuff is very hardy and reflects light and heat fairly well.