The Rolling Steel Tent is pretty well insulated. Two-and-a-quarter inches of foam board in the roof, an inch-and-a-half in the walls. That usually results in a ten to fifteen degree difference from the outside temperature.
However, in cooler seasons, like autumn, when I’m glad the sun is up and warming things, the Rolling Steel Tent wants to maintain its lower overnight temperature.
In the summer, when the insulation makes a 90 degree day a slightly more tolerable 80 degrees, it wants to hold onto that 80 degrees into the night when the outside temperature is much more pleasant.
This is why Jason Odom, author of Vanabode, is against insulation. The van takes longer to warm up and cool down. True, but insulation also helps keep things warmer and cooler when I want it to. So it’s a tradeoff. And there are solutions. I can turn on some heat or go outside on mornings like today. I can sleep with the windows and door open on summer nights. Or, in the spirit of living closer to nature, I can just tough it out.
I don't have insulation in my van because I'm to lazy to mess with it.
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for someone to convince me that I need it.
It does take time to put it in and do the job correctly. No instant gratification unless you hire someone else to do the labor.
DeleteI think opening a window and door tends to quickly solve such an issue. The more important issue is holding in heat during a long cold night or keeping heat out during a long hot day. The few minutes of time it takes to equalize the ambient temperature does not even amount to a nuisance level chore.
ReplyDeleteHowever if someone is not willing to take the time to create an adequate moisture barrier then they should not do insulation. Constant moisture behind the walls creates health issues for the vehicle and the occupant.
Two things: The more stuff you have in your rig, the longer it takes to equalize the temperature, because all that mass is also at whatever temperature you start with. As far as moisture goes, it's not really a problem in the arid regions I tend to stick to.
DeleteIt was 65 and sunny and my imagination had me going places and enjoying my mental experiences! It was good.
ReplyDelete