Skylight Insulator Blanket Mod

[srvnt]

We were in Vegas recently and it was 117 degrees. We rolled in around 1 pm and the trailer had a hard time cooling down, finally getting to the low 70's by evening.I made insulation blankets for the windows last year, but not for the skylight in the shower. When we got home I made one for the skylight as well. When I say blanket I mean that silver bubble wrap stuff from HD, cut twice as wide and folded for double r value. I also tape the perimeter with packing tape. Without them we would have cooked!

[Bolo4u]

But, it could double as a solar oven!?


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[Alpine]

Very nice... liking the four hooks idea as well!

[busterbrown]

I think skylights and roof vents are the biggest source of climate control air loss for RVs. We bought 2 Camco insulator pillows for our 14 inch vents last year and use them on every summer trip. Much easier to cool our coach now.

If I had a skylight like yours, a sheet of 2" polystrand reflective foam board (cut to just a smidgen bigger than the opening) would be my choice. No worries of it falling down then.

[Johnny's Journey]

I also like that I'm not the only one who hate's being in the Hot Spot. I think I'd rather duck my head rather than becoming a cooked duck basting in the shower.

[JRTJH]

Heat gain from the shower skylight has always been a problem. Every trailer I've had with a skylight has produced an "oven in the bathroom" during hot, sunny weather. Long ago I did a mod that worked to still provide light in the bath while reducing the heat gain from the skylight.

The skylight is actually two plastic domes, one sealed to the outside of the roof and one that "nests" inside the roof dome. It is just screwed to the framework that makes the skylight. If you remove the inside dome (6 screws) it will come down easily. Once removed, you'll see that it's nothing more than a plastic dome. If you cut an appropriately sized piece of "non-skid shelf liner" (the kind with all the holes) and tape it to the top of that inside dome, it will stop the majority of the sunlight from coming into the trailer but still allow for a "shaded bit of light" to enter. It cuts down on the heat gain significantly and no longer is our shower "a solar oven". Additionally, there is no "impact on headroom" so you don't have to "duck while in the shower".

It's a simple 10 minute mod that works "all the time" to reduce the heat gain, diffuse the light and cool the interior of the trailer. The shelf liner comes in a variety of colors, I used a "off white" color to "sort of match the interior". I wouldn't suggest a dark color, it probably would absorb heat and nullify the purpose of the mod.

[canesfan]

John, once again an awesome "fix". Looks great. Moved to the top of my "to do " list.

The other ideas are good too, this one just "looks" so good.

Question - my skylight is pretty curved, wonder how you got it to lay so flat with no wrinkles?

[JRTJH]

Our skylight "dome" is also very rounded. I pulled the shelf liner down around the "rounded plastic dome" smoothed it out and held it in place with the fabric "duck tape". I used two pieces about 3" on each side and two pieces about 2" on each end. That was in 2013 when we bought the trailer. So far it's still "holding" and no wrinkles. Just play with it a little and I'm sure you can get a good result.

[Johnny's Journey]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

The skylight is actually two plastic domes, one sealed to the outside of the roof and one that "nests" inside the roof dome.

On it !

[mtlineman2010]

Think I will be looking into doing this one as well! I just came in from toying around in the rv. Finished the air conditioner mod of sealing the vents in the bedroom so it's no longer cooling the 4 or more feet of ductwork that deadends!

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[keyholeelf]

Due the summer heat I have been racking my brain for some kind of solution. The timing of this could not have been better. This goes right to the top of the list!!

[srvnt]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Heat gain from the shower skylight has always been a problem. Every trailer I've had with a skylight has produced an "oven in the bathroom" during hot, sunny weather. Long ago I did a mod that worked to still provide light in the bath while reducing the heat gain from the skylight.

The skylight is actually two plastic domes, one sealed to the outside of the roof and one that "nests" inside the roof dome. It is just screwed to the framework that makes the skylight. If you remove the inside dome (6 screws) it will come down easily. Once removed, you'll see that it's nothing more than a plastic dome. If you cut an appropriately sized piece of "non-skid shelf liner" (the kind with all the holes) and tape it to the top of that inside dome, it will stop the majority of the sunlight from coming into the trailer but still allow for a "shaded bit of light" to enter. It cuts down on the heat gain significantly and no longer is our shower "a solar oven". Additionally, there is no "impact on headroom" so you don't have to "duck while in the shower".

It's a simple 10 minute mod that works "all the time" to reduce the heat gain, diffuse the light and cool the interior of the trailer. The shelf liner comes in a variety of colors, I used a "off white" color to "sort of match the interior". I wouldn't suggest a dark color, it probably would absorb heat and nullify the purpose of the mod.

Very nice idea!

[srvnt]

Originally Posted by canesfan

John, once again an awesome "fix". Looks great. Moved to the top of my "to do " list.

The other ideas are good too, this one just "looks" so good.

Question - my skylight is pretty curved, wonder how you got it to lay so flat with no wrinkles?

The bubble wrap conforms pretty well even when its doubled over, also the hooks are holding it tight up against the window.

[srvnt]

I actually made this to be removable because its a bit like showering out in nature haha, and it's a nice night light sometimes.. The vapor space though between the two windows still gets pretty warm so maybe some reflective tint on the outside of the outside dome would help too if its not to curvy for the film. Also I'm cheap so I made it from left over material I had from when I made blankets for all the other windows.

[rcmike]

Originally Posted by srvnt

We were in Vegas recently and it was 117 degrees. We rolled in around 1 pm and the trailer had a hard time cooling down, finally getting to the low 70's by evening.I made insulation blankets for the windows last year, but not for the skylight in the shower. When we got home I made one for the skylight as well. When I say blanket I mean that silver bubble wrap stuff from HD, cut twice as wide and folded for double r value. I also tape the perimeter with packing tape. Without them we would have cooked!

Good idea, !!Thx