Sun Screen

[Bob Landry]

Labor Day weekend in Central Texas was a killer. The trailer did well until the 5:00 sun hit directly on the rear picture window and it was like an oven in the trailer until the sun went down. That got me to looking at sunshades and covers. I need something to block heat from the rear window. An awning isn't good because it only works when the sun is directly behind the trailer and there's no guarantee that will happen all the time.

I've done all I can do with the AC and ductwork so I'm down to two choices unless someone has another idea. One is window tint film. The quotes I got locally are around $6/sq ft. That could run up pretty quick unless I do it myself. Another option is a pull down shade on the back of the trailer. Carefree makes one that looks like it wouldn't break the bank. I don't care a all about the light transmission. My only purpose is to block the heat from the sun.

I would like to hear from anyone who has actually experience here and has obtained satisfactory results.

[JRTJH]

I can't find the size package we bought, but this is the sun block screen I attached to the big back window in our Springdale.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Phifer-48...tore/100618138

I cut the screen to fit the window curves from side to side and from top to the point where the window opens. I also bought a roll of 1" sticky back velcro, cut it to fit the aluminum frame of the back window (outside) and put the hooks on the window frame, attached the fuzzy part to the screen. We were in Witicha, KS. well over 100 F when I decided I had to do something. The trailer was in the high 80's inside. After putting the screen on that big window, it was in the mid 70's inside. Even with pulling the inside curtain, the heat would just stream in. With the sunblock in place, we could actually sit in the chairs in front of the window.

From the outside, after you get away from the RV several yards, the screen, which is black, isn't really noticable. We removed it for travel and made it a part of the setup to install at every stop.

If I remember correctly, HD had it in 60" x 10' rolls for about $25.

[TomHaycraft]

Bob, what park were you at Labor Day weekend? Wife, dog and I were at Lost Maples State Park. I had my choice of sites, chose one where rear of trailer pointed east. But yes, those were hot days. A/C ran non-stop from noon until 9pm, set at 80 degrees. We spent a lot of time on the trails, found shade and hoped for the next puff of wind.

I liked JRTJH's recommendation for the sun screen, will add that to my list of future upgrades!

[Bob Landry]

We were at Jim Hogg Park on Lake Georgetown.

[Javi]

Bob, are the windows on your trailer not already tinted? The windows including the rear picture window of our Passport or tinted fairly heavily, in fact if you're standing outside within 2 feet you would be hard pressed to see inside during the day. Plus we have thick night shades that block a lot of heat, they came with the trailer.

[Bob Landry]

No, my Outback did not come with tinted windows.

[Javi]

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

No, my Outback did not come with tinted windows.

Amazing how one trailer varies from another in the same line, you'd think that since the windows must be tempered that it wouldn't be a big deal to have them all tinted. And if you tint some why not all.

I think the best money you could spend would be having the windows tinted and getting some of the day/night blinds if you don't already have them.

[Bob Landry]

I called a couple of tint shops some time back, and the quote almost all of them gave me was $6/sq. ft. Ouch. There has to be a better way. So far, the permanent outside screen seems to be the best value and I like that when you need it, you simply pull it down. Still looking. I may have to put it on the back burner. I was backing my trailer into toe storage spot Sunday, and DW wasn't watching as close as she should have been and I bent up the retractable awning. Close to $1000 to replace it. Ouch again.

[mobile42]

Me and my DW where in Phoenix Arizona the 1st week in August (this year) where the temperature was averaging 106-109 degrees during day. Prior to our trip I purchase a couple rolls of Radiant Barrier Insulation from Home Depot and carefully trim and fit most of my 5th wheel windows with this stuff and was held in place by closing the day & night shades over them. It really help because when we where out and about and would finally returned to the 5th wheel, the digital wall thermostat would be showing 74-76 degrees each day we were there. Of course, I was plugged in to 50 amp service (using both AC's) and also use a tower fan to pull the cool air from the bedroom into the rest of the trailer. My DW says, "Aw, it's nice in here. Boy you got this down don't you" It wasn't important to us that we weren't able to look out those windows anyway but they're easy to remove if needed. I rather be comfortable than miserable anytime!


http://www.homedepot.com/p/Enerflex-...6#.Ui1qBunnaAY

[gearhead]

Bob, when we were picking up the new Cougar 5er at Holiday World in Houston they had a new trailer on the lot with solar screens on all the windows. Sales rep said they could fit those to ours if we wanted. We declined.
I'm thinking I may take that on as a project next spring.

[Bob Landry]

I just had a long conversation with a guy at Suntex. That's the solar screen material that HD sells. He was saying that the Super Solar blocks 90% of the heat from the sun. That sounds a little aggressive to me, but then he IS a salesman. My thought is to cut it to fit the window and attach it with velcro instead of trying to frame it and that lets me roll it up for storage. I figured I can try it and if it doesn't work, it didn't break the bank. If it does, then it's cheap enough to put it on all of the windows and I get yet one more tsp to do when I'm setting up.

We don't do that much hot weather camping but it's nice to be able to if we choose. Because we do so little of it, I'm hesitant to spend a lot of $$$ doing this, so we'll see what happens. I think havin solar screens made would be cost prohibitive, and at $6 a Sq. Ft, I've pretty much ruled out having it tinted.

[Bob Landry]

Originally Posted by gearhead

Bob, when we were picking up the new Cougar 5er at Holiday World in Houston they had a new trailer on the lot with solar screens on all the windows. Sales rep said they could fit those to ours if we wanted. We declined.
I'm thinking I may take that on as a project next spring.

I can only shudder and think what a dealer would charge to do those. I don't take my trailer in unless it's just something that I absolutely can figure out and that doesn't happen much.

[JRTJH]

I covered only the big back window on our Springdale and last year in North Carolina, in 100* weather, we saw at least a 10* drop in inside temps with the A/C running. It went from the mid/high 80's inside to the mid 70's in the afternoon when the sun was streaming in that window.

The Velcro worked to keep it on the window, but I wouldn't trust it to hold when towing. I thought that if we would have kept that RV, I was going to sew the Velcro to the sunscreen rather than just trust the "stickyback" as it does slip a little sitting in the sun in a vertical position pulling down slightly.

The salesman's claim of blocking 90% is, I think, a stretch, but it does cut down on the heat significantly, I'd say probably 50% ?? and it stops all the glare, only the filtered light comes through.

[Bob Landry]

I wouldn't even think of towing with it on. That's why I'm looking for something flexible that can be rolled up and stored while traveling.

[JRTJH]

We took ours off, rolled it up and stored it in the sofa base during travel. Worked great and only took a minute or two to install on those hot trips.

[Jewels]

QUOTE=Bob Landry;95374]I just had a long conversation with a guy at Suntex. That's the solar screen material that HD sells. He was saying that the Super Solar blocks 90% of the heat from the sun. That sounds a little aggressive to me, but then he IS a salesman. My thought is to cut it to fit the window and attach it with velcro instead of trying to frame it and that lets me roll it up for storage. I figured I can try it and if it doesn't work, it didn't break the bank. If it does, then it's cheap enough to put it on all of the windows and I get yet one more tsp to do when I'm setting up.

We don't do that much hot weather camping but it's nice to be able to if we choose. Because we do so little of it, I'm hesitant to spend a lot of $$$ doing this, so we'll see what happens. I think havin solar screens made would be cost prohibitive, and at $6 a Sq. Ft, I've pretty much ruled out having it tinted.[/QUOTE]


Has anyone tried this product/system?

http://www.ezsnapdirect.com/ez-snap-shade-screen

I was going to give it a try on all windows except the back, where I am going with the roller shade. We winter in Florida, and last year on the sun side of our MH the sun destroyed the cords on the day/night shades. Trying to keep that from happening as well as something that allows you to see out.

JewelsinMo

[mobile42]

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

I wouldn't even think of towing with it on. That's why I'm looking for something flexible that can be rolled up and stored while traveling.

Bob, this stuff from Home Depot works. It's easy to remove from the windows and just rolls right up!

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Enerflex-...6#.Ui1qBunnaAY

[Bob Landry]

i just ordered my screen material and fasteners. I went with the Suntex 90 and the EZ Snap fasteners. The EZSnap screen was three times the price of the Suntex stuff and after comparing samples from both companies, I could not see any difference. In fact, the cheaper Suntex material appears to be a tighter weave than the EZSnap screen. I called Velco to inquire about the appropriate product to attach it with, and was told that constant exposure to the sun and moisture would weaken the adhesive, so I went with the EZSnap fasteners.
Total for everything needed to cover all eleven windows on my trail was around $250, slightly more than the cost of a single roll up shade for the rear window. I see a weekend project in the making.

[danimal]

I guess that we are the lucky ones. We camp here in Florida during the hot summers with 95+ temps and 90%+ humidity every day and we never have a problem cooling the trailer. 3 of the windows are very large but we do have a small trailer and that may be the difference.

[Robby9]

That suntex is great stuff. I used it for sunscreen material on the kids' playset/fort. 4 years of hot Oklahoma sun and multiple hailstorms and the material still looks new.