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11-08-2009, 04:31 AM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Livingston
Posts: 431
M.O.C. #9442
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Insulating Monty
One of the next projects we are going to tackle is providing better insulation to Monty. Some of the things we have done or will be doing are: we have ordered an 11' window awning to cover the two windows on the large slideout. We will be ordering a pull down shade for the exterior of the rear window. In our SOB's we had sunshade material snapped on the outside of the windows. That was a big help. We left them on even while travelling. We may do that again in addition to interior mods.
Questions:
1. We have noticed in the slideout overhead cabinets, when closed, a 15 degree heat/cold difference with the interior. We would like to insulate them. Has anyone done this? If so, what materials did you use? We have some ideas, but would like yours. Pictures would be great.
2. Do roller awnings over the top of slideouts make a difference?
We welcome any suggestions.
Thanks in advance, Dick and Sharon
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11-08-2009, 07:08 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dillon KOA
Posts: 1,291
M.O.C. #7445
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This is what I did to insulate against the cold, but it also insulated against the heat, too:
I did a half-baked job of adding some insulation to some of the cabinets in our 3585SA when we lived in it through a -40 to -50 degree Montana winter. I had some pieces of 1/2" insulating foam board left around from a building project, so I cut them to fit the backs of cabinets. I attached them using double-faced tape. This was a last-minute, hasty job, so the pieces weren't cut too neatly, but it didn't take long to get the stuff up and the insulation improvement was immediate. It also keeps the cabinets cooler in the summer.
If we are lucky enough to sell our house and get to move back into the Monty for winter again, I am going to measure and make templates for each cabinet that I insulate (and this time I'll insulate every outside wall cabinet, closet, etc.). I'm sure the insulation will work better when that foam fits tightly from top to bottom and side to side. It was an easy project.
There are no doubt more efficient and better insulation methods out there, but since I did mine myself, that foam board was the easiest material to work with, especially when it came to cutting and mounting it.
Carolyn
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11-08-2009, 08:43 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Ft. Smith
Posts: 981
M.O.C. #116
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What is your primary goal, keeping heat out or in?
Adding insulation increases heatsink mass which slows the heat transfer and lengthens heat radiation time. Using large heatsinks is one way stick houses are heated passively. Cabinets and closets are big heatsinks that radiate heat into the rig and back out the wall [in the evening]. It may be better to insulate the door, not the wall.
Adding shade reduces heat absorption/transfer by the units walls, windows and roof.
Adding reflective material can go either way, keeping heat in or out. [Use for insulating cabinet doors/bottoms?]
Adding a full skirt around the bottom of the rig may reduce heat transfer through the floor.
We added snapon window shades to reduce the amount of sunlight heating up the inside and it adds a bit if insulation to the windows reducing their heat transfer. We also have slide toppers which shade the tops of the slides. I don't know if these have modified the ambient inside temperatures or not, seems like it though. I'm not too concerned about keeping heat in because we don't normally live in the rig in very cold weather and it's hard to do.
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11-08-2009, 09:09 AM
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#4
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Livingston
Posts: 431
M.O.C. #9442
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Countryfolks
What is your primary goal, keeping heat out or in?
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Countryfolks, we are trying to keep heat out. We make it a point to avoid cold climates if we can. Like you, we liked the snap on shades on our previous SOB's and may go that route again in addition to trying to insulate the cabinets. We were thinking of putting foam board into the cabinets like Wayne and Carolyn did.
Dick and Sharon
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11-08-2009, 10:41 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Casa Grande
Posts: 5,369
M.O.C. #6333
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Dick and Sharon, we bought and installed the rear sunshade by Carefree and it works fine, and you can roll it up and down when you want. We also installed over the window roll out awnings for three of our windows, one over the ent ctr and the other two over the windows in the large LR slide. Seem to work pretty good in keeping the sun out, Of course, we don't do real heat anymore, not cold either......
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11-08-2009, 10:51 AM
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#6
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Livingston
Posts: 431
M.O.C. #9442
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by exav8tr
we bought and installed the rear sunshade by Carefree and it works fine
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Phil and Kathy, glad to hear you like the Carefree shade as that is the one we plan to order.
Dick and Sharon
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10-22-2010, 11:21 AM
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#7
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Crossville
Posts: 85
M.O.C. #2082
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Hey Countryfolks, I did a search on window shades and you were using just about what I had in mind for our Montana. We winter in Florida and the left rear and left side catch a goodly amount of sun and heats the interior up pretty good. Do you still use the snapons and if so where did you get it? We'd appreciate anything you can tell us about them. Thanks, Tom.
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Countryfolks
What is your primary goal, keeping heat out or in?
Adding insulation increases heatsink mass which slows the heat transfer and lengthens heat radiation time. Using large heatsinks is one way stick houses are heated passively. Cabinets and closets are big heatsinks that radiate heat into the rig and back out the wall [in the evening]. It may be better to insulate the door, not the wall.
Adding shade reduces heat absorption/transfer by the units walls, windows and roof.
Adding reflective material can go either way, keeping heat in or out. [Use for insulating cabinet doors/bottoms?]
Adding a full skirt around the bottom of the rig may reduce heat transfer through the floor.
We added snapon window shades to reduce the amount of sunlight heating up the inside and it adds a bit if insulation to the windows reducing their heat transfer. We also have slide toppers which shade the tops of the slides. I don't know if these have modified the ambient inside temperatures or not, seems like it though. I'm not too concerned about keeping heat in because we don't normally live in the rig in very cold weather and it's hard to do.
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10-22-2010, 01:40 PM
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#8
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Livingston
Posts: 431
M.O.C. #9442
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This post was back in November of 2009. Since then, we have added the 11' awning on the big slide and the Carefree shade on the back window. On our SOB, we added snap on shades that we purchased in Yuma, Arizona. There are 2-3 reputable dealers that make them there. Maybe Countryfolks will chime in with where they got theirs. We're still considering the foam board and have a couple of other ideas. If we come up with any new solutions, we'll post.
Dick and Sharon
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