Brassica
Snow belt
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I am imagining building fiber filled insulating blinds for cold weather. The blinds would have magnetic strips around the perimeter to attach to the window.
Steel is a better material for window frames than aluminum. Aluminum conducts heat very well and would suck the heat out of the trailer. That is why energy efficient double pane windows have steel spacers, not aluminum.
I am making long term plans. I don't own a trailer yet.
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donn0128
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Aluminum. No one uses steel. Too heavy.
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beemerphile1
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Aluminum like Donn said.
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ArcticDodge
Sammamish, WA
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Since you don't have a TT yet, why not get one with double pane windows from the get go?
You can use velcro to attach the blinds.
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Brassica
Snow belt
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Single pane windows are R-1 and double pane windows are R-2 to R-3. An inch of fiber insulation would be R-3.5, I estimate. So, I would probably buy double pane windows, then add blinds in front of it.
I am designing blinds that could be stuffed into a stuff sack and put away for the season. I know how cozy my fiber filled coats are!
Yes, I could put velcro strips all around the window.
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cm
Dillon, CO USA
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Have you ever researched a product called Warm Window for making the window covers?
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Brassica
Snow belt
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Thanks, cm. Warm Windows claims R-7.6 when combined with the single pane glass. The vapor barrier and metal film must give it the much better performance than mere fiber fill. http://www.warmcompany.com/wwtech.html
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Photog101
Garden City, Michigan
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I went to Home Depot and bought a roll of reflective insulation. I cut it to fit each window and roof vent. I use adhesive backed velcro around the edge of the insulation and just stick it to the cloth wall covering and fabric ceiling. Works well in winter and summer. I bought the 10' roll for the T/C and still had some left over.
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/building-ma........-double-reflective-insulation-20958.html
This stuff works so good that I did the windows and the garage door in the shop. I keep the thermostat turned down 10* from where I used to keep it while working in the winter.
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7.3 psdman
Northern Illinois
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I went to Menards and bought the 1/2" pink insulation board. it is made out of styrofoam. I cut the sides to fit snug and the length a few inches long. I used a coffee can to trace and mark and cut the top radii. I slip the pink board up inside the window frame and pull the day-night shades down over them. I haven't had one slip out of place yet. I only do the smaller windows 3'x4' and less. you can really tell the difference in the living room slide out and the bedroom when it gets below 40* outside. The whole trailer stays warmer and the furnace doesn't run as much. I just leave the big back window natural and don't feel any draft there because the big windows are a good source of light and something to look out of. It is easy to find square pieces of foam rubber that fit in the ceiling vents and they stay up very well if they are a little oversized.
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westend
all over
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7.3 psdman wrote:I went to Menards and bought the 1/2" pink insulation board. it is made out of styrofoam. I cut the sides to fit snug and the length a few inches long. I used a coffee can to trace and mark and cut the top radii. I slip the pink board up inside the window frame and pull the day-night shades down over them. I haven't had one slip out of place yet. I only do the smaller windows 3'x4' and less. you can really tell the difference in the living room slide out and the bedroom when it gets below 40* outside. The whole trailer stays warmer and the furnace doesn't run as much. I just leave the big back window natural and don't feel any draft there because the big windows are a good source of light and something to look out of. It is easy to find square pieces of foam rubber that fit in the ceiling vents and they stay up very well if they are a little oversized. I've done this method, also, albeit with thicker extruded polystyrene. It does work well.
The above mentioned insulation products, the "warm window" and Reflectix certainly help but in the manner of insulation it's impossible to overcome physics. That's why extruded polysyrene is a better solution, it has more captured air per material-inch and the heat transfer is less. The most effective aspect of the "warm window" product is the polyethelene vapor barrier that, if used with the Mfg's sealing method, creates a dead air space. The same is true with Reflectix. The materials used in either product have very little to do with actual insulation value.
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