To tint or not to tint. That's the question.

[Justjanie56]

We have a 2012 International Serenity & even with 2 ac units on top, it gets hot in the south! I've just recently added thermal liners (using Velcro for easy removal) to our very thin curtains but our big side windows only have roller shades & these get very hot. Should we attempt to remove the screens & add window tint film or is there a better solution? I'm wondering if removing the screens & reinstalling will cause problems down the road. All suggestions welcomed! Thanks.

[Vycan]

You can get a 'Low-E' tint at about 5% shading, almost completely unnoticeable. The 'Low-E' will reduce the energy transfer. It's worth a shot.

[Justjanie56]

For inside window or outside window?

[r carl]

Originally Posted by Justjanie56

We have a 2012 International Serenity & even with 2 ac units on top, it gets hot in the south! I've just recently added thermal liners (using Velcro for easy removal) to our very thin curtains but our big side windows only have roller shades & these get very hot. Should we attempt to remove the screens & add window tint film or is there a better solution? I'm wondering if removing the screens & reinstalling will cause problems down the road. All suggestions welcomed! Thanks.

Try to always park under a tree to get the shade.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by r carl

Try to always park under a tree to get the shade.

Excellent advice. The rooftop air conditioner will also be more efficient if the coils are in the shade.

But low-emissivity (low-e) film is also a very good idea. One caveat: Put the low-e film on the OUTSIDE of the glass to keep heat out. Low-e film gets hot to the touch when it blocks heat transfer, so if it's inside, it doesn't help as much.

[Phoenix]

In a thread a year or two ago, a military contractor lived in his Airstream at a remote site at a military base in the desert southwest. He made cutouts from "sheathing" used in home construction, to fit in all of his windows and vents. Not sure, but he may have also covered some of the walls. Perhaps, he will see this thread and provide more details on how well this worked.

Sheathing is a relatively inexpensive, styrofoam sheet with a white plastic sheet laminated to one side and aluminum foil on the other. It comes in 4x8 foot sheets that (I think) are either 3/4- or 1-inch thick. They can be easily cut with a serrated knife or electric carving knife, although it is kind of messy; because the little styrofoam chips go all over the place, and they are charged with static electricity and cling to everything.

This extra insulation helps quite a bit, because a lot of the summer heat gain is through the windows. Unfortunately, this will also turn your Airstream into a dark cave; so you will have to decide if being cool is worth sitting in the dark all day.

[tsunami]

I purchased several of the solar windshield shades (silver bubble pack material) and cut them out to the shapes of the windows. I used small round double stick clear velcro dots to attached them to he outside edge of the window frame. For the roof portals, I placed the solar shares next to the glass and then closed the pleated shade over them. Cost effective and works very well. Takes very little storage when not in use.

[Justjanie56]

So much good advice! Thank you y'all so much.