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06-25-2017, 08:19 AM
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#1
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Caravanner
Don Pedro Island
, Florida
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 612
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Insulation General Question
OK I understand the reason for insulation on the shell. That is something you can really feel the difference on.
Now the floor part has so many pros and cons that you could read forever and get analysis paralysis ...
The question is??? if you are only doing summertime and maybe fall camping. Is insulation worth putting in the floor. Isn't wood 3/4 inch ply a good insulation factor by it self. Plus you do have a dead air space. And lets face it if you use a 1 inch air barrier ...this leaves you only 3 inches of insulation in a older as frame.
What am I missing??
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06-25-2017, 03:27 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1991 25' Excella
2011 19' Flying Cloud
Santa Ynez
, California
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,185
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If you google R value you will get plenty of info including tables with values for different materials, 3/4" plywood is not very high.
__________________
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
Will Rogers
Alan
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06-25-2017, 04:14 PM
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#3
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Half a Rivet Short
2017 30' Classic
2022 Interstate 24X
Carlisle
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 15,674
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Hi
The (obvious) problem with insulating a floor is that the insulation needs to support weight. That limits the options. The floor (also obviously) is not out in the sun in the summer. That helps you "get away" with a bit.
I'd argue that for most of the the fall and spring, insulation is not a big deal. It depends on how cold you are willing to have it at night.
Some really simple math: A bit less than 1/4 the surface of the trailer is floor. Heat transfer through a horizontal surface like a floor (not a ceiling) is less than any other surface on the trailer. That's just the way convection happens to work. You can dig into all the math. If you have a year or two, you can do a pretty good software model of what will happen in this or that situation. That sounds a lot like work ....
Bob
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06-25-2017, 05:37 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1960 28' Ambassador
Vintage Kin Owner
1998 25' Safari
Avonton
, Ontario
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,331
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If you don't put insulation in the floor, what are all the mice and rodents going to live in?
__________________
Doug & Terry
VAC - TAC ON-1
60 Ambassador Int.
1950 Spartan
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06-25-2017, 07:32 PM
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#5
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3 Rivet Member
1971 27' Overlander
Jackson
, Tennessee
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 166
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Also consider what type of finish flooring material you choose; my cork floor never feels cold...
Alan
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06-26-2017, 06:23 AM
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#6
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Caravanner
Don Pedro Island
, Florida
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 612
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shacksman
If you don't put insulation in the floor, what are all the mice and rodents going to live in?
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My thoughts exactly...would you rather live in a nice cushy nest or go commando
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06-26-2017, 06:52 AM
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#7
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Half a Rivet Short
2017 30' Classic
2022 Interstate 24X
Carlisle
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 15,674
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TennTex
Also consider what type of finish flooring material you choose; my cork floor never feels cold...
Alan
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Hi
That may have been one of the drivers that got them using carpet "back in the day".
Bob
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06-26-2017, 08:07 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1973 21' Globetrotter
Houston
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,314
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I put about 1.5" of foam board on the bottom of my floor, held in place by spray adhesive and long screws with big plastic washers. I put a layer of shiny bubble wrap as the final downward looking layer just for psychological effect. This will get me the same R valuse as the rest of my shell, if not better. Now, this was easy to do as I was doing the insulation work with the frame and shell separated, and the frame flipped upside down. Don't think I would want to do all this fitting of cut pieces of foam while lying on my back.
Now, one could argue that insulation under the floor is all psychological, as I have a large FW tank, and two grey water tanks that precluded me from putting much insulation in 4 bays under the floor. I carry my spare tire under the front of the trailer as well, so no 1.5" thick layer of insulation there either. It is akin to worrying about the insulation in the shell, when you have big single-paned windows all over the place.
good luck!
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06-26-2017, 08:16 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1972 31' Sovereign
Lexington
, Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,982
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No insulation under our floors, and we are also summer and fall campers. We do have floating cork floors that keep our floors nice and even temperature like TennTex.
Kay
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