Replacing insulation

[ND10CentCan]

Removing all the mouse ridden insulation, we are wondering what kind of insulation that we can replace it with. Any suggestions?

[Jim & Susan]

Originally Posted by ND10CentCan

Removing all the mouse ridden insulation, we are wondering what kind of insulation that we can replace it with. Any suggestions?

There's a ton of arguments, I mean threads, here on that subject.

I used foil with about an inch of pink stuff over the top of that. I wish I had just used the pink stuff. The foil is a pain to install and more costly than the pink stuff. Zeppelinium, being an engineer, did some great testing on several types and the pink stuff actually came out ahead. Save your money and don't try to over-think it. Just put the same stuff Airstream used back in (new pink stuff, of course).

Now, go pop some pop corn and grab a beer. We may have just started another free-for-all.

Jim

[ND10CentCan]

If it is better and cheaper, we are all for that. I am trying not to add up what we have put into this baby so far and keep my mental health. Something that saves a little money and is better is going to be great in my mind. Thanks for the advice!

[rptradewind]

If you plan on heading south out of North Dakota into areas such as New Mexico, Arizona, Texas where sun can really get intense I would recommend including a foil insulation for its reflextive charicteristics. I found the foil to be easy to install and well worth it. I have used "Reflectix" on previous job but have gone to "Prodex" on present project. Prodex appears to be better product. Install the pink stuff over the foil insulation for it R value.

[ventport]

Doesn't the aluminum skin of the AS reflect like the foil? Would the foil help much when put under the Airstream's already reflective aluminum skin?

[Wabbiteer]

Doesn't the aluminum skin of the AS reflect like the foil

Very true - plus clean-bright aluminum radiates very little heat away in the infrared wavelengths (fluke of atomic molecule size) so...

No radiation, not much cooling outwards so once aluminum does heat up in direct sunshine it can reach 180° F easily and superheat the air on the backside just by convection.

Lets look at a volume of gas molecules - each atom is not the same heat energy wise, at any given time some appear colder than ambient and some warmer, its just an average we measure. The super hot ones bounce around trying to shed energy. That's where interior foil reflecting those extra hot ones come into play - not only stopping outside- in but inside-out heat transfer.

Also - they recommend the large air gap to allow those extra hot & fast molecules enough space they don't skip back and forth until that last time they do manage to transfer their heat energy.

[Splitrock]

I used aluminum bubble foil and layered it. In the floor, I layered the bubble foil over layered aluminum screen to keep the insulation off the bottom of the belly pan.

Gary

[scottwtalley]

I might have gone a little overboard with my insulation. I used bubble foil on the inside and outside with an inch or so of pink in the middle. Kind of like making a pillow for each of the openings. I sealed these with silver tape and oriented the seams so any moisture (leaks etc) would run down the outside and not be able to soak into the pink insulation (in theory). My hope is to keep the water off the pink insulation and the musty trailer smell out of the trailer from here on out. Under the sub floor I used 2" rigid insulation and attached it with both construction adhesive and long screws and very large washers throughout.

This certainly was a lot of effort, time and expense but considering how much time I'll spend on the rest of the project, I wanted to feel confident that I am eliminating one of the problems I inherited.

I tried to attach a picture but I guess it's not as straightforward as it is with an email. Sorry.

Scott

[scottwtalley]

I figured out how to attach pictures - One is of the insulation & the other is a recent photo of progress on the project.