One in every of my least favourite components of van life is being too sizzling in my van whereas sleeping, working, or worrying about leaving my canines within the van whereas I run errands.
I don’t have a roof high AC unit, which implies I’ve needed to discover different options to maintain cool through the scorching summer season months by doing a mix of issues like utilizing window covers, cooking exterior, operating my followers, and planning my travels rigorously.
Should you’re like me with out air con in your van, these 13 suggestions gives you some concepts on cool off in your van on even the most well liked summer season days.
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1. Go to coastal or high-elevation areas
Though you’ll have all the time needed to go to Arizona, the center of summer season might be not the most effective time. When you might have the selection, go to cooler areas alongside the ocean or at excessive elevations through the summer season.
I deliberately plan my route every summer season to keep away from burning sizzling climates. I’ve discovered by trial and error that my greatest guess for summer season journey is to go excessive elevation mountainous areas or stick alongside the coast. You gained’t catch me wherever close to the desert or particularly sizzling and humid areas from late Could to early September.
Even for those who can’t journey to the mountains or the ocean, tenting close to a physique of climate like a lake or river can have the same cooling impact on the realm. You may as well get out on the water on a paddleboard, tube, or kayak.
Pay shut consideration to climate alerts for areas you propose to go to and keep away from locations with excessive warmth warnings or advisories. I like to recommend staying versatile through the summer season and adjusting your journey plans earlier than discovering your self in an disagreeable scenario.
2. Park strategically
One easy factor I do to remain cool in my van is to park in areas with shade protection each time attainable. Parking my van within the shade might help cut back the inside temperature by 15-20 levels Fahrenheit.
Generally I’ve to park in direct daylight if I would like solar energy from panels on high of my van. On this case, I attempt to place my van strategically once I park so the slider door faces away from the solar.
When attainable, camp on gravel or filth within the sizzling summer season months versus paved spots at campgrounds or parking tons. Concrete and asphalt take up warmth, that means you’ll probably be hotter inside your van.
3. Insulate your van
Insulation doesn’t simply hold your van heat within the cooler months – it additionally retains your van cool within the hotter months! After all, you most likely insulated your van through the constructing stage (or bought your van with insulation from an expert conversion firm). You will have 3M Thinsulate (like my Sprinter van) or wool – each are fashionable and efficient supplies to insulate vans.
You possibly can insulate your van additional with blackout curtains, shades, or reflective window covers. These can mirror the solar and hold the within cool. A number of firms design velcro, snap, magnetic, or stick-on suction window covers for every window of your van, or for those who’re artful, you may make them your self.
I’ve insulating window shades from Exterior Van to place over the entrance, driver, and passenger home windows, in addition to the home windows in my dwelling house. As quickly as I park at my campsite for the night time, I cling up the window covers within the cab space for added insulation. I additionally like them as a result of they supply privateness at my campsite within the evenings and hold out the brilliant morning solar.
4. Use followers
Spend money on some high quality followers to enhance airflow and circulation in your van. These permit cool air to stream into your van whereas sucking out the recent air.
On the roof of your van, you possibly can set up a 12-volt fan that requires a small quantity of energy (like MaxxAir or Fan-tastic Fan).
Since I don’t have an AC unit in my van, I depend on my two MaxxAir followers for airflow. I’ve one close to the slider door above the galley and the opposite above the mattress, and I can’t imagine how massive of a distinction they make in cooling down my van and sustaining a snug temperature.
A less expensive various is transportable followers, which give extra direct airflow inside your van. Even small, battery-powered followers could make a considerable distinction subsequent to a cracked window. In case you are visiting a dry space, dip a skinny fabric in water and drape it over the fan to create a DIY “air conditioner”!
With two followers, you possibly can cool your house much more effectively and set one fan to tug air in whereas the opposite pushes air out. You may as well crack open a window to extend the circulation and cooling (as defined within the tip under).
5. Open home windows and doorways
You possibly can benefit from the sounds of nature and create cross air flow in your van by leaving doorways and home windows open. This works properly in case your home windows have screens to forestall bugs from getting inside.
On Sprinter vans, the manufacturing facility home windows don’t open or vent. Exterior Van changed the entrance facet manufacturing facility home windows in my Sprinter van conversion with CR Laurence Home windows.
These home windows can pop open to assist hold my house cool on sizzling days. I even have small slider home windows on each side of the mattress that vent.
You should purchase bug screens to go away your slider and again doorways open with out fretting about bugs flying in your van. Though chances are you’ll assume opening these doorways gained’t make a lot of a distinction on a sizzling day, they will present significantly better airflow when your van is stationary.
6. Keep hydrated
If I’m feeling sizzling in my van, I attain for my water bottle and proceed to hydrate all through the day. When attainable, I’ll add ice or chill my water bottle within the fridge earlier than consuming it.
This might help your physique quiet down whereas making certain you don’t expertise dehydration. At night time, hold your water bottle inside attain of your mattress so you possibly can proceed to take sips as wanted.
7. Get out of your van
Keep away from spending time in your van through the hottest components of the day. Should you should be inside your van, don’t hang around longer than essential.
Go exterior within the shade. After I’m tenting close to a water supply, I’ll spend the most well liked a part of the day within the water.
I additionally contemplate visiting a public place like a library, espresso store, or restaurant on days it’s too sizzling to be exterior. When you’ve got a canine (like me) or one other pet, discover a pet-friendly place to carry them alongside, too.
8. Gown comfortably
You may as well hold cool by carrying mild and breathable clothes. On sizzling days, ditch the suffocating cotton shirts and attain for garments made with polyester, spandex, or different sweat-wicking materials.
I additionally wish to put my hair as much as get it off my neck on sizzling days. I keep away from carrying socks and stroll round barefoot inside my van to maintain my ft from getting too sweaty.
9. Use an awning
When situations permit, I exploit an awning or shade construction to get extra shade close to my van. This additionally gives a cooler exterior house the place I can arrange a chair to calm down with a chilly drink or work remotely with out sweating.
Should you don’t have an awning to your van, contemplate investing in a single that may stand up to repeated use. They connect to your roof rack or the facet of your van, usually over the facet with the sliding door. Bear in mind to not use it if it’s too windy exterior as they will snap and break simply.
The Moonshade awning is a good transportable possibility that you should use at festivals and sunny campsites. It’s light-weight, compact, and straightforward to arrange. You possibly can learn extra about it in my Moonshade awning evaluate.
10. Take a cool bathe or go for a swim
In case your van has an inside bathe or exterior spray station, contemplate taking a chilly bathe to chill down your physique. Even when I don’t need to take an entire bathe, getting my hair moist earlier than going to mattress on a sizzling night time might help me really feel cool sufficient to go to sleep.
You may as well use public showers or bounce in a pure physique of water to chill down. These are handy when you might have the choice as a result of they will let you preserve water in your van.
11. Alter your sleeping situations
You can also make some easy modifications to your mattress to make it really feel cooler for sleeping. One concept is to buy breathable bedding or a conveyable fan to level straight at you when you sleep.
Most not too long ago Ryan and I removed our high sheet to cut back the quantity of covers we sleep underneath in our van.
You may as well get a cooling gel-infused pad for the highest of your mattress to assist your physique keep cool at night time.
12. Prepare dinner exterior
Utilizing your induction or propane range inside your van on a sizzling day emits extra warmth into your dwelling space. If attainable, prepare dinner exterior with a conveyable camp range or over a hearth.
I exploit the Eureka Ignite Plus. It has a push-button ignite (which is tremendous handy), plus a sturdy design with massive burners that may accommodate my larger pans.
Don’t really feel like cooking? Relying in your proximity to city, a sizzling day is perhaps a superb excuse to seize a meal at an area restaurant with air-conditioning.
13. Set up an air conditioner
Should you’ve tried the following tips and nonetheless really feel unbearably sizzling in your van, contemplate putting in an air con unit. A 12-volt AC unit cools your house even when the van isn’t operating. The trade-off is that it requires a considerable amount of cash and energy.
Should you set up an AC unit, you need to additionally spend money on a generator, a sturdy energy system, or stick round campsites with shore energy. You gained’t be capable of run the air conditioner nonstop, however you possibly can run it for a couple of hours to chill down your house to a nice temperature.
Whereas I didn’t set up an AC unit in my newest Sprinter Van, if I had been going to construct out one other camper, I’d positively contemplate it, particularly now that my son must nap in the midst of the day. An AC can also be good if in case you have pets and need to do actions that they will’t all the time be part of you on.
A transportable AC possibility is the Zero Breeze Mark 2 AC, a conveyable air conditioner designed for compact areas. It runs for 3-5 hours on a single cost or can be utilized with a 24-volt battery provide.
In comparison with different air conditioners, the Zero Breeze Mark 2 makes use of solely one-fifth of the facility (240 watts). It may possibly drop the temperature by 30 levels Fahrenheit in 10 minutes. It does have to be vented to the surface of your van, but it surely doesn’t require everlasting set up like a rooftop AC. I received to strive it on the Overland Expo, and I used to be impressed with how efficient it was.
Regularly Requested Questions
If you wish to depart your canine within the van to run an errand and fear about them getting too sizzling, it’s necessary to chill down your van (and hold it cool) when you’re gone. Crank the car’s AC so the ambient temperature begins off as cool as attainable earlier than you allow them in there. Then run the followers on max and crank the home windows.
Along with following the tips about this checklist, you may also get a cooling mat or damp towels to your canine to put on, which might help decrease their physique temperature. Should you aren’t in a position to do that, you would put frozen water bottles or ice packs wrapped in towels to your canine to lean towards.
Lastly guarantee they’ve loads of water, and keep away from leaving them alone within the hottest components of the day. Additionally they make RV temperature screens so you possibly can observe the temp in your van when you’re away for those who’re nervous about your canine turning into too heat. For extra suggestions, go to my put up on van life with canines.
There are numerous issues you are able to do to maintain your camper van cool through the day when temperatures are at their highest and the solar is out in full pressure. A number of of my most important suggestions are to make use of reflective window covers to dam out the solar, park within the shade, insulate your van, and activate followers whereas the home windows are open to enhance air flow. By doing these, your van ought to keep cool through the day!
Ceiling followers and window screens can work collectively to enhance airflow and circulation in your van. When you’ve got two ceiling vans, you possibly can set one to tug air in and the opposite to push air out. Hold the home windows all the best way open and set up screens to maintain bugs out. I’ve discovered that the mixture of followers and home windows retains the inside of my van comfy typically, which is why I’ve by no means wanted air con!
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How do you keep cool in your van? Add your greatest tip to beat the warmth within the feedback under.