6 Ways to Use Reflective Insulation in RVs

June 22, 2022

Summer is the perfect season to break out your RVs and campers and hop on the road for a much needed trip or vacation. You can go almost anywhere in these vehicles: to the beach, to the mountains, or even the cities if you feel like it! But at night, your camper can get hot and sticky without any insulation of sorts to keep you cool while you sleep. And let's be honest, no one wants to sleep in a swampy camper!

Insulating your RV with reflective foil insulation can do wonders in keeping the temperature nice and comfortable inside your vehicle. If you already have AC working, using insulation can help reflect radiant heat from penetrating weak spots like windows and vents from warming up your camper, causing your unit to run a lot more.

Installing reflective foil insulation is an easy DIY project that's cost-effective and saves you more in the long haul. You'll want to make sure you have enough insulation to use depending on the make of your RV or camper. Before starting, measure out how much space you'll need to cover; different RVs will have different sizes for things like windows, doors, vents, etc.

Here are some ways to use reflective foil insulation in your RV to beat the heat and stay cool for your next road trip.

6 Ways to Use Reflective Insulation in RVs

Add a reflective insulation to your windshield
We see this a lot. People will place insulation over their windshields to prevent the sun from warming up their vehicles to ungodly hot temperatures. And it works! So why not do the same to your RV?

Place double bubble foil insulation in an RV to cover the windshield. This will cut down on the largest source of heat by reflecting the sun's rays. Some RV windshields cover a lot of surface area, meaning more exposure to this type of heat. Again, you'll want to accommodate for this size by making sure you have enough foil insulation to work with.
Add it to windows
You can also use reflective insulation on all other single pane windows. Sealing up these areas where radiant heat can get through will maintain your camper's internal temperature much more.

Cut your reflective foil insulation to the right-sized pieces and place them in your windows. As always, make sure to use insulation tape if you want to keep these pieces in place.
Add to cabinets & closets
This is an easy way to increase the efficiency of your camper without having to tear it apart. The outside of your camper can get real hot, and with no insulation separating interior material, like cabinets, from the outside, conductive heat can come through and make your RV seriously warm.

By creating another barrier with this insulation, you can prevent this from happening. Single bubble foil is designed for installations like these where you can't afford to waste valuable space. If you want a more decorative look, you can choose to use white reflective insulation. This has a UV coating to prevent deterioration and will brighten up the inside of your camper.
Add to roof vents, skylights & bath fans
In cases of extreme heat, where you'll want to go easier on your AC unit, you can use double foil insulation to reflect heat away from places like roof vents, sky lights, and bath fans. Air can easily escape out of these overlooked places, so make sure you don't forget about them when installing foil insulation.

You can also use magnet vent covers to prevent air from escaping your RV. These products are a no-hassle, easy installation that can be removed at any time.
Use Double Bubble to pop-up campers
EcoFoil® can also be used as pop-up camper insulation. Simply install your reflective insulation on bunk ends and under mattresses.

Heat loss is a concern when you are camping in extreme cold temperatures. Beds that are part of a slide-out or that have storage beneath them are vulnerable to heat loss. You can minimize this by adding double bubble insulation beneath your mattress.
Add to your remodel
Are you remodeling an older camper? Make sure you're adding insulation to it! You'll be one step ahead by putting double bubble foil insulation into your RV immediately.

You can also use solid radiant barrier to reflect heat and act as a vapor barrier when bringing an older camper back to life. Why buy new when you can recycle!