Insulation Products

[luvrbus]

You can buy the kits from www.bestmaterials.com it will vary in price and coverage fwiw

[robertglines1]

one way.  put blue insulation cut to fit between wall frame work as thick as framing . seal all voids with great stuff(foam in can) next step use foil bubble type roll insulation over all surfaces(include frame) the purpose of the over frame is thermal break.. Stops transfer through steel frame work to inside. Think how a toaster wire works. next step fasten luan/thin plywood over foil and screw into framework. Suggest large head screws used to fasten plywood to steel studs. They are self drilling..  Cover end result with finish of your choice.  Get a IF gun from  Harbor freight=it will show you where the heat/cold is getting thru to inside.  I shot my ribs in the sun and they were 40 degrees hotter than insulated space between ribs. Hence they decision to have a thermal break/insulation over the ribs also. Afterwards there was very little difference. There is just the 2 of us so we decided to use upholstery on the wall and marine vinyl on roof.  We put quilt batting under material.  Also  acts as a sound deader and additional insulation.  will try to post a couple pictures.. Bob

[robertglines1]

one more of couch and wall covering in slide.

[mikke60]

Just to clarify , I had it done by a professional company.

[Seangie]

use foil bubble type roll insulation over all surfaces(include frame) the purpose of the over frame is thermal break.. Stops transfer through steel frame work to inside.

I second this -  before we redid our walls the heat came right through the frame to the wood and it would get pretty hot.  When we rebuilt the walls we covered them with reflectix to keep the heat from passing through and it works great.  No heat transfer.  Makes no sense to insulate your walls and then screw the inside wall panel right to the Frame.

-Sean

[georgemci102a2]

When we insulated my bus, we came across alot of blue board insulation left over from a contractor for free.I then went to home depot and or lowes and picked up some of that spray can insulation and painted the exterior walls with it (not easy)spread it with a scraper and ya will get the hang of it after a bit.(totally took the heat off the exterior surfaces) then cut the blue board and installed and filled in the cracks with the same spray can insulation.....  ....George

[luvrbus]

It's best to use the orange with the foil backing if you can afford it

[Oonrahnjay]

It's best to use the orange with the foil backing if you can afford it

    I've never seen stuff like that.  Is this a foam, like pink board, Clifford?  Sounds like good stuff - where do you get it?   Thanks.

[adamhere]

     First coach and first post.
I was planning on going the foam board and then foil bubble wrap route, using spray can foam to get the tight spaces. I saw a product called Prodex Total Insulation :Seals around nails (no leak) : Reflective aluminum foil on each side of 5mm (13/64) closed-cell polyethylene foam center. Looks superior to Reflectix bubble wrap. Online reviews are great.  Anyone use or have info on Prodex?
The other issue besides not knowing much about it is that I am in Canada. To get Prodex to me would double the cost. The funny, well not so funny, thing is that if I catch it when it is on sale which it is enough to wait for I will pay about the same per sqft as I would for Reflectix.  Oh Canada

[Scott & Heather]

Definitely spray foam. Then use reflectix too. Just an FYI, we are fulltimers...we coated the entire interior of our coach with reflectix...and for three years we've only used one 13,500 btu a/c unit all the way up to 104 degree weather. We also survived this past winter of -22F just fine in the coach. The plumbing bay? That's another story I don't even want to discuss.   

[solodon]

This may get lengthy.

Seems to me that since insulation resists the transfer of heat if foam is sprayed directly on the exterior skin of the coach it would not be as effective as if there were some sort of an air gap.  If you put a skillet on the stove, get it hot, and hold your hand a quarter inch or so above the skillet it'll be hot but you won't get burned, where as if you put your hand on the skillet....ouch.  I'm thinking a gap from the skin to a reflective material, and then an insulation on that (foam board or maybe even have foam sprayed in, followed by another reflective material, an air gap and the interior wall material.  While this will probably mean a thicker combination I think it would be superior to an insulation sprayed directly on the skin.  If the insulation is directly on the skin the heat of the skin will transfer directly to the insulation, and the R-value wouldn't be as effective.  With an air gap (even without a reflective material)the temperature of the air would be less than the temp of the skin, and it wouldn't "soak" into the insulation as quickly. 

Well not as long as I'd thought it might get, comments??

[robertglines1]

Don; your correct. The problem in this case is your loosing to much floor space in a 96 inch wide coach. Already to 92  1/2 inches if I remember correct. Cut another 3 inches off and your under 90 inches usable floor space.. Also point of diminishing returns.  The cost vs energy saved.  The $ return would be  to put a more efficient insulation in the roof area where most of your thermal transfer occurs. Good observation so it depends on how each of us balances cost of our builds vs usage.    Bob

[Seangie]

Definitely spray foam. Then use reflectix too. Just an FYI, we are fulltimers...we coated the entire interior of our coach with reflectix...and for three years we've only used one 13,500 btu a/c unit all the way up to 104 degree weather. We also survived this past winter of -22F just fine in the coach. The plumbing bay? That's another story I don't even want to discuss.   

Scott - You forgot to mention you live in a prison bus with no windows   Bwaaaaa haaaa tee heee.....rofl.

-Sean

[solodon]

Bob, thanks for the confirmation.  I figure that with the procedure that I postulated, I can use a little less insulation in the walls such that I only end up an inch or two less width than original.  I agree that the top is where the biggest gains can be made and being "only" 6' tall I can use up some of that space that I have up there.  I'm also planning something similar for the floor and am mindful of the overall interior height reduction adding to the floor and ceiling.  I'm planning to live and travel full time when done, and the current plan is hydronics in the floor.

[Scott & Heather]

Sean, but my bus has a bunk. That trumps windows. your kids agree. 

honest, I love that guy ^

So I checked out the healthyheating site...interesting...but I honestly only saw "scam alerts". What do they suggest we insulate with? or how? i couldn't find that on their site quickly.