Why buy motorhome thermal sereens & co they work? Internal and external thermal screens are absolute must have accessories for every motorhome owner. From the high temperatures of a mediterranean summer, to the cold winter temperatures in the Scottish Highlands & a standard British summer they are an accessory that is used everyday.
Do They Work ?
Simply put, YES.They do exactly what it says on the tin.
Almost all motorhomes have some kind of insulation within the construction of the structure, some not so much & some extremely good. Most are fitted with insulated double pane windows, but no matter who the maker is or how expensive the motorhome, the manufactures all use a base cab & chassis.
It is the standard single glaze glass of the cab that gives no insulation against high or low temperatures.
Think how cold your car is first thing in the morning when there is a heavy frost in the middle of winter.
Think how hot the interior of your car gets when left in direct sunlight on a hot summers day.
In cold temperatures the external thermal blinds provide a layer of insulation to stop the heat from pouring out through the glass wind screen & side windows. This massively reduces the condensation build up within the cab area, so reducing the humidity throughout the entire motorhome.
In summer, a set of internal thermal blinds massively reflect the power of the suns rays & help to cool the motorhome interior.
Description of the Maypole Universal Blinds
- Keeps motorhomes cool in the summer and warm in the winter
- Universal fit for van based motorhomes (e.g. Peugeot Boxer, Fiat Ducato, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter etc.)
- Tested from -20°c to +50°c
- Quality 5 ply construction – Multi layer durable material ensures maximum privacy, winter insulation and summer heat reflection
- 3 piece set – 1 front windscreen and 2 side window blinds
- High quality extra strong black suction cups.
- Silver reflective effect
- Supplied with a storage bag
You can of course buy blinds that are specific to your actual make & model of your motorhome. I personally use this “Universal set” on my Burstner 747 2Active & they fit the screen & side windows very well.
The main requirements that you need is a thick ply construction, metal eyelets & strong suction cups.
You should expect to pay around £ 40 to £ 50 for a descent 3 piece set. With the price going up for a bespoke set.
Are Interior Blinds Easy to fit ?
The main windscreen blind has a slit cut in the top dead centre, the edges piped & hemmed in the same way as the rest of the blind. This makes for easy fitting & a great fit around the rear view mirror. The side window blinds are a piece of cake to fit. The blinds stick onto the glass with the suction cups.
The tough Metal eyelets & flexy vacuum cups create for a strong & simple fitting process.
The simplicity of using the blinds is very important to me. Depending on the sun direction during the day I put up or take down the side window blinds, as the sun tracks so that light can still get into the cab on which ever side is in the shade. This makes the cab area a nice place to sit & relax, without it being pitch black.
Top Tip – When I have fitted the main windscreen blind, I always put down the interior sun visors, just to help the suction cups & make sure that the blind is guaranteed to stay put.
For even more protection from the cold, I have also used a set of External insulated screen covers, when touring in the winter with the temperatures dropping below 0 degree’s. They work in exactly the same way, but obviously on the outside of the screen.
They work very well, but there can be problems in high winds, plus the general wear & tear is quite high as they are always exposed to mother nature. Being rather thick they take up quite a bit of storage space, not such a big deal with a large “Tag axle” motorhome, but if storage space is limited, it would be something to consider
Are Motorhome Thermal Screens Worth Having ?
Simple answer, YES ABSOLUTELY.
If your motorhome is facing South on a pitch in Southern Spain in late July in full sunshine, with the outside temperature in the mid 30’s, the temperature inside the motorhome will be unbearable! To sit in the cab seats would be impossible & actually damn right stupid. The van would get so hot during the day, it would be awful to sleep in at night.
If you have Airconditioning, lucky you, But you would be making it work flat out & the direct sun into the cab would still make it an uncomfortable place to sit.
Equally, with the motorhome facing North, in Scotland in the middle of winter, the heat loss through the cab windows is immense. No one would think of sleeping in a car in such conditions. With the heating on, why lose so much of it, by having it pouring out through the glass.
I have personally been in both situations described above & there is NO way that I would go touring without my motorhomes Internal Thermal Blinds.
A final thought; why buy Motorhome internal thermal blinds & do they work ? Yes we can see that from all the points made above.They also stop prying eyes from seeing into the cab & the rest of the motorhome! They can’t be pulled out of the way, to get a good look inside!
This simple safety feature is overlooked by just about everyone.
There are lots available to fit just about every kind of motorhome or campervan.
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