Is there a part where you just summarize with the most important details. I appreciate that you’re going through such great links to teach people, but you’ve lost me a long time ago mostly because I just need quick information. I don’t need to know all of the ins and outs and details.
I feel the exact opposite. There are hundreds of "this is how I do it" type videos without the reasoning or details supporting the methods employed. I appreciate the knowledge and detail presented here, very much, in order to better understand the pitfalls that can so easily happen without that knowledge. This is the most in-depth video on the topic I've seen, and really appreciate the detail. The one thing I would have liked more detail on is the framing method he described, perhaps with a visual example so that I am sure I understood what he said. Subbed and Liked for support and more videos!
@@ChuckCassadyYT DIY RV insulation seems to have a very high failure rate so I appreciate the details that are easy to miss b/c who wants to put in all this effort just to have the project fail b/c i.e. the rib was not insulated. I was totally sold on that wool stuff until you compared it to a wet sock b/c if any air hits the metal, it will eventually condensate and over saturate the wool. Still, I wish there was a way to mitigate the off gases from spray foam. Thanks for taking the time to post this. Quite impressed it seems like it was done almost one take ! Hope Foresty Forest watches this video. He rarely does colabs but this would be an excellent colab !
I’m not into schoolies at all. I am from the building construction trade, and I must say that you have explained the principles of insulating far better than nearly every seasoned contractor or supplier I’ve ever encountered. Good on you man!
@@ColinMacKenzieRobots thanks for watching. i do my best but im always here to learn, im not a building science pro, just a pro learning building science!
I’ve been in the HVAC INDUSTRY for 24 years and you’re right he has a better understanding and how he explains the way insulation works is by far the best I’ve seen
I have to agree. My ex husband was a journeyman mechanical insulator, Havelock needs at least 3” and you’ll still get condensation because of the lack of cohesion to the outer skin. Spray Foam is really the way to go. And rotted Havelock is GROSS.
The ultimate test of your knowledge is your ability to convey it to another. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge. I don't own a schoolie, hope to maybe one day, and I have learned so much about the process watching your videos. Even if I never get around to that dream of building or owning, I thoroughly enjoy learning. I'm kind of a nerd in that respect and not ashamed to admit it. Keep doing what you are doing. Your students appreciate you!
This world is backwards, here is a truly valuable channel with amazing factual information, this channel should have way more attention. This is why I love the UA-cam, people like CHUCK CASSADY, humans that make a difference to global society.
Amen! thank God for his character and knowledge!! been doin research for a future build. dont even have a bus or even enough funds yet lol but i KNOW he was God sent because he is so right bout the influencers and the types of products bein pushed and i just havent heard aaanything this well put and so informative by any other builders. seriously did not feel like a 40 min vid, thats awesome hahah. Chuck, you are savin' us so much time and alotta money too!! Much love and God bless!
@@haleyypatton I was ‘window shopping’ online last week and saw a gorgeous bus that had almost everything my dream bus should have….Only one thing was missing and that was the most important: honest answers to the hard questions. My first inkling that something wasn’t right was a mismatch where the shower surround ended about 2” from meeting the ceiling, and at an odd angle. Then questions about the old bus being gutted down to the skin, etc., just like Chuck discusses. Anyway, the dream shattered when she claimed that the original owner did the conversion of the bus and she knew how to contact him, but refused to give me his contact information. Sigh. . . But I kept thinking, “Now, Chuck wouldn’t buy that baloney! Chuck would want honest answers, too!”
DUDE. I feel like I hit the jackpot here. I found an articulate and friendly expert skoolie builder who also knows BUILDING SCIENCE. I am so happy to find this channel right before starting my 40ft bluebird build.
“This Old House,” but for Skoolies? This dude is friggin’ incredible! It’s truly sad to learn that he’s done doing builds. I’d be honored to hire this feller.
That nails it! It’s “This Old Bus” he’s like Bob and Norm all rolled into one awesome Skoolie Guru. No wonder I love this channel. I grew up loving This Old House…
“This Old House” warms my soul. As well as fine woodworking show, too. It’s tragic they don’t make these shows anymore. 😞 Had I been introduced to woodworking and This Old House at a young age then I would have never wasted tens of thousands on going to college. I would have gotten into the trades.
🏠 Introduction to Insulation Philosophy - 00:00 Your insulation choice is crucial for your rig's comfort and safety. Various insulation methods explored over the years. Different philosophies behind insulation choices. 🛠 Values and Priorities in Insulation - 05:36 Choosing insulation based on your values and priorities. Considering factors like off-gassing and material composition. Making informed decisions aligning with your preferences. 🌡 Understanding Heat Transfer Principles - 09:56 Discussing the three main types of heat transfer: radiation, convection, and conduction. Explaining radiant heat and the use of radiant barriers. Addressing convection and its relevance in insulating a living space. Focusing on conduction and its importance in insulating walls, floors, and ceilings. 🧱 Types of Insulation Materials - 13:23 Highlighting different insulation materials: XPS, Polyiso, DIY spray foam, and bat-style insulation. Emphasizing the properties and applications of each type. Discussing the advantages of closed-cell spray foam insulation. 💡 Considerations When Using Bat-Style Insulation - 18:11 Exploring the challenges and considerations of using bat-style insulation, such as Havelock wool. Addressing issues with maintaining the position of bat-style insulation. Discussing the importance of managing vapor in wall cavities. Evaluating claims about wool insulation's moisture management capabilities. 🔍 Vapor Barrier and Moisture Management - 21:52 Moisture management in bus insulation, Importance of vapor barriers, Moisture generation from daily activities, Dew point and condensation in walls, The role of vapor barriers in preventing moisture buildup. 🧐 HushMat R-Value Controversy - 25:05 Discussion about HushMat as an insulation product, Claims of high R-value and concerns, Clarification on the R-value of HushMat, Comparing thermal insulators and conductive insulators, Highlighting the importance of accurate insulation information. 🌡 Thermal Bridging and Moisture Control - 29:15 Explanation of thermal bridging in insulation, Importance of preventing thermal bridges, Concerns with moisture in wall cavities, Impact of framing methods on moisture control, Addressing misconceptions about wood-metal contact. 🪟 Window Condensation and Moisture Management - 35:04 Dealing with condensation on bus windows, Drainage in RV windows, Risks associated with stock School Bus windows, Importance of proper ventilation, Strategies for managing air exchange in the bus. Made with HARPA AI (with additional formatting ;-)
This is such critical information. I saw a build on instagram and the couple did not have this info, the ceiling where all their roof ribs would be were COVERED IN ICE the first cold night of their build now they have to rip and out and redo it. So many people don't have this info while building and end up with ice or mushrooms! Thank you!
Hats just like all the homes you see as you drive down the road on that same cold morning and look at all the homes lined up and you can see what homes had good builders and which didn’t cause you can see and count every rafter in the roof because of the ice/snow lines on the roof and what had already melted. Those low quality homes are all over
@@1982MCI I have neighbors from all sides, above, below, left and right and behind me is heated hallway and only one exterior wall with 2 windows and I want to keep it this way. Best way to live. After living in a house I know what I got.
From a construction worker here 🖐🏼 This is one of the best explainatiom of insulation ive heard. 👌🏼Even in school it wasn't as detailed. I never comment on videos but had to. New subscriber here 🤝
You are 100% correct on everything you said. In a previous life I was a building science contractor. I also built and live in a shipping container house. The number one rule of living in metal boxes is, "Beware the condensing surface." Additionally, as you said, radiant insulation absolutely needs an air gap. If not, you have insulation storage with an R value of zero point not much. Build tight and ventilate right!
Great job man, architect since 1988, with a special interest in solar and insulation and passive solar. Great presentation. One small point though, there is a thing called emissivity (E), which crooks often use to confuse people. As you point out with that 1/8" thick shiny stuff. A shiny aluminum surface does not like to give out heat. Yes it reflects, but it also acts as an insulation to some extent, not wanting to give up heat. Especially downwards, which is not important for busses. It a reason most stove pots are reflective shiny stuff. The problem is that a shiny aluminum floor facing up is not very practical as a floor when squished between conductive materials, there is no room to reflect. So that shiny foam stuff is not very practical. Yes, for a shiny surface to act as insulation it typically needs at least 3/4" space above it. If your foam with a shiny surface is pushed against another surface, the shiny stuff does no effing good. I agree with everything you say, and have tested much of it in person.
as i read your credentials i got nervous but was relieved to hear you validate my thoughts. thanks for commenting. I cant believe the brains on the folks who watch my channel. its badass
Man, that was all exactly what I needed to know & hear at the right time. I will be insulting my van this month for full time Van life. I am a home interior contractor myself and I care about things being done right and I couldn’t understand why they don’t explain the science on how to make these different methods work correctly but I’m glad someone is willing to stand up and call out the facts and non facts and all because You actually care that people get the information they need to make the right decisions. Very impressed with this video.
Chuck, this video alone saved me from at least three dumpster fires in the making. Thank you so much once again for all of your knowledge and willingness to share it with all of us in the world. The best.
Awesome Skoolie conversion classes. Thanks for taking time to educate people. I’m a certified energy auditor, and completely agree with you. Living/breathing/cooking/showering inside a steel can is very different from the same in a stick built wood home that ‘breathes.’
I am a builder of many things. My two homes (literally houses) have been insulated and sealed so tight that they end up pulling vacuum when using my wood burners. The closed cell was a complete home run to seal my cabins crawl space from the living space ...we also sealed the wood faces exposed in that crawl space from moisture degradation. No moisture transfer OR cool air thermal bridging. As a DIY'er it was difficult to "get out my checkbook" but MAN what a homerun.
Chuck, Thanks for making the challenge of insulation easier to understand. As a beginner, these videos are all like little treasures to be appreciated and put to good use.
Thank you for going into detail! Especially with Havelock. Have little knowledge of insulation and everyone one line just keeps recommending havelock! Kind of expensive too. I almost pulled the trigger on havelock but wanted to read and research more about insulation. Havelock in my opinion totally markets their insulation in a way that it makes it sound like you don't need a vapor barrier. Watching this really helped me out thank you!
So impressed with your knowledge and the ability to explain it thoroughly enough for everyone to understand! HUGE Bravo to you! I'm in the process of theorizing my ideas for my used R.V. And having the expertise of completing major renovations on sticks & bricks remodelling projects, I have never experienced the knowledge from representatives explaining their own products as I am experiencing it from you! I now know that I "do" want to remove my walls & ceiling & use the spray foam insulation. Yes, that means removing everything else that is attached to & built around those walls of a perfectly maintained, over 30 year old R.V. that is in immaculate shape. It does have an aluminum roof with aluminum siding. (I got lucky when I found this one) However, I have been debating & researching how I want to insulate it because, as we all know, these rigs are not built for four seasons. You have no idea how glad I am that your video inserted itself into my algorithm!
Dang, wow. I was planning to do wool insulation for the "natural product, less petroleum-based nonsense" reasons, but... yep. Wow. You just fully talked me out of it, and I'm thankful for how much science and reality you used to do it. Thank you for saving me from a mess (which would have probably included a plastic... so petroleum-based anyway... vapor barrier, I just learned).
Excellent information Chuck. One thing I would like to highlight about the vapor barrier over fiber insulation, whether glass or wool, is the impossibility of maintaining a perfect barrier. Every outlet or control panel or water line penetrates the barrier and renders it, in the long run, basically useless. Take a look at steel boats for example, if they are still floating and in a temperate climate, they have spray foam insulation with the built in vapor barrier that it provides. Nothing else works.
@@ChuckCassadyYT this was my understanding too about vapour barriers. So what to do ? Before seeing the above comment and your reply I was about to ask you for a recommendation of an intelligent (one way) vapour barrier to go over wool but having it confirmed again that they dont really work due to being penetrated in various places as part of the build im wondering what the best solution is. Is it still worth using one to "cut down" on moisture movement into the walls or is it just a waste of energy as its not a perfect barrier ? Im not able to use spray foam. My preference is to use wool especially as I already have some. What do you think about cork ? It resists moisture and is anti fungal plus it has its own insulation properties. What would you think about wool in the cavities with 10mm cork (on a roll) covering the wool and being the actual inside wall ? All this with (of course) a roof fan and a diesel heater/wood stove to help manage moisture in the space. Also id like to thank you for this great video, so helpful and clear and balanced. Your info about the extruded foam was also really helpful and I love the fact there is no need to build a floor frame and have those thermal bridges. I may well use that for the floor after watching this ! What thickness do you use ? 🙏
@@BibaWild honestly this idea with cork and wool sounds excellent. I don't have any experience with insulation at all and I'm starting my first van build now so I'm far from an expert. My main priority is as non-toxic of an environment as possible so the cork and wool is definitely what I'm going with. Installing this week, hopefully I remember to come back in a few years to update on results!
You are one of the few youtubers who dont clicbait (in the bad way) his videos, or at least, i feel that you truly talk about what you named. Also, thanks to you i cant even start watching any other "how to insulate your floor or walls" video, when they show in the photo, all the other materials that you mentioned. Thank you for all the info and the explanation. keep going.
The more I watch this Chazzy Chuck guy's channel develop, the more I see it heading towards something between Tim Allen's Tool Time and Alton Brown's Good Eats... but for buses. I'm totally here for it.
“This old house” comment, absolutely correct. Even with some of the background music and his tone and pauses. I’m new to this channel, in the midst of a Super C RV build and built few custom homes. Gotta say this channel is super informative, accurate and well made. Kudos to Chuck!
Just came across this video last night while researching the best way to insulate our new band for travel and camping. Thank you so much for not wasting our time and money with this video you have made! Kudos to you!!😁
Fantastic discussion of insulation properties! I wish people talked more about moisture control - we spent a lot of time thinking about that and I just pulled off a sample wall panel in our van (we live full time, are in cold Colorado right now, and used havelock wool) and found our Havelock wool DRY as a bone. No vapor barrier at all. We just keep our van heated and maintain proper airflow. Our hesitation with spray foam is in case we ever got into a fender bender and needed body work! Thanks again for the thoughtful discussion!
My old Econoline was insulated with fiberglass insulation, and I had zero problems with it. I did not live in it full time, but I did go camping in it many, many times over the years. Zero problems.
Thanks Again, You and Ben are an amazing team and now educating your viewers is well, a non monetary present that will pay dividends as you both go into planning and consulting. Makes me wish I had a skoolie build going on so that I could call you both to tap into your diverse knowledge. Thanks
This is a great video, especially to get people discussing the best options. We continually learn as we build and travel. I’d definitely do a few things differently in future builds. I’ve only done one bus, a van and I’m now remodeling an RV. Interesting, factors to also consider are location. If you stay southwest you’ll have less issues with moisture due to so much dry air. So many people damage their bus by combustion inside, don’t use Mr Buddy Heaters. There’s nothing wrong with a gas furnace, as long as it’s a heat exchanger and the combustion air is vented straight outside. In my first build, I left the fiberglass (it was inspected and is perfect) in my ceiling and walls (screw fasteners - not rivets in my interior bus). My walls are factory vented, missed by most. My ceilings are covered by cedar, but no other vapor barrier. My walls are 1” of foam over the original bus metal over the original fiberglass. I have 1.5” of foam in the floor. My heat sources are a little insane, I have an RV propane furnace, diesel heater, electric heated floors (two zones) and a mini split heat pump. This redundancy is great for switching between boondocking and being plugged in. I’ve used the bus in the humid Midwest to dry SW down to 20F. I can only figure my use of dry heat is mitigating the moisture issue as we always keep the bus warm in the winter.
Chuck, this is a awesome video. This is the first time I've come across your videos. Needless to say I am impressed with your speaking and teaching skills. I have a mobile rv repair business and the water damage is unbelievable in them. Most just from poor quality builds and lack of owner maintenance. But after watching your video I have to believe about 90% of the manufacturers do not understand the correct concepts on insulation. I plan on going through your videos so if I decide to build a duel purpose camper/work truck, I do it right. Thank you for the video and your time. Happy New Year.
Got to say you give a much better explanation on insulation and the building science behind it than many of the classes I had to take. Even though it's way beyond what your audience may be looking for, it's a quick and easy education on insulation. Spray foams are very different today than in the past. The new water based blowing agents are low voc and as a result have seen an improvement in the r-value per inch with some exceeding R-8 per inch. Closed Cell Spray Foam (CCSF) becomes an air and vapor barrier at 1.5" so this is a win-win. I see it used in New Construction all the time. It's not as easy to work with as fiberglass batts but provides better insulation value per inch along with its air and vapor handling qualities. XPS is typically used on foundation slab edges for its superior qualities including compressibility and typically gives you R-5 per inch (though their is one company that gives you R-5 per 3/4" which is important when considering a brick facade that needs a 1" air barrier between it and slab edge insulation). Until the EPA (Energy Star) made a clarification on insulating between a horizontal slab edge and masonry on a brick ledge, XPS was used under the first course of brick on the brick ledge. There are other ways to insulate but not all are practical for use in a camper.
Chuck, I'm impressed. Very clear specific language accurately describing a situation with engineering voracity. I tried to catch any inaccuracies or contradictions to no avail. You're very well learned in this area and in general. I can't help but think 'the Matt Risinger of moving homes' 😂 I almost didn't watch but something drew me in. Very cool, indeed. Be blessed!
@@ChuckCassadyYT Just keepin' it real. There's so many people out there who are 100% sure of their opinions while demonstrating they lack the comprehension skills to defend them (as you observed of a certain CEO) that I felt it only fitting to recognize a studied technically savvy accurate presentation. Moreso, you have a wonderful way of not invalidating alternate approaches while pointing out their shortcomings. All in a very well-spoken way. I'm just really appreciative of your style and depth. I know it must sound like lavish praise but it's really just specifying that for which I'm thanking you. Don't get a big head! 😂 Just continue the excellent work. 😎👍💪🌞☯️🙏☮️
You have earned your keep on this video. If there is anything you need to know this video is a go-to for that purpose! It's not gonna get any better! Truth and straight up to date info for complete insulation use.
Thank you. I'm a diy'er who just moved my family into a 5th wheel. This was so informative and easy to understand. The length of the video was great and easy to follow along with. New subcriber for sure.
Great video. I was amazed reading through the comments seeing people upset that you're explaining and teaching. Upon clicking on the video you see it's 39 minutes long. If you take shortcuts while building, you end up with a lesser quality result. If you do not take the time to educate yourself on what you're doing and why you're doing it, you're wasting an opportunity to gain a new skill or set of skills. Oh well. To each their own. I enjoy learning.
This is a great video for anyone confused about insulation ! One more thing I wished you had mentioned - ppl are covering their reflectix window covers in black material to make them more ‘stealthy’, by doing so they are destroying their window covers ability to reflect back sunlight - they have to be shiny to work! At some point I would love to have someone test out a window covered with the clear and colourless film by Corning said to prevent 90% of solar gain - they sell it for car windows and it is colourless so not a privacy film The other thing I wish ppl would mention about glass is the best way to prevent solar gain is to cover the outside to the glass (preventing the sunlight from hitting the glass) - think old school shutters you see in Europe
Awesome video! This should be a must watch for everyone doing a bus, van, or trailer. Heck, the principles are extensible to houses too. Also kudos for not giggling when you said “more bang per inch of thickness”. I giggled for you. Keep up the awesome videos!
Superb. Especially like the information on CONTROLLED venting. Check any greenhouse, humidity control is key. They ALL have controlled intake and exhaust venting. Make sure your stove range hood is in good shape, and use it. If you dont have one, incorporate intake and exhaust venting, even passive if needed, like RV roof vents. Stay gold.
I was this close, "I'm holding my pointer finger and my thumb really close together" , to turning off your video because I got put off by the syllabus. Man am I glad I didn't. That was just a really really good explanation of insulating. You hear so much talk about Havelock as you said by the influencers, and there's so much misinformation over the use of reflectics that your admittedly long dissertation covered. The nice thing was getting all of the information in one place. Anyway thank you so much Chuck
I understand so little of this information, but can tell that you know your stuff. If I ever need something like this, I will look you up. I just knew when viewing this in my UA-cam choices, I would be listening to intelligence, which is always good for one's mind, ty...
QUESTION: What about road vibration that breaks down the foam into dust? Then the top 1/3 eventually has little insulation. This is what happens to older refrigerated semi-trailers. Their top walls have little r-value over time.
I was 1 of the first certified polyu foam in Alaska there is no out gassing with polyurethane foam except at the time of application or if it is burning the whole outgas panic started with urea formaldehyde that white colored foam is the type that has toxic outgassing. love the channel I'm building a medium bus body on a military 5 ton 6by6
thank you for sharing all this valuable info! I do commercial roofing and we use Iso for many of the jobs we have. I never knew it dropped R value as temperature dropped! I went on Owens Corning site and there it was in black and white. starts at R6 and drops to R2 at 15 deg Fahrenheit Shared that document with the boss and he didn't know either. Now we can explain to customers the difference between that an the Dupont blue board we like to recommend over the iso.
Young man as a Mechanical Engineer myself I'm very impressed with your knowledge of the subject you're discussing. Of course if you're an engineer yourself then those are things you should know. But I'm very impressed with your understanding of the issue and more impressed with your explanation of the subject making it very easy to understand for the lay person. Good job.👍
Holy crap, Chuck. That was fantastically spot-on! My wife is a LEED AP and teaches Energy Code in NYS and I've picked up a lot from her, and the way you apply it to a bus is fantastic. So many people don't understand thermal bridging - not even many of the pros. That being said, keep in mind that spray foam has its own significant issues, including air leaks and wall separation that severely diminish its usefulness, in addition to the inherent toxicity of the product itself. Regardless, thanks so much for this video!!! Very clear, very informative!
Going to pick up an ambulance to build next weekend, your channel was an easy Subscribe for me. Great video thanks for all the info. Will 100% be back here many times throughout the course of my build
THANK-YOU! I keep investigating why the LQ horse trailer world is so against the spray foam and insist a person do the closed cell pink/green board-with aluminum tape and then a frame...which also made no sense to me in terms of condensation and heat exchange etc on the ribs-except the claim that there would now be an air space between the interior wall and the metal framework of the trailer. I actually am not looking to fully insulate and deck out my tack space-but would like to reduce the amount of radiant heat from the roof. You just answered my questions perfectly! Great discussion!
Charlie thanks for putting these together. Buying my bus this week! 2002 All American 40ft Cummins 8.3/MD 3060 -Going full time with the wife 3 kids and dog
Excellent presentation on insulation and its principles. I learnt about the problem of thermal bridging when I lived in an old railway goods wagon for a couple years. It was just a temporary situation utelising a structure used as a shed and didn't warrant insulating it The ply walls were bolted through the exterior iron ribs. I noticed water beads forming on the bolt heads, and after a while the wood surrounding the bolts started rotting. When hidden in the wall such rot could advance considerably before getting noticed.
I've watched quite a few vanlife/schoolie insulation videos over the year. This was by far the most informative I've seen to date. Thanks for passing the info along.
Every time when thinking about making my “future build” and keeping stock windows. You change my mind every time!! Excellent video. I am a long time away from starting a build but when I do you’re videos are invaluable.
I really enjoy this type of lived wisdom, especially when it comes to insulation, as heat is really only something one can understand from experiencing it, and as a fella who suffered through two years without heat in my 20s, and built my own tiny house with steel framing, as well as lived in many many many 1920s homes with rotten fiber glass insulation that is useless due to the tunnels rats have dug through it, it's pretty obvious what the best options are. In the beginning I was all about trying to use cotton batts for my tiny house, but after plenty of research and watching materials rot from ambient humidity here in washington, i realized that in the long run, if it can rot, it will. I am currently on a "foamie" obsession, mainly because I grow mushrooms and am building insulation igloos from panels of insulation. My next project is a foamie truck camper that i will use as my job requires me to travel around a lot. Eventually I would like to buy a cargo trailer and insulate it into a sauna by using XPS and then lining the interior with Aluminum flashing, which is something I have done before, but ended up selling it. It was like living in a space blanket, but unfortunately I used wet cedar fence boards as my flooring as an alternative to plywood, which worked really good, but because the cargo trailer was so great as heating up, the oils from the cedar eventually gave me an allergic reaction. Here in washington, everything rots, even textured plastic will eventually fill up it's pores with debris and fungus. That's why I stick to aluminum flashing and XPS for everything I do.
Thank you for this video!!! I'm not into running with the herd. You convinced and educated me and I was looking for answers. My common sense told me half of what I know and you filled in the rest. You saved me time and money!😊
I'm no where near being in the market for a RV bus but this was a fantastically educational video on the topic of insulation in such a situation. Thank you.
Thank you Chuck for the college level education on thermal conductivity! You are a wonderful teacher and make this topic easy for even the most novice of us to understand. You sir have my utmost respect and appreciation. Thank you!
This was a great primer and I'm pumped to watch more of your videos. Hell of a job explaining this. One thing to note and expand on convection is it's less about hot air rising and more about the transfer of heat to the colder area via airflow. For example, in a hammock with an underquilt for insulation, heat isn't rising it's dropping and it's being trapped in the air gaps in the insulation but when you get a strong wind it'll carry away any heat very rapidly that is building up. Insulation basically slows down the transfer of heat from hot to cold. That's why in high winds in a cold area, your house becomes cooler or the heater runs more frequently as there is more convection happening. Clothing is the same. If you have a windproof layer, it's technically a convective barrier that traps the heat longer, thus keeping you warmer.
Great explanation and as a mechanical engineer I wouldn’t argue with anything you say here. This would all be easy enough to actually test and I had planned to do so as I prepare to build out a van, but decided that since I knew the answers already it didn’t make sense for me to do it since I don’t have a YT channel. But you might consider it for your channel. I planned to build a test panel perhaps 2’x 2’ with sheet metal on one side and 1/4” ply on the other separated by a “frame” of XPS (to minimize conduction). This test panel could be mounted in an XPS tunnel (to isolate the panel from ambient conditions) and various heat sources could be mounted facing the metal side, and resultant heating measured on the ply side, and vice versa for heating-season vs. cooling-season considerations. Various insulators and combinations could be mounted within the panel with temperature measurements made using Bluetooth temperature/humidity sensors, thermocouples, and an infrared camera.
Dude I'm a PhD in Mechanical Engineering with a heat transfer specialty and I've been so confused about all these radiant heat barriers being used to insulate between walls. I was like what the hell am I missing here? I don't think I'm missing anything, I think it's false advertising.
Awesome! Going to use XPS in my Van subfloor. Would be super if you did an equivalent video on sound deadening and where it’s appropriate. Some van upfitters swear by covering the floor in butyl.
I have a 2006 International School bus, it’s been converted x 3.5 years. My stock bus windows do drain outside. If you carefully look at the outside rub rails, the third one down has an extra lip. There are vent / drain holes at the bottom specifically designed to carry moisture out of that area right below the window. I added extra insulation inside the bus panel, leaving the stock insulation in the factory wall space. My bus walls and ceilings are held on by screws versus rivets, so those spaces were inspected prior to the build. None of the factory insulation was discolored or damaged, it had no water damage or mold. I agree, good insulating practices are imperative and I’d probably use double paned windows in the future - maybe house windows with safety glass versus RV windows.
Spot on analysis, explanations and recommendations. Big thumbs up! It should all boil down to physics (specifically the laws of thermodynamics and material science), toxicity and money...not personal philosophy and values. For insulating conventional homes, Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) and polyethylene barrier sheeting are now widely used in combination and are both sold at all home improvement stores. Now, OSB exterior wallboard is even available with a 1 inch layer of XPS bonded to the inner side that faces the wall frame, to prevent wood-to-wood contact and thereby prevent thermal bridging from the outer wall surface to the inner wall surface via the wall studs. Spray foam is king in many applications because of its absolute ability to seal air gaps and prevent air movement through walls and ceilings, but is definitely the most costly of the two options, besides having the potential for toxic off-gassing that worries some people. If in doubt, stick with XPS, which is also the cheapest of all options and the second most thermally insulative of all options. Either use a little spray foam to seal any gaps between and around the edges of the XPS during installation, and/or cover over the entire surface of the installed XPS with a thick sheet of polyethylene to prevent any passage of air and water vapor.
I heard everything you had to say on insulation and I’m in total agreement! I would trust you 100% to tell me what to do, to properly insulate my live in van. I hate condensation in the winter and cooking myself as in an oven in the summer! Would you be able to give an instruction video as to what sort of products you would recommend for our ceilings, walls, floor and windows… while keeping the vehicle looking as stealth as possible on the outside??..
My econoline had a metal square tube frame to support the walls because of the large fiberglass top. Every time it rained outside those rails would condense and making it drip inside the van.
Thanks for another excellent video! I'm not planning on a bus build, but watching your videos, I've gotten more interested in the process. Great job with clear explanations, and breaking down the process of the build into elements and systems.
Love your explanation. I’m certified as an energy consultant, have taught energy science, and have worked as a building inspector. Hope sometime you can talk about: insulation materials as sound barriers; fire resistance of insulation materials and the toxicity of the chemicals they emit during combustion (or merely exposure to heat).
About 25 years ago I bought a chevy cargo van with the bubble top all insulated with the spray foam, it was amazing how comfortable was to sleep in heat or cold, also no noise.
Hi Love your videos, they are very informative. I find it great to watch something that is based on the science and practical experience. Thank you for sharing. I’m currently planning my first van conversion. I’m tempted to use spray foam insulation but worry about the ability to change things in the future should something need repairing / altering / adding etc. I’ve thought of two possible solutions (thinking of everything first time isn’t my forte so isn’t a realistic option). 1) Install a plastic conduit for all wiring that is kept away from the outer wall and has a handful of breakouts for access. This would also have spare strings in should I need to pull any additional wires through later. The spray foam would then go between the conduit and the outer skin. 2) Use a plastic sheet across the inner skin and then rely on the pressure of the spray foam to fully close the gap between the sheet and van skin. My thought is, if practical, it would enable me to remove the foam in sections if needed without having to try and cut lumps out and scrape the final bits off the inner skin. Would either the above be realisable? I’m also not technical so am fully prepared for them to be shot to pieces.
The necessity of running a dehumidifier should be clear. The newer motorized desiccant type units remove water without having a traditional compressor/evaporator.
However you do have to either buy new dessicant or recharge the used dessicant by putting it in the oven driving the moisture out. Another cool and faster way would be to get a vacuum pump and chamber.
Fantastic content. Thank you for the education and taking the time to do these videos. I’m doing a build now and your last two videos saved me from having several headaches in the future.
Great lecture! What would you suggest doing for insulating an older mobile home with exterior aluminum siding and wood/vinyl paneling on interior which has wood 2x 3 studs? I was considering adding polyiso boards to interior & covering with either 1/4 drywall or mdf panels, or a more involved job of removing interior panels, adding onto studs, insulating cavities with Rockwool/fiberglass Batts & then drywall or panels. Maybe adding tyvek before batts. The home will not be moving. I should add its located in the Nor-Cal-Tahoe Forest. P.S. I can't get anyone to blow in or spray foam it because they can't see inside attic or closed walls. Also, I'm not sure covering pipes. & wires is a good idea in an older home due to unforseen repairs even if I rented out a foam machine. Would love to hear your thoughts please 🙏 😊
Sprayfoam is great except against steel. Traps moisture. Fine for a decade or so then suddenly its completely rusted out beneath. Use a layer or 2 of breathable, non-absorbtive textile in between if you go that route.
Sprayfoam comes in two types. Open cell, which is cheaper and lighter, and closed cell. There is no water for water vapor or condensate in closed cell. But if you buy the cheaper open cell, that's porous and yes, moisture will get through. I can show you closed cell sprayed on structural steel that is 40 years old. Despite heavy morning dew, there's no water or rusr between the foam and steel. Of course, the steel has to be clean, not oily, before you bond it.
@@richpickard1680moisture is sneaky. It will get through anything. We're talking H2O, a very small molecule. Spray foam is a no-no. Causes cancer. The solution? Air exchange. A vehicle is very, very leaky. Drive it, When you open your doors or roll down your windows, you'll let in so much moist air, it makes talk of sealing everything silly.
Thank you Sir for addressing issues that are important with what ever type of installation a person uses. I personally am using wool with a smart barrier. I have my reason for wool, but that is here nor there. I do agree with you concerning Havelock being very misleading with there product PR. Wool can be used in a vehicle with proper prep and install. They do not address this well at all, which will cause problems for people. Keep up the good work.
Use placeholders inbetween wood and metal and then fill everything, its not only to prevent the two materials touching, its also disconecting the metal properties from the wood. We are prohibited from doin that in wall construction in germany. If i had to explain how they look, its kinda hard plastic petals, you get them in all kinda shapes, pre drilled and so on. Today you proly could 3d print them how you want. Great video, only thing i can add is that wool also starts shrinking after a couple of years leaving a space behind wherever you put it and causing condensation...no the "new" material shrinks just as much. I did alot of jobsites tearing that stuff out or refilling gaps....BUT i also understand ppl not wanting the chemicals in there house. But if you are rebuilding a old vehicle might aswell use everything you can to hold that thing together😆
Great video. I'm a physicist, and I think your explanations are great. I'm curious to know why you only mention using block foam for the floors, and not for the walls. It seems like vertical wall sections could be covered morer quickly with block foam, and then the cracks filled in with spray foam, obviously covering & sealing any exposed metal ribs like you said. At around 35:00 you briefly mention insulating walls with rigid foam board and then going back in with "great stuff" - I'm guessing that's a type of spray foam? Is this what you're talking about? Is there any disadvantage of doing it this way (block + foam) vs using 100% spray foam on the walls and ceilings?
Great job covering bat insulation and intelligent vapour barriers. I just finished a geodome - same issues as a bus: cold, vapour impermeable layer on the outside of the structure. Siga majrex will actually recommend their product as appropriate for this use case (they've got a blog post covering flat, vapour impermeable tar roofs), which are notorious for causing serious rot issues
Thank you! super helpful! I just wish this would be more commenly known. So many channels out here just making videos without knowing the physics behind and defending thier own choises for insulation.
Great job explaining! Your perspective on philosophy is much more precise, you are Literally breathing in VOCs when you drive down the roadway (though you are breathing less when you aren't on the road and I always aim for less toxins when possible, not saying foam is toxic, but I always use foam board in housing projects vs spray foam for cost). When we built out our van I understood what you explained from a previous build and dealing with aluminum mobile homes as a kid. In vans you do have drains in the walls (to help with moisture exchange) and unless you want to lose large amounts of space you're furring your walls. I chose a system where half my van has a boiler that keeps it hot to help expel moisture and the other side has large windows to act as humidity accumulator (you can remove with a chamoi). So far moisture is a constant battle, but after getting into walls from time to time it's kept rust and mold at bay in the last 5 years🤞. I am waiting for someone to invent some type of super efficient dehumidifier for rigs 🙏. Thanks for all the information.
Help me out, Chuck! We purchased a converted Sprinter-based van with minimal insulation. We live full-time in it so I am concerned about moisture. I have done a couple of small side areas with Thermo-Tec double foil radiant barrier glued to the exterior panel, Thinsulate glued to that, and Havelock stuffed into the nooks and crannies. I have stuffed Havelock through light holes into some sections of ceiling. I can't do vapor barrier cuz there are too many areas I don't have access to, can't remove refrigerator, shower, ceiling, etc. Since too many areas are inaccessible to install a vapor barrier, would it make sense to install vents into those areas so at least there is some air circulation to prevent moisture being trapped? I don't anticipate long trips into very cold weather. Love the video, VERY informative! Thanks in advance!!
Super informative video! I was surprised that you didn't mention Thinsulate. In theory it is a bat style insulation that doesn't hold moisture because the polyester dries very quickly. If it works for someone sweating in a jacket, it should work well in a van/bus.
The difference is that when I’m sweating in a jacket, I don’t have a metal skin outside my jacket trapping all the moisture in. I have used it, but in my mind it’s the same as any other batt style insulation
Yea, I wondered why there was no mention of Thinsulate. I disagree with Chuck's reply that it's the same as any other batt style insulation. I have had Thinsulate 600 in my van walls (XPS in ceiling) since 2016 with partially finished wall panels. I have been able to go back to inspect the Thinsulate and there is not issues with moisture damage or mold.
I have tons of insulation knowledge, R value, thermal bridging, vapor barrier, moisture condensation, etc. I knew 1/8" of insulation is nowhere near an R value of 7 and that Havelock wool insulation is not as great as touted by IG and YT van people, but I did not realize polyisocyanurate's R value decreases with temperature! Thank you for the great info and calling out the BS some of these companies are slinging. If you are using 2" extruded polystyrene foam on the floor with a compressive strength of 25 psi why have a 3/4" plywood subfloor, just use slightly thicker floating floor to disperse any point loads onto a larger surface area of foam, as it is at 25 psi a 1 foot by 1 foot area can support 3,600 lbs. Weight is the enemy of van or bus builds as it costs more money in fuel for the life of the vehicle and that weight may be better utilize for larger batteries or increase fresh water volume, etc.
Yes, @ChrisDaniel1339, my thoughts as well. The trade off is whether a thinner subfloor, which is going to be plenty crush-resistant (strong) on top of the XPS is going to be sufficiently impact-resistant (tough) enough to protect from damage that, say, the pointy corner of a really heavy object falling on it would do. The XPS underneath isn't very good at helping the subfloor resist the damage any such high-impact concentrated point loads would cause the subfloor sheet. So yeah, its another builder's trade-off. For myself, I think a 3/8" subfloor under another 3/8" of T&G wood flooring is tough enough, or even 5/8" under a sheet goods floor. Depends on the material, too. OSB is probably less impact resistant (tough) than most plywoods, all of which are less tough than than no-void marine ply. Its all in the cost/performance/priorities trade-offs. I personally don't like OSB, though the ZIP system is interesting but pricey- and I'd want to put a vapor barrier on it anyway. I would actually be more comfortable with a thinner, smoother (1/2" ACX) plywood, T&G jointed and well sealed under a linoleum finished floor, which I just happen to love. To each his own. I agree with you though that 3/4" ZIP board is probably overkill for a covered subfloor, but Chuck might be using that for an entirely different reason, like securing cabinets and interior walls and fixtures, or he plans on dropping really heavy stuff on the floor all the time...
i like the advantech subfloor so I can practice lawn darts inside the bus ;) really, i just like its ability to hold fastners and be a super solid substrate with great moisture resistance. We used to do tng plywood for the subfloor but the quality of that has really dropped in the last few years
I was planning to use polyiso as the inside of a combined approach- the outer 1 1/2" including all the nooks and crannies will be XPS, leaving a smooth square box inside for the inner 1" to 1 1/2" of polyiso, taking advantage of its vapor barrier on the inside. Since I'm converting a flat-sided step van, this approach makes the most sense to me. The polyiso will never get so cold that it loses all of its insulation gain over XPS. There will be no side windows at all. I'm still planning to spray the ceiling, as I need the strength and water protection under the rather flimsy "skylight" fiberglass roof skin. I'll laminate some more glass, then gelcoat and Tropicool the exterior roof under my solar panels. Toying with the idea of reprofiling the roof with foam to collect rainwater. My brother-in-law has moldless composite experience, so it isn't beyond us. BTW, Owens Corning says that XPS actually goes from R5/in at 75 degrees to R6/in (!) at 15 degrees- a 20% gain. So my putting XPS on the cold side and Polyiso on the heated side seems like the best use of the materials, and since my rig is mostly flat everywhere, it works out about the cheapest and easiest way for me to go...
This is EXACTLY the information I've been wanting to understand. Your stressing the idea that it's the warm, moist air that causes problems more than temperature differences was a revelation to me. Until this point, my biggest fear in using spray foam was sealing the drain points in my Econoline van. Am I understanding correctly that if I follow your method and completely seal the van those drains will no longer be needed because I would control the moisture through my vent fans? I'm in the very humid South East, US. BTW: I'm a new subscriber because of this video.
Well, I wish this video was available 2 years ago since I definitely fell for Havelock's marketing scheme... I have a 37-foot bus that is almost fully converted; walls, flooring, and ceiling are all done, with the walls and ceiling all being insulated with wool. And of course, I have a condensation issue. I removed some ceiling panels and found the ribs to be wet. And it is cold and wet in the winter where I live, so I'm sure that adds even more to the issue. Some steps I've taken is using APOC roofing cement and aluminum coating on the roof to make more of a barrier between the steel and the elements (when it snows or ices is when we get the most condensation drip in the bus), and to mitigate the possibility of future leaks. I am also going to seal gaps with spray foam. But I can confirm that this issue goes away when its comfortably warm inside.
Yes, if you can keep it warm enough to lower the relative humidity and raise the dew point inside the bus and are conscious about keeping indoor humidity under control, you are doing well
I love wool because I’m a knitter. I used havelock for my house and wool is indeed very good at insulating and I also love it because it’s natural and doesn’t off gas. I will attest to the floppy nature of it . For a vehicle to combat the shifting from vibration, I would suggest for vertical surfaces taking advantage of the stickiness of wool. If you had something like a comb on the walls that at intervals that would go through the batting and help lock it into place, I think that’s would work best. Admittedly, I don’t deal with the shaking aspect because I used it in my house. It’s trickier to use than traditional roll insulation but worth it and worth the price.
great video, chuck. one note on sill seals, though. while they may do a good job in filling air gaps between your sill and your foundation, their purpose is as a moisture barrier (not a conductive barrier). modern basements, as well as many slab on grade and other types of foundations deal with moisture before it ever gets to your sill, but that was not always the case (and still isn't "always" the case). if there is moist dirt touching your concrete foundation and there's no moisture barrier between that and your wooden structures, the concrete will essentially act like a pump, sucking moisture in from the bottom and exhausting it out the top by whatever means it has. wood also happens to be great at sucking up moisture, except, unlike concrete, it rots. you're correct that if there's a big temperature differential between the wood and the concrete, the sill seal won't help in preventing condensation. that is not what it's for.
@@chrisallen2005 my parents' house was built in 1821 and still has most of its original structure and exterior. I've worked on houses that are 100 years older than that. Same thing. I wouldn't call anything they did sloppy. However, since writing this, I've been corrected. Sill seal is for filling gaps, and that's why it's a good moisture barrier for use in the application I described.
Is there a part where you just summarize with the most important details. I appreciate that you’re going through such great links to teach people, but you’ve lost me a long time ago mostly because I just need quick information. I don’t need to know all of the ins and outs and details.
This is the quick version
Thanks Tim. I am moving on.
I’m watching it at 1.5x speed
I feel the exact opposite. There are hundreds of "this is how I do it" type videos without the reasoning or details supporting the methods employed. I appreciate the knowledge and detail presented here, very much, in order to better understand the pitfalls that can so easily happen without that knowledge.
This is the most in-depth video on the topic I've seen, and really appreciate the detail.
The one thing I would have liked more detail on is the framing method he described, perhaps with a visual example so that I am sure I understood what he said.
Subbed and Liked for support and more videos!
@@ChuckCassadyYT DIY RV insulation seems to have a very high failure rate so I appreciate the details that are easy to miss b/c who wants to put in all this effort just to have the project fail b/c i.e. the rib was not insulated. I was totally sold on that wool stuff until you compared it to a wet sock b/c if any air hits the metal, it will eventually condensate and over saturate the wool.
Still, I wish there was a way to mitigate the off gases from spray foam.
Thanks for taking the time to post this. Quite impressed it seems like it was done almost one take !
Hope Foresty Forest watches this video. He rarely does colabs but this would be an excellent colab !
I’m not into schoolies at all. I am from the building construction trade, and I must say that you have explained the principles of insulating far better than nearly every seasoned contractor or supplier I’ve ever encountered. Good on you man!
I agree too. I'm into the science of building too and he's right on point afaik
@@ColinMacKenzieRobots thanks for watching. i do my best but im always here to learn, im not a building science pro, just a pro learning building science!
Thank you.
An excellent presentation.
I’ve been in the HVAC INDUSTRY for 24 years and you’re right he has a better understanding and how he explains the way insulation works is by far the best I’ve seen
I have to agree. My ex husband was a journeyman mechanical insulator, Havelock needs at least 3” and you’ll still get condensation because of the lack of cohesion to the outer skin. Spray Foam is really the way to go. And rotted Havelock is GROSS.
The more I'm dreaming of building out a mobile home on wheels, the more I realize what a blessing is your video for unaware newbies! Thank you Chuck!
The ultimate test of your knowledge is your ability to convey it to another. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge. I don't own a schoolie, hope to maybe one day, and I have learned so much about the process watching your videos. Even if I never get around to that dream of building or owning, I thoroughly enjoy learning. I'm kind of a nerd in that respect and not ashamed to admit it. Keep doing what you are doing. Your students appreciate you!
nerds are my people, thanks for watching!
@@ChuckCassadyYT Hey, there’s another off-shoot from your bus building. A program specially directed to the nerd in all of us, “Nerds-R-Us”!
This world is backwards, here is a truly valuable channel with amazing factual information, this channel should have way more attention. This is why I love the UA-cam, people like CHUCK CASSADY, humans that make a difference to global society.
Amen! thank God for his character and knowledge!! been doin research for a future build. dont even have a bus or even enough funds yet lol but i KNOW he was God sent because he is so right bout the influencers and the types of products bein pushed and i just havent heard aaanything this well put and so informative by any other builders. seriously did not feel like a 40 min vid, thats awesome hahah. Chuck, you are savin' us so much time and alotta money too!! Much love and God bless!
@@haleyypatton I was ‘window shopping’ online last week and saw a gorgeous bus that had almost everything my dream bus should have….Only one thing was missing and that was the most important: honest answers to the hard questions. My first inkling that something wasn’t right was a mismatch where the shower surround ended about 2” from meeting the ceiling, and at an odd angle. Then questions about the old bus being gutted down to the skin, etc., just like Chuck discusses. Anyway, the dream shattered when she claimed that the original owner did the conversion of the bus and she knew how to contact him, but refused to give me his contact information. Sigh. . . But I kept thinking, “Now, Chuck wouldn’t buy that baloney! Chuck would want honest answers, too!”
DUDE. I feel like I hit the jackpot here. I found an articulate and friendly expert skoolie builder who also knows BUILDING SCIENCE. I am so happy to find this channel right before starting my 40ft bluebird build.
“This Old House,” but for Skoolies? This dude is friggin’ incredible!
It’s truly sad to learn that he’s done doing builds. I’d be honored to hire this feller.
That nails it! It’s “This Old Bus” he’s like Bob and Norm all rolled into one awesome Skoolie Guru. No wonder I love this channel. I grew up loving This Old House…
“This Old House” warms my soul. As well as fine woodworking show, too. It’s tragic they don’t make these shows anymore. 😞
Had I been introduced to woodworking and This Old House at a young age then I would have never wasted tens of thousands on going to college. I would have gotten into the trades.
🏠 Introduction to Insulation Philosophy - 00:00
Your insulation choice is crucial for your rig's comfort and safety.
Various insulation methods explored over the years.
Different philosophies behind insulation choices.
🛠 Values and Priorities in Insulation - 05:36
Choosing insulation based on your values and priorities.
Considering factors like off-gassing and material composition.
Making informed decisions aligning with your preferences.
🌡 Understanding Heat Transfer Principles - 09:56
Discussing the three main types of heat transfer: radiation, convection, and conduction.
Explaining radiant heat and the use of radiant barriers.
Addressing convection and its relevance in insulating a living space.
Focusing on conduction and its importance in insulating walls, floors, and ceilings.
🧱 Types of Insulation Materials - 13:23
Highlighting different insulation materials: XPS, Polyiso, DIY spray foam, and bat-style insulation.
Emphasizing the properties and applications of each type.
Discussing the advantages of closed-cell spray foam insulation.
💡 Considerations When Using Bat-Style Insulation - 18:11
Exploring the challenges and considerations of using bat-style insulation, such as Havelock wool.
Addressing issues with maintaining the position of bat-style insulation.
Discussing the importance of managing vapor in wall cavities.
Evaluating claims about wool insulation's moisture management capabilities.
🔍 Vapor Barrier and Moisture Management - 21:52
Moisture management in bus insulation,
Importance of vapor barriers,
Moisture generation from daily activities,
Dew point and condensation in walls,
The role of vapor barriers in preventing moisture buildup.
🧐 HushMat R-Value Controversy - 25:05
Discussion about HushMat as an insulation product,
Claims of high R-value and concerns,
Clarification on the R-value of HushMat,
Comparing thermal insulators and conductive insulators,
Highlighting the importance of accurate insulation information.
🌡 Thermal Bridging and Moisture Control - 29:15
Explanation of thermal bridging in insulation,
Importance of preventing thermal bridges,
Concerns with moisture in wall cavities,
Impact of framing methods on moisture control,
Addressing misconceptions about wood-metal contact.
🪟 Window Condensation and Moisture Management - 35:04
Dealing with condensation on bus windows,
Drainage in RV windows,
Risks associated with stock School Bus windows,
Importance of proper ventilation,
Strategies for managing air exchange in the bus.
Made with HARPA AI (with additional formatting ;-)
This is such critical information. I saw a build on instagram and the couple did not have this info, the ceiling where all their roof ribs would be were COVERED IN ICE the first cold night of their build now they have to rip and out and redo it. So many people don't have this info while building and end up with ice or mushrooms! Thank you!
Hats just like all the homes you see as you drive down the road on that same cold morning and look at all the homes lined up and you can see what homes had good builders and which didn’t cause you can see and count every rafter in the roof because of the ice/snow lines on the roof and what had already melted. Those low quality homes are all over
@@1982MCI I have neighbors from all sides, above, below, left and right and behind me is heated hallway and only one exterior wall with 2 windows and I want to keep it this way. Best way to live. After living in a house I know what I got.
You are such a great teacher! And you sure know your stuff. Everyone should watch your videos before starting their build!
Totally agree....found him threw Elsye (Regretless)
@@Whistler326 thank you very much!
I am watching him step by step as I do my build
Because he knows his SHinstallation
From a construction worker here 🖐🏼 This is one of the best explainatiom of insulation ive heard. 👌🏼Even in school it wasn't as detailed. I never comment on videos but had to. New subscriber here 🤝
thank you sir! that means a lot to me. keep up the good work and thanks for the sub!
You are 100% correct on everything you said. In a previous life I was a building science contractor. I also built and live in a shipping container house. The number one rule of living in metal boxes is, "Beware the condensing surface." Additionally, as you said, radiant insulation absolutely needs an air gap. If not, you have insulation storage with an R value of zero point not much. Build tight and ventilate right!
Thank you for watching and validating my points, means a lot to have you here!
Great job man, architect since 1988, with a special interest in solar and insulation and passive solar. Great presentation. One small point though, there is a thing called emissivity (E), which crooks often use to confuse people. As you point out with that 1/8" thick shiny stuff. A shiny aluminum surface does not like to give out heat. Yes it reflects, but it also acts as an insulation to some extent, not wanting to give up heat. Especially downwards, which is not important for busses. It a reason most stove pots are reflective shiny stuff. The problem is that a shiny aluminum floor facing up is not very practical as a floor when squished between conductive materials, there is no room to reflect. So that shiny foam stuff is not very practical. Yes, for a shiny surface to act as insulation it typically needs at least 3/4" space above it. If your foam with a shiny surface is pushed against another surface, the shiny stuff does no effing good. I agree with everything you say, and have tested much of it in person.
as i read your credentials i got nervous but was relieved to hear you validate my thoughts. thanks for commenting. I cant believe the brains on the folks who watch my channel. its badass
This is the most accurate insulation tutorial that I have ever watched! I know, because I am a retired HVAS design engineer. Thank for a great video!
Man, that was all exactly what I needed to know & hear at the right time.
I will be insulting my van this month for full time Van life. I am a home interior contractor myself and I care about things being done right and I couldn’t understand why they don’t explain the science on how to make these different methods work correctly but I’m glad someone is willing to stand up and call out the facts and non facts and all because You actually care that people get the information they need to make the right decisions. Very impressed with this video.
Chuck, this video alone saved me from at least three dumpster fires in the making. Thank you so much once again for all of your knowledge and willingness to share it with all of us in the world. The best.
Awesome Skoolie conversion classes. Thanks for taking time to educate people. I’m a certified energy auditor, and completely agree with you. Living/breathing/cooking/showering inside a steel can is very different from the same in a stick built wood home that ‘breathes.’
yes! thank you for being here with your knowledge! The approach I like is to built it tight, then ventiliate it right. mold is no joke
I am a builder of many things. My two homes (literally houses) have been insulated and sealed so tight that they end up pulling vacuum when using my wood burners. The closed cell was a complete home run to seal my cabins crawl space from the living space ...we also sealed the wood faces exposed in that crawl space from moisture degradation. No moisture transfer OR cool air thermal bridging. As a DIY'er it was difficult to "get out my checkbook" but MAN what a homerun.
Chuck, Thanks for making the challenge of insulation easier to understand. As a beginner, these videos are all like little treasures to be appreciated and put to good use.
Thank you for going into detail! Especially with Havelock. Have little knowledge of insulation and everyone one line just keeps recommending havelock! Kind of expensive too. I almost pulled the trigger on havelock but wanted to read and research more about insulation. Havelock in my opinion totally markets their insulation in a way that it makes it sound like you don't need a vapor barrier. Watching this really helped me out thank you!
My friend did part havelock part polyiso. In winter the polyiso was fine but there was a big buildup of ice around the wool.
So impressed with your knowledge and the ability to explain it thoroughly enough for everyone to understand! HUGE Bravo to you! I'm in the process of theorizing my ideas for my used R.V. And having the expertise of completing major renovations on sticks & bricks remodelling projects, I have never experienced the knowledge from representatives explaining their own products as I am experiencing it from you! I now know that I "do" want to remove my walls & ceiling & use the spray foam insulation. Yes, that means removing everything else that is attached to & built around those walls of a perfectly maintained, over 30 year old R.V. that is in immaculate shape. It does have an aluminum roof with aluminum siding. (I got lucky when I found this one) However, I have been debating & researching how I want to insulate it because, as we all know, these rigs are not built for four seasons. You have no idea how glad I am that your video inserted itself into my algorithm!
Man, I wish I had a teacher like you in school! I learned so much from this video, thank you.
I was a teacher in both the military and civilian worlds. Well done!!! Your lesson plan was awesome!!! Thank you 🙏🏻
Dang, wow. I was planning to do wool insulation for the "natural product, less petroleum-based nonsense" reasons, but... yep. Wow. You just fully talked me out of it, and I'm thankful for how much science and reality you used to do it. Thank you for saving me from a mess (which would have probably included a plastic... so petroleum-based anyway... vapor barrier, I just learned).
Excellent information Chuck. One thing I would like to highlight about the vapor barrier over fiber insulation, whether glass or wool, is the impossibility of maintaining a perfect barrier. Every outlet or control panel or water line penetrates the barrier and renders it, in the long run, basically useless. Take a look at steel boats for example, if they are still floating and in a temperate climate, they have spray foam insulation with the built in vapor barrier that it provides. Nothing else works.
Totally! Great points there
You are correct. Nothing else works. It's that simple.
@@ChuckCassadyYT this was my understanding too about vapour barriers. So what to do ? Before seeing the above comment and your reply I was about to ask you for a recommendation of an intelligent (one way) vapour barrier to go over wool but having it confirmed again that they dont really work due to being penetrated in various places as part of the build im wondering what the best solution is. Is it still worth using one to "cut down" on moisture movement into the walls or is it just a waste of energy as its not a perfect barrier ? Im not able to use spray foam. My preference is to use wool especially as I already have some. What do you think about cork ? It resists moisture and is anti fungal plus it has its own insulation properties. What would you think about wool in the cavities with 10mm cork (on a roll) covering the wool and being the actual inside wall ? All this with (of course) a roof fan and a diesel heater/wood stove to help manage moisture in the space.
Also id like to thank you for this great video, so helpful and clear and balanced. Your info about the extruded foam was also really helpful and I love the fact there is no need to build a floor frame and have those thermal bridges. I may well use that for the floor after watching this ! What thickness do you use ? 🙏
@@BibaWild honestly this idea with cork and wool sounds excellent. I don't have any experience with insulation at all and I'm starting my first van build now so I'm far from an expert. My main priority is as non-toxic of an environment as possible so the cork and wool is definitely what I'm going with.
Installing this week, hopefully I remember to come back in a few years to update on results!
You are one of the few youtubers who dont clicbait (in the bad way) his videos, or at least, i feel that you truly talk about what you named. Also, thanks to you i cant even start watching any other "how to insulate your floor or walls" video, when they show in the photo, all the other materials that you mentioned. Thank you for all the info and the explanation. keep going.
The more I watch this Chazzy Chuck guy's channel develop, the more I see it heading towards something between Tim Allen's Tool Time and Alton Brown's Good Eats... but for buses. I'm totally here for it.
Love that combo! I was actually on a show with tim!
@Chuck Cassady Very nice! ...Don't mind me over here thinking of you as being Charlie from the Santa Clause movies...
His style is much like This Old House.
“This old house” comment, absolutely correct. Even with some of the background music and his tone and pauses.
I’m new to this channel, in the midst of a Super C RV build and built few custom homes. Gotta say this channel is super informative, accurate and well made. Kudos to Chuck!
Just came across this video last night while researching the best way to insulate our new band for travel and camping. Thank you so much for not wasting our time and money with this video you have made! Kudos to you!!😁
YES! thanks
Fantastic discussion of insulation properties! I wish people talked more about moisture control - we spent a lot of time thinking about that and I just pulled off a sample wall panel in our van (we live full time, are in cold Colorado right now, and used havelock wool) and found our Havelock wool DRY as a bone. No vapor barrier at all. We just keep our van heated and maintain proper airflow.
Our hesitation with spray foam is in case we ever got into a fender bender and needed body work!
Thanks again for the thoughtful discussion!
My old Econoline was insulated with fiberglass insulation, and I had zero problems with it.
I did not live in it full time, but I did go camping in it many, many times over the years.
Zero problems.
Thanks Again, You and Ben are an amazing team and now educating your viewers is well, a non monetary present that will pay dividends as you both go into planning and consulting. Makes me wish I had a skoolie build going on so that I could call you both to tap into your diverse knowledge. Thanks
thank you! we will always be here
This is a great video, especially to get people discussing the best options. We continually learn as we build and travel. I’d definitely do a few things differently in future builds. I’ve only done one bus, a van and I’m now remodeling an RV. Interesting, factors to also consider are location. If you stay southwest you’ll have less issues with moisture due to so much dry air. So many people damage their bus by combustion inside, don’t use Mr Buddy Heaters. There’s nothing wrong with a gas furnace, as long as it’s a heat exchanger and the combustion air is vented straight outside. In my first build, I left the fiberglass (it was inspected and is perfect) in my ceiling and walls (screw fasteners - not rivets in my interior bus). My walls are factory vented, missed by most. My ceilings are covered by cedar, but no other vapor barrier. My walls are 1” of foam over the original bus metal over the original fiberglass. I have 1.5” of foam in the floor. My heat sources are a little insane, I have an RV propane furnace, diesel heater, electric heated floors (two zones) and a mini split heat pump. This redundancy is great for switching between boondocking and being plugged in. I’ve used the bus in the humid Midwest to dry SW down to 20F. I can only figure my use of dry heat is mitigating the moisture issue as we always keep the bus warm in the winter.
Chuck, this is a awesome video. This is the first time I've come across your videos. Needless to say I am impressed with your speaking and teaching skills.
I have a mobile rv repair business and the water damage is unbelievable in them. Most just from poor quality builds and lack of owner maintenance. But after watching your video I have to believe about 90% of the manufacturers do not understand the correct concepts on insulation.
I plan on going through your videos so if I decide to build a duel purpose camper/work truck, I do it right.
Thank you for the video and your time.
Happy New Year.
I find him tedious and pedantic.
Got to say you give a much better explanation on insulation and the building science behind it than many of the classes I had to take. Even though it's way beyond what your audience may be looking for, it's a quick and easy education on insulation.
Spray foams are very different today than in the past. The new water based blowing agents are low voc and as a result have seen an improvement in the r-value per inch with some exceeding R-8 per inch. Closed Cell Spray Foam (CCSF) becomes an air and vapor barrier at 1.5" so this is a win-win. I see it used in New Construction all the time. It's not as easy to work with as fiberglass batts but provides better insulation value per inch along with its air and vapor handling qualities. XPS is typically used on foundation slab edges for its superior qualities including compressibility and typically gives you R-5 per inch (though their is one company that gives you R-5 per 3/4" which is important when considering a brick facade that needs a 1" air barrier between it and slab edge insulation). Until the EPA (Energy Star) made a clarification on insulating between a horizontal slab edge and masonry on a brick ledge, XPS was used under the first course of brick on the brick ledge. There are other ways to insulate but not all are practical for use in a camper.
Chuck, I'm impressed. Very clear specific language accurately describing a situation with engineering voracity. I tried to catch any inaccuracies or contradictions to no avail. You're very well learned in this area and in general. I can't help but think 'the Matt Risinger of moving homes' 😂
I almost didn't watch but something drew me in. Very cool, indeed. Be blessed!
Dang that is some high praise! Thank you for watching and I'm a big fan of Matt as well. You truly flattered me!
@@ChuckCassadyYT
Just keepin' it real. There's so many people out there who are 100% sure of their opinions while demonstrating they lack the comprehension skills to defend them (as you observed of a certain CEO) that I felt it only fitting to recognize a studied technically savvy accurate presentation. Moreso, you have a wonderful way of not invalidating alternate approaches while pointing out their shortcomings. All in a very well-spoken way. I'm just really appreciative of your style and depth. I know it must sound like lavish praise but it's really just specifying that for which I'm thanking you. Don't get a big head! 😂 Just continue the excellent work. 😎👍💪🌞☯️🙏☮️
You have earned your keep on this video. If there is anything you need to know this video is a go-to for that purpose! It's not gonna get any better! Truth and straight up to date info for complete insulation use.
Thank you. I'm a diy'er who just moved my family into a 5th wheel. This was so informative and easy to understand. The length of the video was great and easy to follow along with. New subcriber for sure.
Excellent advice that most of us would never think of.
Best explanation on different kinds of heat transfers & how to insulate against them.
Great video. I was amazed reading through the comments seeing people upset that you're explaining and teaching. Upon clicking on the video you see it's 39 minutes long. If you take shortcuts while building, you end up with a lesser quality result. If you do not take the time to educate yourself on what you're doing and why you're doing it, you're wasting an opportunity to gain a new skill or set of skills. Oh well. To each their own. I enjoy learning.
This is a great video for anyone confused about insulation ! One more thing I wished you had mentioned - ppl are covering their reflectix window covers in black material to make them more ‘stealthy’, by doing so they are destroying their window covers ability to reflect back sunlight - they have to be shiny to work!
At some point I would love to have someone test out a window covered with the clear and colourless film by Corning said to prevent 90% of solar gain - they sell it for car windows and it is colourless so not a privacy film
The other thing I wish ppl would mention about glass is the best way to prevent solar gain is to cover the outside to the glass (preventing the sunlight from hitting the glass) - think old school shutters you see in Europe
Awesome video! This should be a must watch for everyone doing a bus, van, or trailer. Heck, the principles are extensible to houses too.
Also kudos for not giggling when you said “more bang per inch of thickness”. I giggled for you.
Keep up the awesome videos!
Thanks for being here!
I would never, ever use spray insulation in a home.
In England, they will not loan money on homes with spray foam.
MASSIVE mold problems.
Superb. Especially like the information on CONTROLLED venting. Check any greenhouse, humidity control is key. They ALL have controlled intake and exhaust venting. Make sure your stove range hood is in good shape, and use it. If you dont have one, incorporate intake and exhaust venting, even passive if needed, like RV roof vents.
Stay gold.
I was this close, "I'm holding my pointer finger and my thumb really close together" , to turning off your video because I got put off by the syllabus. Man am I glad I didn't. That was just a really really good explanation of insulating. You hear so much talk about Havelock as you said by the influencers, and there's so much misinformation over the use of reflectics that your admittedly long dissertation covered. The nice thing was getting all of the information in one place. Anyway thank you so much Chuck
I understand so little of this information, but can tell that you know your stuff. If I ever need something like this, I will look you up. I just knew when viewing this in my UA-cam choices, I would be listening to intelligence, which is always good for one's mind, ty...
QUESTION: What about road vibration that breaks down the foam into dust? Then the top 1/3 eventually has little insulation. This is what happens to older refrigerated semi-trailers. Their top walls have little r-value over time.
I was 1 of the first certified polyu foam in Alaska there is no out gassing with polyurethane foam except at the time of application or if it is burning the whole outgas panic started with urea formaldehyde that white colored foam is the type that has toxic outgassing. love the channel I'm building a medium bus body on a military 5 ton 6by6
DUDE that is going to be a sweeeeeeet rig! I would love to see it. thanks for sharing
thank you for sharing all this valuable info! I do commercial roofing and we use Iso for many of the jobs we have. I never knew it dropped R value as temperature dropped! I went on Owens Corning site and there it was in black and white. starts at R6 and drops to R2 at 15 deg Fahrenheit Shared that document with the boss and he didn't know either. Now we can explain to customers the difference between that an the Dupont blue board we like to recommend over the iso.
Young man as a Mechanical Engineer myself I'm very impressed with your knowledge of the subject you're discussing. Of course if you're an engineer yourself then those are things you should know. But I'm very impressed with your understanding of the issue and more impressed with your explanation of the subject making it very easy to understand for the lay person. Good job.👍
Holy crap, Chuck. That was fantastically spot-on! My wife is a LEED AP and teaches Energy Code in NYS and I've picked up a lot from her, and the way you apply it to a bus is fantastic. So many people don't understand thermal bridging - not even many of the pros.
That being said, keep in mind that spray foam has its own significant issues, including air leaks and wall separation that severely diminish its usefulness, in addition to the inherent toxicity of the product itself.
Regardless, thanks so much for this video!!! Very clear, very informative!
It separates form the wall?
totally! and hopefully it doesnt separate from the wall if applied well. Ive seen it in buses over 30years old and it looked great
Going to pick up an ambulance to build next weekend, your channel was an easy Subscribe for me. Great video thanks for all the info. Will 100% be back here many times throughout the course of my build
THANK-YOU! I keep investigating why the LQ horse trailer world is so against the spray foam and insist a person do the closed cell pink/green board-with aluminum tape and then a frame...which also made no sense to me in terms of condensation and heat exchange etc on the ribs-except the claim that there would now be an air space between the interior wall and the metal framework of the trailer. I actually am not looking to fully insulate and deck out my tack space-but would like to reduce the amount of radiant heat from the roof. You just answered my questions perfectly! Great discussion!
Charlie thanks for putting these together. Buying my bus this week! 2002 All American 40ft Cummins 8.3/MD 3060 -Going full time with the wife 3 kids and dog
great platform!!
I love your soapbox Chuck, please continue to stand on it and shout LOUDLY 😀👍🏻
Will do
Excellent presentation on insulation and its principles. I learnt about the problem of thermal bridging when I lived in an old railway goods wagon for a couple years. It was just a temporary situation utelising a structure used as a shed and didn't warrant insulating it The ply walls were bolted through the exterior iron ribs. I noticed water beads forming on the bolt heads, and after a while the wood surrounding the bolts started rotting. When hidden in the wall such rot could advance considerably before getting noticed.
I've watched quite a few vanlife/schoolie insulation videos over the year. This was by far the most informative I've seen to date. Thanks for passing the info along.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for doing these! It's really hard to sort through bad advertising, and you're a big help!
i know, its awful out there!
Every time when thinking about making my “future build” and keeping stock windows. You change my mind every time!! Excellent video. I am a long time away from starting a build but when I do you’re videos are invaluable.
I really enjoy this type of lived wisdom, especially when it comes to insulation, as heat is really only something one can understand from experiencing it, and as a fella who suffered through two years without heat in my 20s, and built my own tiny house with steel framing, as well as lived in many many many 1920s homes with rotten fiber glass insulation that is useless due to the tunnels rats have dug through it, it's pretty obvious what the best options are. In the beginning I was all about trying to use cotton batts for my tiny house, but after plenty of research and watching materials rot from ambient humidity here in washington, i realized that in the long run, if it can rot, it will. I am currently on a "foamie" obsession, mainly because I grow mushrooms and am building insulation igloos from panels of insulation. My next project is a foamie truck camper that i will use as my job requires me to travel around a lot. Eventually I would like to buy a cargo trailer and insulate it into a sauna by using XPS and then lining the interior with Aluminum flashing, which is something I have done before, but ended up selling it. It was like living in a space blanket, but unfortunately I used wet cedar fence boards as my flooring as an alternative to plywood, which worked really good, but because the cargo trailer was so great as heating up, the oils from the cedar eventually gave me an allergic reaction.
Here in washington, everything rots, even textured plastic will eventually fill up it's pores with debris and fungus. That's why I stick to aluminum flashing and XPS for everything I do.
Best explanation of insulating school bus I have ever heard. Buying one this year. Really appreciate the content.
Thank you for this video!!! I'm not into running with the herd. You convinced and educated me and I was looking for answers. My common sense told me half of what I know and you filled in the rest. You saved me time and money!😊
glad to help!
I'm no where near being in the market for a RV bus but this was a fantastically educational video on the topic of insulation in such a situation. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you Chuck for the college level education on thermal conductivity! You are a wonderful teacher and make this topic easy for even the most novice of us to understand. You sir have my utmost respect and appreciation. Thank you!
Man, I love you. This has been a serious point of concern for us since beginning our project. Spray foam, here we come.
This was a great primer and I'm pumped to watch more of your videos. Hell of a job explaining this. One thing to note and expand on convection is it's less about hot air rising and more about the transfer of heat to the colder area via airflow. For example, in a hammock with an underquilt for insulation, heat isn't rising it's dropping and it's being trapped in the air gaps in the insulation but when you get a strong wind it'll carry away any heat very rapidly that is building up. Insulation basically slows down the transfer of heat from hot to cold. That's why in high winds in a cold area, your house becomes cooler or the heater runs more frequently as there is more convection happening. Clothing is the same. If you have a windproof layer, it's technically a convective barrier that traps the heat longer, thus keeping you warmer.
Great vocabulary and articulation. I think youve gained a long term viewer.
Great explanation and as a mechanical engineer I wouldn’t argue with anything you say here. This would all be easy enough to actually test and I had planned to do so as I prepare to build out a van, but decided that since I knew the answers already it didn’t make sense for me to do it since I don’t have a YT channel. But you might consider it for your channel. I planned to build a test panel perhaps 2’x 2’ with sheet metal on one side and 1/4” ply on the other separated by a “frame” of XPS (to minimize conduction). This test panel could be mounted in an XPS tunnel (to isolate the panel from ambient conditions) and various heat sources could be mounted facing the metal side, and resultant heating measured on the ply side, and vice versa for heating-season vs. cooling-season considerations. Various insulators and combinations could be mounted within the panel with temperature measurements made using Bluetooth temperature/humidity sensors, thermocouples, and an infrared camera.
Subbed. This is the best insulation video I have ever seen.
I’ve watched this a few times now n extremely easy way at explaining without being beyond overwhelming n boring to viewers thanks mate awesome
Dude I'm a PhD in Mechanical Engineering with a heat transfer specialty and I've been so confused about all these radiant heat barriers being used to insulate between walls. I was like what the hell am I missing here? I don't think I'm missing anything, I think it's false advertising.
Greg Virgoe here on UA-cam really explains it well.
@@JNanteagreed
Awesome! Going to use XPS in my Van subfloor. Would be super if you did an equivalent video on sound deadening and where it’s appropriate. Some van upfitters swear by covering the floor in butyl.
I have a 2006 International School bus, it’s been converted x 3.5 years. My stock bus windows do drain outside. If you carefully look at the outside rub rails, the third one down has an extra lip. There are vent / drain holes at the bottom specifically designed to carry moisture out of that area right below the window. I added extra insulation inside the bus panel, leaving the stock insulation in the factory wall space. My bus walls and ceilings are held on by screws versus rivets, so those spaces were inspected prior to the build. None of the factory insulation was discolored or damaged, it had no water damage or mold. I agree, good insulating practices are imperative and I’d probably use double paned windows in the future - maybe house windows with safety glass versus RV windows.
Wiping the water from your windows in cold weather is your manual dehumidifier
@@wallacegrommet9343 What about the water that condensates on the inside? The only windows that this won't happen in, is vacuum insulated ones.
No. You must use tempered glass.
Spot on analysis, explanations and recommendations. Big thumbs up! It should all boil down to physics (specifically the laws of thermodynamics and material science), toxicity and money...not personal philosophy and values. For insulating conventional homes, Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) and polyethylene barrier sheeting are now widely used in combination and are both sold at all home improvement stores. Now, OSB exterior wallboard is even available with a 1 inch layer of XPS bonded to the inner side that faces the wall frame, to prevent wood-to-wood contact and thereby prevent thermal bridging from the outer wall surface to the inner wall surface via the wall studs. Spray foam is king in many applications because of its absolute ability to seal air gaps and prevent air movement through walls and ceilings, but is definitely the most costly of the two options, besides having the potential for toxic off-gassing that worries some people. If in doubt, stick with XPS, which is also the cheapest of all options and the second most thermally insulative of all options. Either use a little spray foam to seal any gaps between and around the edges of the XPS during installation, and/or cover over the entire surface of the installed XPS with a thick sheet of polyethylene to prevent any passage of air and water vapor.
I heard everything you had to say on insulation and I’m in total agreement! I would trust you 100% to tell me what to do, to properly insulate my live in van. I hate condensation in the winter and cooking myself as in an oven in the summer! Would you be able to give an instruction video as to what sort of products you would recommend for our ceilings, walls, floor and windows… while keeping the vehicle looking as stealth as possible on the outside??..
Vent properly when cooking and showering.
My econoline had a metal square tube frame to support the walls because of the large fiberglass top. Every time it rained outside those rails would condense and making it drip inside the van.
Thanks for another excellent video! I'm not planning on a bus build, but watching your videos, I've gotten more interested in the process. Great job with clear explanations, and breaking down the process of the build into elements and systems.
Love your explanation. I’m certified as an energy consultant, have taught energy science, and have worked as a building inspector.
Hope sometime you can talk about: insulation materials as sound barriers; fire resistance of insulation materials and the toxicity of the chemicals they emit during combustion (or merely exposure to heat).
About 25 years ago I bought a chevy cargo van with the bubble top all insulated with the spray foam, it was amazing how comfortable was to sleep in heat or cold, also no noise.
Incredible video, glad I watched it before I started my build.
Hi
Love your videos, they are very informative. I find it great to watch something that is based on the science and practical experience. Thank you for sharing.
I’m currently planning my first van conversion. I’m tempted to use spray foam insulation but worry about the ability to change things in the future should something need repairing / altering / adding etc.
I’ve thought of two possible solutions (thinking of everything first time isn’t my forte so isn’t a realistic option).
1) Install a plastic conduit for all wiring that is kept away from the outer wall and has a handful of breakouts for access. This would also have spare strings in should I need to pull any additional wires through later. The spray foam would then go between the conduit and the outer skin.
2) Use a plastic sheet across the inner skin and then rely on the pressure of the spray foam to fully close the gap between the sheet and van skin. My thought is, if practical, it would enable me to remove the foam in sections if needed without having to try and cut lumps out and scrape the final bits off the inner skin.
Would either the above be realisable? I’m also not technical so am fully prepared for them to be shot to pieces.
The necessity of running a dehumidifier should be clear. The newer motorized desiccant type units remove water without having a traditional compressor/evaporator.
However you do have to either buy new dessicant or recharge the used dessicant by putting it in the oven driving the moisture out. Another cool and faster way would be to get a vacuum pump and chamber.
Fantastic content. Thank you for the education and taking the time to do these videos. I’m doing a build now and your last two videos saved me from having several headaches in the future.
Great lecture! What would you suggest doing for insulating an older mobile home with exterior aluminum siding and wood/vinyl paneling on interior which has wood 2x 3 studs? I was considering adding polyiso boards to interior & covering with either 1/4 drywall or mdf panels, or a more involved job of removing interior panels, adding onto studs, insulating cavities with Rockwool/fiberglass Batts & then drywall or panels. Maybe adding tyvek before batts. The home will not be moving. I should add its located in the Nor-Cal-Tahoe Forest. P.S. I can't get anyone to blow in or spray foam it because they can't see inside attic or closed walls. Also, I'm not sure covering pipes. & wires is a good idea in an older home due to unforseen repairs even if I rented out a foam machine. Would love to hear your thoughts please 🙏 😊
Sprayfoam is great except against steel. Traps moisture. Fine for a decade or so then suddenly its completely rusted out beneath. Use a layer or 2 of breathable, non-absorbtive textile in between if you go that route.
How does the moisture get in there, if the spray foam sticks to the steel?
@@richpickard1680
Condensation formation from heating cooling cycles.
Sprayfoam comes in two types. Open cell, which is cheaper and lighter, and closed cell. There is no water for water vapor or condensate in closed cell. But if you buy the cheaper open cell, that's porous and yes, moisture will get through. I can show you closed cell sprayed on structural steel that is 40 years old. Despite heavy morning dew, there's no water or rusr between the foam and steel.
Of course, the steel has to be clean, not oily, before you bond it.
Air gap. No textiles. They absorb moisture.
@@richpickard1680moisture is sneaky. It will get through anything. We're talking H2O, a very small molecule.
Spray foam is a no-no. Causes cancer.
The solution? Air exchange. A vehicle is very, very leaky. Drive it,
When you open your doors or roll down your windows, you'll let in so much moist air, it makes talk of sealing everything silly.
Thank you Sir for addressing issues that are important with what ever type of installation a person uses. I personally am using wool with a smart barrier. I have my reason for wool, but that is here nor there. I do agree with you concerning Havelock being very misleading with there product PR. Wool can be used in a vehicle with proper prep and install. They do not address this well at all, which will cause problems for people.
Keep up the good work.
Use placeholders inbetween wood and metal and then fill everything, its not only to prevent the two materials touching, its also disconecting the metal properties from the wood. We are prohibited from doin that in wall construction in germany. If i had to explain how they look, its kinda hard plastic petals, you get them in all kinda shapes, pre drilled and so on. Today you proly could 3d print them how you want. Great video, only thing i can add is that wool also starts shrinking after a couple of years leaving a space behind wherever you put it and causing condensation...no the "new" material shrinks just as much. I did alot of jobsites tearing that stuff out or refilling gaps....BUT i also understand ppl not wanting the chemicals in there house. But if you are rebuilding a old vehicle might aswell use everything you can to hold that thing together😆
Doing a rebuild of an old RV and doing tiny house thank you for teaching me some new stuff about insulation
Great video. I'm a physicist, and I think your explanations are great. I'm curious to know why you only mention using block foam for the floors, and not for the walls. It seems like vertical wall sections could be covered morer quickly with block foam, and then the cracks filled in with spray foam, obviously covering & sealing any exposed metal ribs like you said. At around 35:00 you briefly mention insulating walls with rigid foam board and then going back in with "great stuff" - I'm guessing that's a type of spray foam? Is this what you're talking about? Is there any disadvantage of doing it this way (block + foam) vs using 100% spray foam on the walls and ceilings?
Great job covering bat insulation and intelligent vapour barriers. I just finished a geodome - same issues as a bus: cold, vapour impermeable layer on the outside of the structure. Siga majrex will actually recommend their product as appropriate for this use case (they've got a blog post covering flat, vapour impermeable tar roofs), which are notorious for causing serious rot issues
Thank you! super helpful!
I just wish this would be more commenly known. So many channels out here just making videos without knowing the physics behind and defending thier own choises for insulation.
seriously
Great job explaining! Your perspective on philosophy is much more precise, you are Literally breathing in VOCs when you drive down the roadway (though you are breathing less when you aren't on the road and I always aim for less toxins when possible, not saying foam is toxic, but I always use foam board in housing projects vs spray foam for cost). When we built out our van I understood what you explained from a previous build and dealing with aluminum mobile homes as a kid. In vans you do have drains in the walls (to help with moisture exchange) and unless you want to lose large amounts of space you're furring your walls. I chose a system where half my van has a boiler that keeps it hot to help expel moisture and the other side has large windows to act as humidity accumulator (you can remove with a chamoi). So far moisture is a constant battle, but after getting into walls from time to time it's kept rust and mold at bay in the last 5 years🤞. I am waiting for someone to invent some type of super efficient dehumidifier for rigs 🙏. Thanks for all the information.
Haha I seen that influencer who installed that hushmat and I called bs also. Glad someone called them out. Thanks for this video, I learned a lot.
Help me out, Chuck! We purchased a converted Sprinter-based van with minimal insulation. We live full-time in it so I am concerned about moisture. I have done a couple of small side areas with Thermo-Tec double foil radiant barrier glued to the exterior panel, Thinsulate glued to that, and Havelock stuffed into the nooks and crannies. I have stuffed Havelock through light holes into some sections of ceiling. I can't do vapor barrier cuz there are too many areas I don't have access to, can't remove refrigerator, shower, ceiling, etc. Since too many areas are inaccessible to install a vapor barrier, would it make sense to install vents into those areas so at least there is some air circulation to prevent moisture being trapped? I don't anticipate long trips into very cold weather. Love the video, VERY informative! Thanks in advance!!
Hands down the best video about insulation on the internet. thank you for sharing.
Super informative video! I was surprised that you didn't mention Thinsulate. In theory it is a bat style insulation that doesn't hold moisture because the polyester dries very quickly. If it works for someone sweating in a jacket, it should work well in a van/bus.
The difference is that when I’m sweating in a jacket, I don’t have a metal skin outside my jacket trapping all the moisture in. I have used it, but in my mind it’s the same as any other batt style insulation
Yea, I wondered why there was no mention of Thinsulate. I disagree with Chuck's reply that it's the same as any other batt style insulation. I have had Thinsulate 600 in my van walls (XPS in ceiling) since 2016 with partially finished wall panels. I have been able to go back to inspect the Thinsulate and there is not issues with moisture damage or mold.
I have tons of insulation knowledge, R value, thermal bridging, vapor barrier, moisture condensation, etc. I knew 1/8" of insulation is nowhere near an R value of 7 and that Havelock wool insulation is not as great as touted by IG and YT van people, but I did not realize polyisocyanurate's R value decreases with temperature! Thank you for the great info and calling out the BS some of these companies are slinging.
If you are using 2" extruded polystyrene foam on the floor with a compressive strength of 25 psi why have a 3/4" plywood subfloor, just use slightly thicker floating floor to disperse any point loads onto a larger surface area of foam, as it is at 25 psi a 1 foot by 1 foot area can support 3,600 lbs. Weight is the enemy of van or bus builds as it costs more money in fuel for the life of the vehicle and that weight may be better utilize for larger batteries or increase fresh water volume, etc.
Yes, @ChrisDaniel1339, my thoughts as well.
The trade off is whether a thinner subfloor, which is going to be plenty crush-resistant (strong) on top of the XPS is going to be sufficiently impact-resistant (tough) enough to protect from damage that, say, the pointy corner of a really heavy object falling on it would do. The XPS underneath isn't very good at helping the subfloor resist the damage any such high-impact concentrated point loads would cause the subfloor sheet.
So yeah, its another builder's trade-off. For myself, I think a 3/8" subfloor under another 3/8" of T&G wood flooring is tough enough, or even 5/8" under a sheet goods floor. Depends on the material, too. OSB is probably less impact resistant (tough) than most plywoods, all of which are less tough than than no-void marine ply. Its all in the cost/performance/priorities trade-offs. I personally don't like OSB, though the ZIP system is interesting but pricey- and I'd want to put a vapor barrier on it anyway. I would actually be more comfortable with a thinner, smoother (1/2" ACX) plywood, T&G jointed and well sealed under a linoleum finished floor, which I just happen to love. To each his own.
I agree with you though that 3/4" ZIP board is probably overkill for a covered subfloor, but Chuck might be using that for an entirely different reason, like securing cabinets and interior walls and fixtures, or he plans on dropping really heavy stuff on the floor all the time...
I agree 100%. that news about polyiso is weird isnt it?!
i like the advantech subfloor so I can practice lawn darts inside the bus ;) really, i just like its ability to hold fastners and be a super solid substrate with great moisture resistance. We used to do tng plywood for the subfloor but the quality of that has really dropped in the last few years
@@ChuckCassadyYT absolutely! It seems like polyiso is more suited for hot climates like Florida, Texas, and the desert south west.
I was planning to use polyiso as the inside of a combined approach- the outer 1 1/2" including all the nooks and crannies will be XPS, leaving a smooth square box inside for the inner 1" to 1 1/2" of polyiso, taking advantage of its vapor barrier on the inside. Since I'm converting a flat-sided step van, this approach makes the most sense to me. The polyiso will never get so cold that it loses all of its insulation gain over XPS. There will be no side windows at all.
I'm still planning to spray the ceiling, as I need the strength and water protection under the rather flimsy "skylight" fiberglass roof skin. I'll laminate some more glass, then gelcoat and Tropicool the exterior roof under my solar panels. Toying with the idea of reprofiling the roof with foam to collect rainwater. My brother-in-law has moldless composite experience, so it isn't beyond us.
BTW, Owens Corning says that XPS actually goes from R5/in at 75 degrees to R6/in (!) at 15 degrees- a 20% gain. So my putting XPS on the cold side and Polyiso on the heated side seems like the best use of the materials, and since my rig is mostly flat everywhere, it works out about the cheapest and easiest way for me to go...
This is the only one bus insulation video I’ve seen that makes sens.
I subscribed immediately.
Cheers.
Thank you!
@@ChuckCassadyYT ;-)
This is EXACTLY the information I've been wanting to understand. Your stressing the idea that it's the warm, moist air that causes problems more than temperature differences was a revelation to me.
Until this point, my biggest fear in using spray foam was sealing the drain points in my Econoline van. Am I understanding correctly that if I follow your method and completely seal the van those drains will no longer be needed because I would control the moisture through my vent fans? I'm in the very humid South East, US. BTW: I'm a new subscriber because of this video.
Well, I wish this video was available 2 years ago since I definitely fell for Havelock's marketing scheme... I have a 37-foot bus that is almost fully converted; walls, flooring, and ceiling are all done, with the walls and ceiling all being insulated with wool. And of course, I have a condensation issue. I removed some ceiling panels and found the ribs to be wet. And it is cold and wet in the winter where I live, so I'm sure that adds even more to the issue. Some steps I've taken is using APOC roofing cement and aluminum coating on the roof to make more of a barrier between the steel and the elements (when it snows or ices is when we get the most condensation drip in the bus), and to mitigate the possibility of future leaks. I am also going to seal gaps with spray foam. But I can confirm that this issue goes away when its comfortably warm inside.
Yes, if you can keep it warm enough to lower the relative humidity and raise the dew point inside the bus and are conscious about keeping indoor humidity under control, you are doing well
I love wool because I’m a knitter. I used havelock for my house and wool is indeed very good at insulating and I also love it because it’s natural and doesn’t off gas. I will attest to the floppy nature of it . For a vehicle to combat the shifting from vibration, I would suggest for vertical surfaces taking advantage of the stickiness of wool. If you had something like a comb on the walls that at intervals that would go through the batting and help lock it into place, I think that’s would work best. Admittedly, I don’t deal with the shaking aspect because I used it in my house. It’s trickier to use than traditional roll insulation but worth it and worth the price.
great video, chuck. one note on sill seals, though. while they may do a good job in filling air gaps between your sill and your foundation, their purpose is as a moisture barrier (not a conductive barrier). modern basements, as well as many slab on grade and other types of foundations deal with moisture before it ever gets to your sill, but that was not always the case (and still isn't "always" the case). if there is moist dirt touching your concrete foundation and there's no moisture barrier between that and your wooden structures, the concrete will essentially act like a pump, sucking moisture in from the bottom and exhausting it out the top by whatever means it has. wood also happens to be great at sucking up moisture, except, unlike concrete, it rots.
you're correct that if there's a big temperature differential between the wood and the concrete, the sill seal won't help in preventing condensation. that is not what it's for.
What you are describing is poor and sloppy workmanship.
@@chrisallen2005 my parents' house was built in 1821 and still has most of its original structure and exterior. I've worked on houses that are 100 years older than that. Same thing. I wouldn't call anything they did sloppy.
However, since writing this, I've been corrected. Sill seal is for filling gaps, and that's why it's a good moisture barrier for use in the application I described.
I feel so smart now about insulation! I’m paying close attention to your outstanding tutorial👍🏽😀 Thank you kind Sir!