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Insulating outside storage compartments
Yahoo Message Number: 23551
I could sure use some advice from all you do-it-your-selfers out there in cyber LD land. We have had our used 2001 RK for just over two months now and we decided it was time to empty the outside storage bins, get more organized now that we are more familiar with what we are doing, and while we were at it, add insulation to the storage bin doors.

The compartments are empty and the insulation board is in the garage. After my hubby left on a business trip this AM I figured I would surprise him and start the job while he was gone. Out came the table saw and jig saw... I'm ready to go to work, right?

Now for my dilemma. When I really look at the storage compartments - crawl under the rig, tap on them, etc. I find they are thin plastic on all three sides and bottom. So what good would it do to insulate the doors? Seems like a moot point unless I add insulation to all surfaces of the compartment.
(Either inside or outside?)

Or do I just add insulation to the "roof" of the compartment, thus adding more insulation betweeen the compartment and the floor ot the unit, and let the storage bins get hot or cold, depending on the weather?

Larry gave me a ton of info a while back on what to use (post #22585 if anyone else is interested) so now I just need to know more specifically where do I put the stuff for best results on the storage bins? Thanks in advance for anyone who helps me out here.

Linda PS Yes, real women use table saws!
Re: Insulating outside storage compartments
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23555
Quote
Now for my dilemma. When I really look at the storage compartments - crawl under the rig, tap on them, etc. I find they are thin plastic on all three sides and bottom. So what good would it do to insulate the doors? Seems like a moot point unless I add insulation to all surfaces of the compartment.
(Either inside or outside?)
Exterior compartments usually fall into one of two categories - above the floor or below it. Those above are already insulated, except for the door. On these you want to finish the job by insulating it. Those below the floor you should leave alone, because they are already isolated from the coach by the floor insulation. If you managed to install insulation on all surfaces, they would still get cold (or hot), and the coach interior would be no better for it.
 Some models may have the floor cut out to expand one compartment both above and below the floorline. In this case, the most efficient way to improve interior insulation can vary from one design to the next.
If you insulate the door, you must also insulate all non-insulated 'outside-wall' compartment surfaces. Alternatively, you could just insulate those surfaces which form an 'inside-wall', and leave the door alone.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: Insulating outside storage compartments
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23557
Quote
Exterior compartments usually fall into one of two categories - above the floor or below it.

Steve
*****

Now I see! Thanks Steve for telling me what I should have been able to figure out - gosh I feel sorta silly... Well, since the high temp. here today is supposed to be "only 90", quite cool for the high desert in late June, I can get to work outside and do this right!

Linda
Re: Insulating outside storage compartments
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23559
Linda,
 As Steve (aq433) mentioned the storage compartments below floor level don't need insulation, only the doors of those above floor level. The easiest way to do that is to tape some paper just larger than the door to the inside of the opened doors and with a pencil, Sharpie, or some other writing instrument trace along the inside of the rim on the door. The door rim is what seals against the rubber gasket on the rim of the coach side. Once you have them traced you can cut them out and use those as templates for the insulation.

I don't know what type of insulation you're using but I don't think you need either a table saw or jig saw. I would imagine your using some type of foam board, either some type of urethane or styrofoam.
If it's the soft closed cell urethane foam you can cut that with shears/scissors. The hard urethane or styrofoam is easiest cut with a serrated knife when it's more than an inch thick. Under an inch a utility knife works fine.

I used 2" styrofoam because I had it already and then used felt weather strip and stapled that to the inside of the compartment around the inside door rim. It provides a second seal against the styrofoam so any air leaking through the rubber gasket and door seal is trapped. The 2" foam was the perfect thickness for that to make good contact. I cut the insulation with a thin bladed serrated knife.

Mike R.
Re: Insulating outside storage compartments
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 23603
Thanks Mike R, and reciprocityfactor for the advice. You sure were right Mike, about not needing any saws. I found that the sharpest knife on my leatherman tool used nice and slow made very clean cuts. Every time I make some kind of improvement to the LD I feel happier about the quality of what we have!

Linda