Floor insulation
I have a 2006 Bailey Ranger 460/2 with a factory supplied carpet. The floor is still cold to my feet, is there any thin but effective insulation that I could put under the carpet? Anyone any ideas.
Comments
-
You could try the reflective foil/foam on a roll stuff, similar to that used once used behind your radiators.
https://www.toolstation.com/ybs-general-purpose-thermawrap-insulation/p90532
If you go down to Product Details it actually says:-
"use it anywhere from roofs, walls and floors to motorhomes"
Colin
0 -
There are lots of similar products available on eBay. If you do choose to go down that route don't forget to insulate the floor under your bench seats and in the cupboards.
0 -
nth - I lined the lockers (underneath the nearside seat and the n/s bed) with those interlocking 'foam' tiles that are intended to be used as awning carpet. I bought a load in the sale from Halfords and then didn't like them because they sprang apart when used on the uneven floor in the awning. I put them down - not for insulation - but to stop the wooden flooring becoming scratched. They were very easy to cut to fit with them being individual tiles and have made a very neat (and colourful!) job.
Thinking about it, though, they would make excellent insulation for the floor which the OP might like to consider.
0 -
I am trying to envisage when feet would get cold? The floor of any caravan/motorhome is already insulated. Are you not warm whilst the heating is on? If you leave the heating off overnight it can get a bit chilly but in those temperatures we wear a pair of socks in bed so certainly don't notice a cold floor should we have to get up during the night.
David
0 -
If the OP was going to lay the carpet on top of those tiles don't you think that the extra height would inhibit the opening of some of the cupboards such as those under the sink and cooker etc.
I have replaced the original carpeted in the caravan with a cut off from a carpet dealer and used some of it to insulate the floor under the seating and in the cupboards too.
0 -
Note that the OP has a 2006 van. Like our 2008 van it has a lower level of insulation than vans made since 2009. Our floor can be cold sometimes, early or late in the year, but having Alde heating does help a bit.
When we feel it is cold, we put a blanket down over the carpet where we sit.
0 -
Kj
I am basing my comments on vans we have owned going back beyond the age of the OP's van. All of our vans have had blown air heating and the vents exit at floor level which tends to keep the feet reasonably warm.
David
0 -
"If the OP was going to lay the carpet on top of those tiles don't you think that the extra height would inhibit the opening of some of the cupboards such as those under the sink and cooker etc."
Good point nellie. It would depend on the van. In ours, there's more than enough room under the sink cupboard doors to do it - the tiles are only about 1cm thick.
We're spoilt, though - having underfloor heating in the area we walk on
0 -
"We're spoilt, though - having underfloor heating in the area we walk on"
and that is why i cant afford a new caravan or a reasonably good 2nd hand one, too many bells and whistles which have pushed up the prices into the silly money bracket.
When we started out we lived in Scotland and ventured out hail snow or blow with just blown air heating, which went off overnight, and lots of thick socks, furry booties and a wooly hat to sleep in if things got really bad. Now i know why lots of sights including this club are installing metered EHU
, have to confess we are softies now and dont often venture out in the cold months unless it is to overthere, but we do treat ourselves now to a couple of hot water bottles 
0 -
Rufs - when we bought our van - new - 5 years ago - it's 'headline' price was £37.5k - which, I agree, was expensive. However, we got a significant discount which brought the price down to less than £30k, making it comparable, if not cheaper than most UK TA vans. The underfloor heating actually operates on 24v through a transformer, and pulls less than 1 amp - so it's significantly cheaper to run on that than it is to use the Truma heating. In winter, we often turn the main heating off completely overnight and rely just on the u/f heating - so we're actually making a big saving on power usage.
0 -
V x A = W.
24 x 1 = 24W.
24 watts doesn’t sound like a lot of heat output
0 -
I can only say what the power meter I installed is telling me - and it seems reasonably accurate when other devices are switched on. Once the van is warmed up, it's enough to maintain sufficient heat to keep the chill off.
0 -
Sorry for the confusion.
I take it that the 1amp reading is taken on the 230volt supply and not the 24volt. That would suggest that the heating element is around 230watts.
Makes more sense now. So 4hours use would be around 1kwh
0 -
Not disagreeing there David, but we all feel the cold or heat differently, things can change as we age, and insulation levels do make a difference.
Some people will say they turn off heating when they go out, van will be warm again in half an hour, or that 1kw is sufficient to keep their van warm even in cold weather. Neither of those apply if you have a pre 2009 UK built van, especially a larger one with Alde heating!
Much as we love our older van, it would be great to have the better insulation of newer vans, and the floor can feel very cold at times.
Best thing we find for using indoors are Crocs or some slippers with thick soles.
0 -
welsh david, I have just discovered that Status Car Care do a floor covering which can be bought either 1.4 or 2 m wide and to a specified length which has good insulating properties. They do both a self adhesive one and one which is glued down supplied with the appropriate amount of glue.
https://shop.statuscarcare.com/product-category/automotive-marine-carpet/
0
