How I Beat the Heat with DIY Magnetic Solar Screens on My RV / Camper / Trailer

Beat the heat! How I built solar screens on my RV windows.

We've been in cooler regions of the United States this summer, so heat wasn't a problem -- but we had to come back to central Texas this month! Heat over 100 degrees! 

I made really nice adjustable, removable fabric awnings for my previous camper.
(If you want to know how, click here) 

I liked them a lot, and they are super cute, but they have a couple drawbacks. If it gets really windy in the middle of the night, they will bang on the camper. Sometimes loudly enough that you have to get out of your cozy bed and put them away.  It took a lot of time to make the awnings - making the solar shades take almost no time at all!

So, I came up with the idea of solar screen covers for the windows. There are a lot of advantages.  There is a video at the end of this article that shows how stable they are in a windstorm.

• They block up to 90% of the sun's heat.  
• Unlike the silver stuff, you can see through your windows and don't feel like you're living in a cave.  
• They are easy to put up and take down. 
• You don't have to remove them if it rains or is windy. 
• You can open and close all your windows, including the emergency window without removing them.
• You can have airflow through the trailer and still block the heat

Best of all YOU CAN SEE OUTSIDE!

The screens are held up with magnets and are easy to install and remove without a ladder. Interested? Read on to see how I did it!

Note: all my affiliate links will generate money for your favorite charity! They are all set to go to smile.amazon.com

Easiest Way to Remove Tartar from Your Dog's Teeth - Try this Before Doggie Dentist! Don't Put Your Dog Through The Trauma of Dental Cleaning

I have always had large dogs, who don't seem to have many problems with their teeth. I now have a small dog, Emily, who is about 6 years old. Apparently, small dogs have a lot of trouble with tartar build-up. Her breath became so horrible, that I realized she had dental problems. After doing some research, I realized that if I took her to the doggie dentist, they would PUT HER TO SLEEP to clean her teeth! Anesthesia is dangerous so I thought I would try cleaning her teeth myself before subjecting her to the vet. I really had to do something, her teeth were so bad!

Make a FREE Sturdy Cone Thread Holder that Folds for Travel

Actually, it doesn't have to be a travel holder, I use it at home all the time. It folds up very compactly for travel, though.

By the way if you need a reliable, sewing machine that makes great buttonholes, I recommend this one - I love it!

Even though it appears to be made from plastic it sews GREAT and handles everything I want to sew - from lightweight polyester to heavy denim

I use cone thread for a lot of sewing. I was looking online at a neat holder like this one

suddenly it struck me -  I have something similar  .... You know those CD/DVD stackers? well, I thought - "hmm, that would make a good thread holder".  Five minutes and a piece of wire later, I had a nifty free thread holder.

Protect Your Glass Doors

I was on a forum and someone was showing a complicated way they pad all their glassware and dishes before moving the trailer. Hah! I thought to myself, I am more clever than that! I don't have to do anything before we move because everything is arranged nicely in the shelves and stays put!  

Then I saw a conversation about the damage to the glass doors from the items rubbing on them during travel. Hmmm, this might be an issue. Sure enough, when I opened the cabinets, I could see a couple small areas where the dishes had rubbed on the glass and damaged some of the frosted pattern. I have no idea whether the frost is really etched or just a sprayed on finish. It really doesn't matter at this point, either way, there's damage.

Well.... do I want to spend an hour getting my camper ready to move every time we change location? That's an easy question - NO - NO I DO NOT - I spend a lot of time and effort designing storage systems so that we pretty much lift anchor and sail away without a lot of prep (to mangle a metaphor or two)

So, what to do?

Stop the Draft From Coming in Through the Exhaust Vent

The wind is really whipping out here. I like to leave my exterior vent flap open so that when I use the stove I do not have to go out to open it or close it after dark, or in the rain, or when it's cold, or when it's hot, You get the idea. There is a lot of cold draft coming in through the exhaust vent today. I have noticed that in the summer, hot air comes through it too.  Actually, in Texas the wind is so strong that it sometimes comes through the vent even when the outside cover is closed.

Being the 'crafty' sort, I pulled out my sewing machine and fabric and started to make a cover for the vent. Suddenly it struck me - there's a MUCH simpler way! It works better too!

Want to know what it is?

Tips for Installing a Slim Shade in Your RV - I Can See Clearly Now!

I just discovered this great replacement window for an RV or Trailer!  I've always hated the opaque window in the door. I saw this window and had to get it!

If you have a window with no visible screws on the interior trim, I have a way to remove it easily with no damage. 

There are also some hints I've discovered to make the installation a LOT easier, including how to remove an RV or Trailer window that has no screws. I thought I'd share them here. Hope they're helpful!