I'm trying to mix it up a little bit keep my subscribers on their toes, those that will watch whatever the time of week are my core audience that I really want to embrace and thank for always being there to watch the videos. Its not about quantity its about quality and that goes for my viewers too. Love you guys x
Love the fact that you explain the physics of insulation principles. There are so many other van conversion vloggers that don’t have a scoobie. Brilliant Greg. Thank you. ATB.
I'm trying to get across that it's not just something I thought might work, this is science and facts, and what I know will work from years of experience. Glad you liked it.
@@GregVirgoe There a a few RU-vid videos that advise against vapour barriers due to the fact that small ( coin sized holes for example) let litres of water vapour in). What’s your take on this Greg?
@@Hiker1958 in all seriousness not having one means that all you entire van will produce condensation every day it’s cold out. Why would you let that happen on a daily basis?
I appreciate you for sharing your knowledge sir! I am located in Canada, I have been living on the road for about 10 years in my 20’s. In simple cars and vans and also travelling on foot. I am now planning on going back to that lifestyle and will buy a cargo van next spring and fully build my home inside. Your videos are extremely useful, probably the ones that make the most sense for me on RU-vid. Thank you!
The gold standard on how to insulate a van, with detailed explanation of the science and practicality. Here for posterity for everyone to access. Many thanks.
It’s a breath of fresh air to see ‘Proper’ professional instructional videos. I fitted solar and all the electrical trimmings in my old Bongo a few years ago from watching your older series…..Love the detail! Already waiting for Ep7.
My heart was in my mouth watching the first section of this video after having just completed insulting my van… I’m happy to say I’ve used the 7mm closed cell foam with full backing all around as well as filled gaps with recycled bottle loft style insulation.. and will be wood cladding sections too. Minimal but above the condensation point! Yay! 🎉😂
There isn't many people who has honed there work skills and shared there wealth of knowledge like Greg he takes time out to show us how the job should be done Top Man Greg Virgoe 👍👌😎👌🙏🍻
100% I wish more people would listen to you mate and not rush their van builds , I took a couple of months addressing all these issues before I started to build out my van
I watching your videos last few years now and also watched another peoples videos. You explanation much better and sharing all details much appreciated. Finally got my van and start it already. Thanks a lot 🙏
Awesome series. Very clear step-by-step instructions. In this case I've read so much BS about van insulation ("You don't need any, you'll trap the moisture" etc.) , that it's refreshing to have someone like Greg lay out the facts for us, with solid advice on how to proceed. Top job!
Hi Greg as always a wealth of knowledge and information followed you for years and appreciate your information videos I want to build a long Luton one day with good living quarters with workshop at rear but I also would like to carry my 700cc motorcycle I’m glad I haven’t started yet as the eco flow tec has really improved between you and gadget John I’ve learned so much about van building I’m a carpenter so no problem there the only problem I’ve got is witch van do I go with any advice would be great
problem is this is not the only way of doing things. you dont need a vapour barrier , professional van fitters dont use it when using wool, its about ventilation of the area too
In general I watch a lot of videos because I never know when I might find something else that either informs me or inspires me. I personally have 29 years of construction engineering experience but even with that I'm a firm believer that we need to constantly keep ourselves informed. Video such as the ones you produce allow me to have a reference for other people because I just don't have time to make videos myself. Thank you for the hard work and Straight Talk. It provides me one more source of reference for others.
Thank you for taking the time to send me this comment, it really does make all the effort of makign these videos so worth while when you hear this feedback. Thats made my day Cheers :D
@@GregVirgoe this subject alone has probably the most variance throughout youtube channels. I did a super cheap build with an old passenger van but now preparing to buy a brand new Ford Transit to build out and I want to do it right from the beginning. Thanks!
Love it when Greg gets his pens out for a white board demonstration! I always explain things visually. I find it helps me understand it. The calculator shows how important it is to vent when cooking and having a good maxifan. As the RH levels really effects things. Thanks G.
I was originally inspired by the videos of @NateMurphy when he converted his first van in 17days! Also @jaznlori Jaz is an Electrician and he did a fantastic Sprinter build series about 5 years ago, just before our van was done ru-vid.com/group/PLhw0f5dne7cKJXJCUaK8icV-ZVTVnX-S9
Hi Greg. Greetings from Ireland! Loving this series. Appreciate your step by step, clear and simple instructions / info. Excellent. Thanks so much. 👍☘️😀
Outstanding Mr Yoda of Yoda’s 👏 After having followed your instructions previously, I have an even better understanding of insulation now. You base you vids on professional knowledge and facts, as opposed to what you have watched on the interweb or heard down the pub. That Armacell calculator is the monkey’s nuts. That’ll def come in useful for a future larger project we have plans for. Have a great weekend and we’ll catch up with you both the next time around 🍺👏👍
What a fantastic comment. Thank you so much. That makes my day when the videos are appreciated and also that you found it useful to your own projects. Awesome 🤩
Ive watched so many vids and this is by far the best.. i want my van to last and this will do that .. great vids and i will take alot of ur ways forward on my build ....
This is a great instructional video in layman’s terms that people can easily understand… And the fact that you encourage people to get right is the right attitude to have. Compelling and riveting. Thank you for another great video Greg 👍🍻
One of the greatest joys of van life is the insulation/moisture problem prevention. An interesting challenge that pays off from that day forward. First time I've seen someone explain the temperature gradient of insulation.
I always try to demonstrate the facts of exactly what it going on and the reasons for my choice of insulation so it’s not just a point of view it’s actual science 🤩👍🏼
After absorbing all your initial van build videos before commencing my van build, I took the decision to have mine spray foamed with closed cell foam insulation by a professional company. I spec'd a minimum thickness of 50mm but in reality if far exceeds that by 50-150% almost everywhere but the floor when they finished it flush to all the timber framing I had pre installed. Needless to say it works an absolute treat and it was a really fast process taking about half a day which included masking off and trimming back flush afterwards. Cost wise it was about similar to what using quality products in a traditional 3 step (sound, deadening, PIR board and vapour barrier) would have cost. There was no deformation of the van walls afterwards as many people fear with spray foam but my van is an 11 plate iveco daily so the steel used is a tad thicker than many manufacturers use these days.
It is the perfect solution, its got the best thermal insulation properties, you wont get any issues with condensation and it woudl be great for sound deadening and absorbtion too. Obviously its a permanent installation and can be messy to install if not got an experience crew but well done you wil have a great van for sure.
A word of caution about spray foaming. If you encapsulate the vehicle wiring harness inside any of the body channels / cavities then you will have serious problems if a fault occurs. Try to get the harness either out and then repositioned or run through a suitable conduit or tube. Same if you want to run the new leisure harnesses along any body channels. Try to plan your cable routes before you insulate. A lot of panel vans use the area near the rear light clusters for extracting the air from inside the van. Greg's use of permeable "wool" in the rear vertical door hinge channels is the best idea in that area. Some panel vans have obvious rear vents on the rear of the van, so these are needed to allow ventilation. If you can't see any obvious extraction vents at the rear of the van then it probably vents around the rear light clusters ( a low pressure area ). I have seen them as low as the bumper area on some vehicles. I am retired now but I used to do a lot of auto electrics and vehicle rewiring - hence the experience fishing out harnesses. I have a L1H1 Ducato which has a full double bed, shower cubicle, electric plumbed in toilet, domestic sized midi fridge, microwave and a removeable kitchen station. It was a lot of work figuring everything out.
@@davidmuirhead1060 none of my services are buried behind the insulation, I've designed it all to be easily accessible but hidden to aid fault finding and future upgrades/modifications.
Being 5 months behind your build blog, my comments are meant for future readers of this excellent channel. I spent hours feeding in pvc pipes (rigid and corrugated flexy ) so I could feed all sorts of cables front to rear and side to side. I have separated 12v from solar from mains ( which both goes into and out of my van ) and I have conduits for rear cameras and full time CCTV. I can't see many people ever going to the lengths I have! All the best@@lincolndave1966able
As per previous comments, thank you for explaining that. There's a few folk that have explained the theory behind it but nobody that I have seen has actually broken it down like this. This is what RU-vid is all about for me, brilliant video and one to keep in the viewers back pocket. Thanks for taking the time to explain.
Yes, heat always transfers from hot to cold. So heat will be trying to escape your van in the winter and it will be trying to get into the van in the summer. So the insulation slows this transfer down by reducing the amount of watts that can get through the structure. The thicker the insulation the slower the transfer rate.
So many of us just go ahead and throw insulation on and a vapour barrier because we know we have to do it, but the answer to why and min thickness is so powerful, thanks Greg
That's really clear and well explained, thanks for sharing. I own a Fiat ducato myself and this is a gold mine. I'm surprised you used 50% humidity in England, I live close to England and out here humidity is more above 90% most of the year.
Greg, you are truly amazing. I am fitting out a 2022 sprinter 4x4 I purchased new jan1 . My goal is to be finished and ship roro in about 24 months to Southampton. I sincerely appreciate all the hard work that you have put into these instructional videos. You have definitely made my life easier. K&H from Oklahoma Indian Territory. Hope to be able to visit with you sometime in the future. Thanks K
Awesome that you are coming over here to visit, are you also planning to venture into Europe too? There are some incredible places to stay if you have seen any of our touring videos. Hope you have a great trip and thank you for your support :D
Finally, Van builders can get to listen to a true authority on Dew points and interstitial condensation, presented as ever by Greg in a no nonsense "pony" free video. Long overdue but well worth the wait. Keep it up.
Thank you Alison, I have done a few videos on this subject and always try to explain exactly what is happening with the facts so I’m pleased that you appreciate it 😃👍🏼
Great video with such a thorough explanation on the physics of insulation. One thing I wonder if you've looked at is how healthy it is to be breathing the air in contact with those insulation materials in such a small space.
For me the most important thing I learned was that is a minimum thickness for insulation to avoid condensation. And I like dhow you played with that in the online calculator.
There isn’t one abuser that fits all conditions so if your van is really humid loads of showering or cooking and no ventilation then that dew point will be higher so you need thicker insulation. Or better ventilation and warmth to dry the internal air more.
Good day Greg! I started following your van build series on your Sprinter, and gleaned some great info for my micro camper (Promaster City, aka Fiat Doblo) I used 2inches extruded polystyrene in the ceiling, 1 inch on the walls and floor. Vapour barrier is reflectix. I also added a 100cfm vent (variable speed)fan in order to mitigate the increased water vapour content due to my breathing. I have yet to see any condensation in the van, even during high humidity, winter mornings during my Florida vacation. I’m sharing this video with my brother in law, as he will begin his van conversion process this autumn. Cheers! 🇨🇦
Your attention to detail in the build of your own van has paid dividends and thank you for sharing your experience. I wish your brother the same success with his build. Nice to hear from you. Cheers 🍻
Love that Greg, very informative and makes a lot of sense, even to someone who will never do a van conversion. Love to Lou and we will see you very soon
Thank you, Ron, I'm pleased it came across ok. We are really looking forward to the Bee Gees and seeing you both soon. Don't forget we will win this time :D lol
Thank you Greg for this amazing, definitive resource from someone who actually knows what they're talking about. This is your life's work essentially so I think it's safe to say we can trust your knowledge. This part of the build imo is the most important part so it's essential to get that good foundation to stop problems such as mould.
You are absolutely right, campervans and motorhomes were never designed to be lived in fulltime all year round they were meant for two weeks summer holidays so vanlife has presented a different set of problems that we have to combat and I hope that these videos show people the right way to prevent this happening in their van conversion.
The takeaway for me was while the min. insulation thickness to avoid condensation was interesting, a vapor barrier is just about mandatory no matter what type/amount of insulation is used. Because realistically, in a mobile housing application, it's just a matter of time until you have a large temp. delta across the wall paired with a high internal relative humidity resulting in condensation. I found the heat loss calcs from Greg's original "Vanlife Insulation Part 1 - The facts you need!" a bit more useful because that could be used to size a heater for given conditions. Looks like the recommended new calculator can do that too. Thanks for sharing!
You are spot on with your comment, without any form of vapour barrier, condensation will form at the right conditions. so the key is put enough insulation in to combat the heat loss or heat gain then an effective vapour barrier to prevent condensation forming in cold climates. It's a no brainer, if you don't want your hard work ruined by water damage in a couple seasons. Thank you :D
That's a great bit of info and a good resource for working out what you need. However, you can tell what a southerner you are if you think that REALLY cold is -10! 😂
Really impressed with this, plus the calculator and links to the online store. I was following the calculations as you did yours and chose some harsher values. Very much appreciated and thanks for sharing your knowldge!
Obviously this video try’s to show what is the minimum. I’m reality you would like to add much more insulation to cope with those different conditions. Thanks for watching and glad you liked it.
Thanks Greg, great video as ever. We start our van conversion in the next couple of weeks, so thank you for thinking of us and starting this series at the perfect time. 🤣👍🤣
Wow! So glad to have you back with van building videos. Very enjoyable to watch and the detail is second to none. Just started my van build of a 2018 transit extended wheel base and videos like this are extremely helpful. Thank you Greg. Here is Spain our major problem is heat in summer so I decided to use 20mm Kaiflex throughout followed by 15mm multicap reflective. Hoping that will go some way to reducing the oven effect in summer while keeping us toasty enough in winter. Good luck with the build and thanks again for sharing. 🚐🚍
Insulation will work both ways. It’s always good to well insulate as this will slow down the transfer of heat into the vehicle and keep it cooler during the summer. Also a very good idea to get some external reflective blinds for the cab windows to keep out the sun. Solar gain through glass is the largest contributor to heating up your van in summer. The more you can stop the sun getting in the cooler it will be 😎🚐👍🏼
Hi Greg, I'm still waiting for my van till the new year, so lots of time to plan & get great advice like yours. I've listened / watched debates on Vapour Barriers and in my mind you've now cleared that up for me thank you!
Mine is the only channel that will give you the science and hard facts not just random opinions I’m pleased you found my videos. Best wishes with your build 👍🏼😊
Thanks Greg. I found the warning about dewpoint and condensation inside the insulation very worrying. First time I've seen it. Glad I put in vapor barrier. I was lucky with the closed cell foam for the over cab roof. I just used the thickest I could find at the time. 18mm. It had the added benefit of damping roof noise😊 Keep these up. I may not always agree, but really appreciate your thoroughness and clear explanations.
I know that we can have a civilised discussion about it and you're a gentleman Kev, so I welcome your thoughts on any of my videos. Thank you for always being a long-term supporter of the channel, hope to catch you for a beer soon. Cheers :D
Brilliant one Greg. This is the important video I've been waiting to watch. Recap from watching the first time you did this a while ago. Really appreciate all your advice. Got boxes of all these stuff off Dodo waiting to go in the new build. Cheers Greg. Fabulous to follow 👌👍
Hi Greg Also greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪 I enjoyed your last van build and this current van built. The detail is brilliant, will definitely tune in for the next episode.
Hey Greg professional and concise explanation of insulation principles and again very helpful particularly with your qualifications and background. Thanks for sharing
Love the facts and explanations in this video and thanks for the link to the calculator. Enjoying this series of videos! Thank you for producing the content for us!
Hi Greg , love your series and just slowly working my way through it. Planning on retiring next year so doing some work research on converting a Fiat and a really appreciate your detailed explanation. Being in Australia I thought that maybe I would not need a moisture barrier but given the extremes here from -5 in winter to +40 in summer, plus high humidity I guess every bit of insulation will help.
You are such a wealth of knowledge when it comes these van builds great to see such informative videos , are you going to say or show the prices of items you are using in the build👍👍
Fantastic videos! I need to translate what you’re saying for Canadian temperatures ! With the van conversion of temperatures that could be -20 … Keep up the good work, really appreciate it
All you need is to go really thick as possible on either PIR or EPS insulation, fill all voids and even use a bit of exp foam on gaps. A really good foil vapour barrier and you will have a very well insulated van 🚐👍🏼😊
@@GregVirgoe hope to start our conversion of a Iveco Daily Long wheel base 2022 model soon. I have noticed that UK seems to have access to much more items that i would like to use , that appear are not available here in Australia. Like the Bonded windows for instance. Cheers.
Finally! Clear, sensible, clever explanation of insulation principles. Will you be covering the subject of thermal bridges? Also, will you talk about sprayed foam insulation? Thank you for your time and I am thrilled to learn more on your channel.
The graph worked really well I thought at conveying the principals! Excellent video! I fitted 25mm ceiling and floor, 50mm in most of wall sections apart from bed headboard where we sikaflexed 25mm timber battens for fixings and 25mm PIR in between. Managed to retain full double bed length.
First, thanks for these videos. I've watched all your videos from way back. I just can't remember you ever talking about sprayed foam. I'm told, if applied correctly, there's no problem with buckling the sides of the van. Obviously, it adheres and makes it's own vapor barrier. I'm definitely NOT questioning your expertise; I'm just trying to learn before my build. Thanks again for taking considerable time to share your knowledge.
You are right about spray foam it’s the best insulator and vapour barrier in one ☝️ only drawback is permanent so you can’t remove it and installing can be messy job. Watch how Eamon & Bec did their last van 🚐😃
@@GregVirgoe I appreciated hearing back from you. Thanks for the tip to watch Eamon & Bec. I learned a lot about spray foam. Just like you said, it is messy and very permanent. I haven't decided yet how I will insulate; but after learning about dew point from you, I sure know now I won't be using any wool, etc. products. I am so excited and looking forward to more fabulous videos from you. I can finally stop the maddening clicking through so many videos looking for answers. You are The Man!
My house is insulated to passivhaus standards and in Glasgow. Air tight too and we haven't had our central heating on for over one year. I specialise in insulation (hot, cold, cryogenic insulation temperatures). Nobody, residentially anyway, really takes it seriously, but with a few additions in your home (and motor home as beautifully indicated by Greg), you can save yourself a small fortune and will continue to recoup the costs until your initial investment (Roi in most cases) is returned.
That is really great news, yes it does go along way to reduce the heat loos and energy needed to keep your home warm in winter o r cool in summer. very important step
Great video. I am busy doing my boxer out and av not done above the cab yet. and I have noticed .last night. now the weather is getting colder .there is a lot of condensation .so that's next on the list to do
I have made a dedicated video for the cab roof. Here is a link Bulkhead and Headliner Removal - Budget Van Build Ep3 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4JISlxtcv1o.html
After watching many videos in an attempt to ensure that I am doing the correct thing when I go to insulate my enclosed trailer (cargo trailer for most of the world) I have come to the conclusion that many You Tubers are giving out incorrect information....then I found your channel 🙂 I do not intend to live in the trailer as its purpose is to carry my cars and to double as a workshop (the workshop requirement is where insulation will come in handy) Where I live in Australia the temperature is normally around the 40 degrees Celsius in summer and 20-25 degrees Celsius in the colder months, so I do not think that condensation build up is going to be a problem? After watching your video, I intend to do the following - 1. install 5mm closed-cell foam insulation (foil backed) utilizing the sticking side against the metal cladding 2. use 10mm foilboard as the next layer (probably not really needed but will increase the R rating) 3. attach wooden strips to the steel metal framework (to eliminate the thermal transfer) 4. line with a thin plywood tounge and groove board Does anyone foresee any problems with this approach?
Hi Greg, i think your videos are brilliant mate, very informative and your timing is great on the Fiat as i have just bought a citron relay l3h2 and your expertise will help me greatly as i have never done anything like this but financially will be better to do most of the work myself. looking forward to your next video
Brilliant video Greg, really well explained. That calculator is great, makes it so much easier to understand with a visual aid 👍🏼 I’ve been having a play with it and finding the choice I made on the insulation ( with your advice from my Instagram questions) I’m really happy it’l work well. I went with 10mm CCF on the headliner and full roof covering, plus all the side/wall panels I could get to. On top of this I’m doing the same as you, Diall wool, PIR and foil vapour barrier. Should be nice and toasty 😊
I want to explain that so I’m not just another guy who’s built a van. I really do know the subject extremely well as I was a consultant in this industry for many years. 👍🏼😃
Excellent video, really useful to know the science behind it all. Would be interesting to see a reverse to that, where you're keeping the heat out, though I guess that's not such a problem. Have just started a van build and spent many hours stressing over the insulation, so great timing to find this. Have considered 100mm fibreglass directly onto the walls with a covering of foil / bubble wrap sandwich on the inside. Theory being to prevent the ingress of vapour getting into the fibre. Not sure the theory works though. Will see what your link throws up. Many thanks.
Your idea is perfect in terms of keeping your insulation dry. Take a look at this video I made about it ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zCjygu0ygKE.htmlsi=hr8UT495ZkdhJn79
I thought about buying a low van type. But now i want something like double decker to get the proper amount of insulation 🤣 Thank you for the knowledge!
I’ve just come across a product called Low-E. Waiting for a call now from the company to explain how their product can work in my van conversion. Sounds ideal at the moment.
Hello Phillip, I have got a sample of Low-E to investigate myself. The first thing is it's really just a radiant and vapour barrier it's not going to give you much in the way of thermal insulation to prevent heat transfer as it's only 5mm thick. They did publish a K value of 0.0366 W m² K which is about halfway between wool and PIR board which is what I expected for the core. but let's put that into perspective. To match the thermal resistance as 50mm of PIR foam board you would have to stick 17 LAYERS of Low-E insulation on top of each other to get the same level of insulation. So you see it is not very good as an insulator and really its only purpose in van building is as a very good vapour barrier. I would use your money on cheaper more practical solutions. Hope that helps
hi again Greg. I’ve had a chat with tech at Low-E and they are saying that it will perform extremely well in a conversion providing it is installed correctly. They suggest using the 5.5mm product directly on the panels because using the thicker 11mm won’t make much difference (placed over the sound deadening/absorption material), then spanning from front to back sealing with tape to provide the vapour barrier and leaving an air gap between the body panels, and then battens to fix the final boards to again leaving an air gap to provide that all important thermal barrier. Sounds good in theory but I’m a bit sceptical.
Ok let me put it to you like this. I have 50mm PIR in the walls of my van. You install a layer of lowE with an air gap in your van. You will lose 17 times more heat from your van than I will. Does that sound like it works?
Excellent! a bit like an Open University module, except I could understand it. Do they give an R value rating for their foam insulation. I seem to remember for a domestic attic/loft around R-30 is required, so that would be a good target, I doubt you would have much room left in a van, but it would be snug. I look forward to seeing what you level of insulation you go for in the van insulation ÷ space equation.
The figure that defines all materials in terms of thermal conductivity is it’s K value. That’s the only true figure that you can compare like for like. So many manufacturers publish false R values to make their product look better than it actually is. But they cannot fiddle the K value, that’s why many don’t publish their K values. So Armaflex k value is 0.033 w/mk PIR is 0.022 and all wool type loft insulations are 0.044 so that means that Armaflex is midway better than all wool insulation but not as good as PIR foam board.
@@GregVirgoe Thanks. I'll look at the K values. I get confused between U value R value K value and C values, but as you say, K is the best for comparison of materials. Shame they don't make a flexible PIR board but Armaflex is a close second and spray foam or a combination Ah I can see where you are headed now.
