Benefits
Insulation in a van provides many benefits:
- thermal insulation: controls temperature, protecting the inside from temperature extremes. Warmer in the cold, cooler in the heat – less need to run AC or heating.
- acoustic insulation: cuts down on sound coming in from the outside, reduces sound escaping the vehicle, and reduces road and engine noise while driving (which greatly reduces fatique while traveling).
- moisture barrier / moisture control: keeps condensation from forming on the inside skin of the van. As air cools, its molecules become more tightly packed, squeezing out any moisture into the air. So, when warm, moist air inside the vehicle hits the cold skin of the van, it drops its water onto the metal. Insulation can prevent this from happening by keeping the air away from the cold metal. Many insulation types also act as a vapor barrier, preventing the moisture from getting to the metal at all.
More information
I’ve covered a number of different types of insulation on the following pages. Where possible, I’ve included links to good sources for purchasing.
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