RogerThat Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Hi everyone, I have a really strange draught coming in from a closed window! At night the rear lounge in my MH converts to the bedroom and my head is immediately below a large window. The window is closed, the fly screen is pulled down (which incidentally has fluffy draft stuff on the back of the trim) and the blackout blind is pulled down too. However, there is a chronic draught coming down from the window and gently freezing my neck stiff! Is this just a natural cold vs hot thing? Short of running a length of masking tape over the bottom of the blind every night, any suggestions?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerThat Posted April 11, 2016 Author Share Posted April 11, 2016 My blinds look like this: http://nationalcaravanbreakers.co.uk/image/product/images/large/caravan-motorhome-seitz-window-blackout-blind-675mm-x-415mm-20151809152341.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 I have to say that these open ended blinds are not my favourite and I suspect this could be a convection draught caused by the cold outside air cooling the warm inside air through the not very efficient plastic windows. The cooled air then drops onto the poor unfortunate who just happens to be below it and the initial suggestion would be to try sealing it off as you suggest to see if it helps, and if it does help than a solution to box the bottom of the blind to break the cycle of convection might be worth figuring out? Or change the whole blind unit for a fully boxed in one - if indeed convection is the issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 It's not really credible that the draught is coming from your closed window unless it's faulty and doesn't close properly, more likely there is another pathway for air movement nearby. For example in my MH there is an air gap between the inside wall and the side panels against which the cushions rest. I like some ventilation so we usually leave the windows open a bit if we're in a place secure enough to do so, but our blinds go upwards, so the air gap is at the top.where it doesn't present as a draught. If you can't find and stop the source of the draught, maybe use an extra pillow to divert it? A chap I met years ago was absolutely convinced that to cure a crick in the neck you had to wrap a sweaty sock around your neck to get it to resolve - but I've not so far had to resort to trying that yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Whilst I know its a Fiat I am not sure if its a coachbuilt or a Panel van conversion.. If the latter consider what arrangements it has for ventilation to allow the heating system air to eventually escape at the rear of the vehicle, without this airflow the heater is far less effective. Stationary such a vent might allow the slightest breeze from the right direction to give a draft in the interior. On my coach built the draft was via the fridge vents and a small horizontal void several inches long to a seat belt slot. A wad of rockwool insulation in the void was the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Apparently RogerThat’s motorhome is a 1999 Swift Sundance coachbuilt model. The Sundance’s exterior windows and interior blinds are completely separate items. The top of each double-glazed acrylic window is attached to a ‘hinge’ fixed to the body-side’s outer skin and sealing is via a rubber gasket also attached to the skin. If the gasket is sound and still pliable, and the window seats tightly against the gasket when closed, there should be no through-draughts. I had this type of window/blind arrangement on my Hobby motorhome but I vaguely recall that, when its REMIS interior blinds were fully pulled down, the bottom edge of the blind moved inwards towards the surface of the interior wall. As the blind’s bottom edge had a strip of ‘fluffy draft stuff’ on its rear, this formed a reasonably effective draft-proofing seal against the wall. (I’m guessing from the photo that the Sundance has Dometic Seitz “Rastrollo” blinds which may well close differently.) If the bottom of the the Sundance’s blinds do not seal against the wall, then Tracker’s convection theory sounds good to me and experimentation should prove whether or not it’s correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickt Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 A friend of mine had a similar problem ,but he complained that too much light came in via the open bottom. Solution he took blinds of and reversed fitting putting opening at top , maybe you could try this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 We have the same type of windows and blinds but no draft (pleased to say) perhaps they haven't been fitted properly? Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Double glazing companies call this trickle ventilation! At least you won't suffocate in the night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Going back a few year long before blinds, and even before plastic double glazed windows, vans used to come with curtains - remember them? How quaint! On some vans the curtains were thick, lined and generous in size and we used to attack a stretched curtain wire from end to end on the lounge / bed area walls because we found that tucking the curtain in behind the wire went a very long way to reducing the flow of cold air at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerThat Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 I've updated my profile to add MH make/model B-) Thanks for all the replies everyone. Just to confirm, the window shuts tight, no auidable wind noise and no draughts while the blinds are open. Given this I'm thinking it is indeed a convection issue with the cold air simply 'falling' down on to my neck. I should have said, we have curtains (ha!) pulled but of course there's a huge gap below those too. So I'm liking the suggestions of either attaching a curtain wire across the width and tucking the curtain in tight to the body and I'm also liking the idea of simply turning the blind upside down! (Or indeed finding a neat way to box in the bottom of the blind. Would the retracting mechanism still function correctly for both fly screen and black out blind if mounted upside down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 My blinds are the same as yours and the gap underneath let's the light in at 4am so I slit a piece of 3/8" pipe lagging down the length of it and just clip it on the bottom of the blind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 RogerThat - 2016-04-12 9:11 PM ...Would the retracting mechanism still function correctly for both fly screen and black out blind if mounted upside down? Some caravan/motorhome window blinds can be fitted either way up without presenting any operating problems, but the type of blind you have is clearly designed to pull downwards not upwards. If you experiment by operating your blind, particularly checking how it latches, it should become plain whether inverting it would be a viable proposition. (I wouldn’t do it - it just seems ‘wrong’ somehow!) Also the top section of the your blind where the rollers are housed is a good deal bulkier than the blind’s base. This may or may not matter if you inverted the blind, but it’s worth bearing in mind. From what Charles says, there’s a significant gap between the bottom of the lowered blind and the wall (unlike the REMIS blinds that were fitted to my Hobby) so the logical approach initially would be to block that gap temporarily and see whether this stops the draught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerThat Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 Charles - 2016-04-12 10:15 PM My blinds are the same as yours and the gap underneath let's the light in at 4am so I slit a piece of 3/8" pipe lagging down the length of it and just clip it on the bottom of the blind. UPDATE! Well, I went to Screwfix and for the princely sum of £0.97 the draught on my neck is now nothing but a distant memory! Thanks Charles, your suggestion has worked an absolute treat!! It takes around ten seconds to fit the pipe lagging each night, it weighs literally nothing and it stuffs nicely in to the wardrobe when not in use. Plus the added benefit of no 4am daylight :D Thank you B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 Brilliant idea!! We have the same van and blinds, but do not get the draft, but the light can be a problem, especially if parked near a street light in camp site. Will give it a go, IF we get away this year! Also find the light comes in from the windscreen blind when up,(If we don't use the silver screen) as the rear view mirror gets in the way, so I pull the sun visors down and wedge a tea cloth over the gap, a bit "heath robinson" I know, but it works We also find white door draft excluder useful to carry, for any rattles from the cab doors. PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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