EZ Snap RV Shades

Skywrench

Full Timer
Anyone using this product to help keep heat out of their trailer? I ordered enough snaps and shade material to do every window on my 5th wheel. Was kind of pricey but so is my full time electric bill in south Texas. I’m hoping this makes a difference. I currently use Reflectix to cover the windows from the inside and it helps a lot but I notice the aluminum window frames are transferring a ton of heat from outside to inside. I’m planning on using the EZ Snap material on the outside to cover the windows and window frames to see if it helps. I will probably use the Reflectix and EZ Snap shades together for maximum effect. Anyone with any experience with EZ Snap, your input would be greatly appreciated.
 

Speedy

Well-known member
Did you order light colored material? I'm thinking of just adding more insulation to the walls most affected by the sun. Cover the windows as well. Floor to ceiling and ceiling too.
 

Mrsfish

Well-known member
We had a window shade made for us a couple of y ars ago. Made by a traveling couple who make them for mostly class A front windows. We had one made for the large back window and we had opportunity to use it again a couple of weeks ago. I can say, without any doubt, that it helped control the heat a lot. We also have cut the silver reflecting insulation to custom fit that same window in truly extreme conditions.
 

Skywrench

Full Timer
Did you order light colored material? I'm thinking of just adding more insulation to the walls most affected by the sun. Cover the windows as well. Floor to ceiling and ceiling too.

I ordered the dark material, their website said it was easier to see thru the black. They claim that all 3 of their colors block 90% of the sun’s heating UV rays. Their material comes in 6ft wide rolls.
 

Skywrench

Full Timer
We had a window shade made for us a couple of y ars ago. Made by a traveling couple who make them for mostly class A front windows. We had one made for the large back window and we had opportunity to use it again a couple of weeks ago. I can say, without any doubt, that it helped control the heat a lot. We also have cut the silver reflecting insulation to custom fit that same window in truly extreme conditions.

Thank you for the info. I hope this stuff works as well. I plan on doing some temp gun comparison tests on the window frames, windows and walls after install to see what kind of difference the shades make.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Blocking the sun before it hits the window, in my opinion is best.

Better too for dual pane windows vs using reflective material on the inside which heats up the air space between panes and could potentially contribute to premature dual pane seal loss.

Let us know how it works out.


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danemayer

Well-known member
We have snap-on custom shades on the outside but it doesn't help as much as I had hoped. If I were doing it again, I'd try window awnings to block the sun completely from hitting the windows.
 

Mrsfish

Well-known member
We have snap-on custom shades on the outside but it doesn't help as much as I had hoped. If I were doing it again, I'd try window awnings to block the sun completely from hitting the windows.

we have awnings on the side windows. The sunscreen is only for the back window. We adore our window awnings
 

Skywrench

Full Timer
I thought about window awnings too. It seems like they would be best unless the sun is at an angle in which case they might not give full coverage. I really just need to buy a big circus tent To cover the whole rig!
 

CarterKraft

Well-known member
Side note too on the Reflectix in the windows. I had both my door glass frames melt and drop the window glass into the door from the reflected heat off the reflectix.

Something to consider, and possibly the reflectix is superheating the window frames from the inside out.
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
I thought about window awnings too. It seems like they would be best unless the sun is at an angle in which case they might not give full coverage. I really just need to buy a big circus tent To cover the whole rig!

Lol! That's how I feel, too! I am contemplating the window screen idea as well, please report how well it works. We're in Texas fulltiming as well. I think it got to 104 today. Need some relief!


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JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Installing window awnings is not difficult. Just have to summon the courage to drill holes in the wall. I had our dealer install a large one on the main slide and I installed a smaller one myself on the entertainment slide.


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Speedy

Well-known member
I agree that awnings are the most effective way to shade the windows and keep the heat out. Problem is they are useless when it's windy. Here in Texas it is always windy. We bought a very nice easy up canopy used for two days and had to take it down. Even with 10 ropes to hold it down in the wind it was not enough. Fewer windows and thicker walls or don't live in Texas in the summer.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I agree that awnings are the most effective way to shade the windows and keep the heat out. Problem is they are useless when it's windy. Here in Texas it is always windy. We bought a very nice easy up canopy used for two days and had to take it down. Even with 10 ropes to hold it down in the wind it was not enough. Fewer windows and thicker walls or don't live in Texas in the summer.
Are you saying you have window awnings that you don't use because of wind, or are you just talking about your easy up canopy?
 

Shortest Straw

Caught In A Mosh
Has anybody tried tinting the windows? I know that they help in a house.
Don

We had a SunTek film HP15 installed on our Oakmont. It made a huge difference. Had a commercial installer come to our site and put it on. When we get our BC done we will not go as dark as before and will opt for the clear film.
 

farside291

Well-known member
We also had a metalized tint installed professionally on all of the windows, made a huge difference. We leave all shades open during the day with only the day shades pulled. It dropped the temperature at the glass from 126 degrees to 88 degrees measured at the glass, sunny side of the RV at 6:00 pm when the temperature outside was in the mid 90's. I only wish we could tint the walls too.:) The tint was called Lumar Film ATR 5 and it was a metal based tint with a 66% block. Costs, around $700.00 and well worth it. We had reflectix everywhere. Looked terrible but it kept the RV cool. Now I have Reflectix below the windows attached to the walls behind the sofa and loveseat only. Also, at night we can leave the shades open and no body can see inside even with all the lights on.
 

Skywrench

Full Timer
I installed the EZ Snap shades. They definitely work for windows like mine. I have single pane windows with the exposed aluminum window frames. The shades reduce the window frame temps by 15 to 20 degrees F. They are fairly easy to install if you follow the instructions.

A couple tips:

- Download and print the Measuring Worksheet and layout worksheet from the installation instructions at ezsnapdirect.com/how-to-install-shades . Measure all the windows you want to cover and use the worksheets to figure out how much fabric and hardware you need before you order. I did not do this and ended up over-ordering. The snap fasteners hold the shades away from the wall a small amount so there is a bit of ventilation between the shades and windows.

- I added a 2 inch overlap all the way around my windows to make sure I had the frames well covered.

- When placing the 3M snap studs, make sure you stick them where you want them the first time. You probably won’t be able to pull them off easily.

- Use a bowl or other round object to radius the corners for a cleaner look.

76c51616a71073fedfd927301bf80392.jpg
 

Shortest Straw

Caught In A Mosh
I installed the EZ Snap shades. They definitely work for windows like mine. I have single pane windows with the exposed aluminum window frames. The shades reduce the window frame temps by 15 to 20 degrees F. They are fairly easy to install if you follow the instructions.

A couple tips:

- Download and print the Measuring Worksheet and layout worksheet from the installation instructions at ezsnapdirect.com/how-to-install-shades . Measure all the windows you want to cover and use the worksheets to figure out how much fabric and hardware you need before you order. I did not do this and ended up over-ordering. The snap fasteners hold the shades away from the wall a small amount so there is a bit of ventilation between the shades and windows.

- I added a 2 inch overlap all the way around my windows to make sure I had the frames well covered.

- When placing the 3M snap studs, make sure you stick them where you want them the first time. You probably won’t be able to pull them off easily.

- Use a bowl or other round object to radius the corners for a cleaner look.

76c51616a71073fedfd927301bf80392.jpg



How about a picture from inside out for all of us.
 

Skywrench

Full Timer
Temp of fabric outside using temp gun is 126. Glass on inside is 101 in full sun at 3pm. Ambient temperature is 98 degrees.

You can see from the first picture below that wherever the fabric is installed over a screen, you see sort of a tiger stripe effect from inside.

2c187e9f0bceebda96c127606b71dcda.jpg

0054b52cefaad3860325881791d96384.jpg
84f4ed452585f0eec3e380a1f2c6a4ec.jpg
 
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