Tips For Ventilating Your Minivan During Hot Weather

May 29, 2023 update

We’ve been blessed with good weather this summer. It makes our road trips even more enjoyable. With the heat waves that follow one another, here are some tips to keep your minivan comfortable.

People often ask us if it’s warm at night in our van. Honestly, using these tips, we sleep VERY comfortably. Most of the summer, we don’t even open all of our windows at night because the temperature usually drops below 20 degrees. On hot nights, we open all the windows and get additional ventilation with our small portable fans.

1. The front insulating curtains

They are, in our opinion, an essential accessory. In the summer, we only travel with our front insulating curtains, since the rear windows of our minivan are tinted and our Roadloft curtains provide privacy while being compact and lightweight.

Heatshields curtains allow us to reflect the sun’s rays and thus prevent heat build-up inside the vehicle. As soon as we park, we install the insulating curtains in the windshield window of our vehicle. This makes a HUGE difference in the temperature inside our van.

Our curtains are therefore used both day and night to keep our vehicle cool. We also like them for the fact that they keep the van cool in the morning, which lets us sleep a bit longer!

When cool nights return, we will also be using our insulating curtains for the back windows to make the season last!

2. Mosquito nets

This is, of course, an essential. Roadloft Exxode compact removable mosquito nets are tailor-made according to the specific dimensions of each minivan. Their quality is appreciated in their finishing details and ensures their durability. For example, unlike the basic models sold on online shopping sites, these compact removable mosquito nets are equipped with magnets sewn inside the curtain to stay in place on the bodywork.

3. The small usb fan

It’s an addition we only made this year, after 4 years in the van. So it’s definitely possible to do without it. However, we’ve quickly made it a staple! On hot and humid days, the fans allow for better air circulation and brings a refreshing breeze to the space.

The most important thing to consider when choosing a portable fan is its energy consumption and autonomy. Personally, we choose rechargeable or usb fans for more eco-responsible choices.

We really like the Mafiti fan (paid link) * As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Which is rechargeable and can run for up to 24 hours!

We also have a rechargeable mini fan (paid link) * As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. which consumes very little power, has a low impact on our power station (paid link) * As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. So that we can continue to travel in complete autonomy (read our article about self-sufficiency in a mini-van)!

 

4. Camping in nature

It’s always cooler in nature, so during heat waves, you’ll be much more comfortable near a water source or the forest than in the city!

Finally, with these simple tips, you’ll be ready to comfortably face this summer’s heat waves!