Dual Pain Windows

[214skier]

How important are these?

We bought a 2014 Outdoors RV / Timber Ridge that does not have them. We like to snow camp and noticed that the windows sweat a lot.

I also get that single = less insulation and therefor the air conditioning is less effective.

Welcome your feedback.

[TUCQUALA]

matt_r, does your Timber Ridge have the mushroom roof vent up on top??? Our 2016 does, and Outdoors said they put them in to help with high humidity in the attic.

We have been out in high 30's temps a couple of times since purchase in April. Have noticed much less sweating than in our previous Jayco. Can't say that that will stay the same down into the 20's that we will surly encounter this fall. We don't have the dual pane windows, but feel the trailer is very well insulated, and feel very confident in it's "4 Seasons" ability.

[BillB800si]

We had them on our 2007 Jayco Eagle. Waste of money for insulation or noise reduction. Our 2014 Cougar High Country came standard and worked the same as the Jayco.
Save your money and if moisture is a problem get a small dehumidifier. Lots of folks in Florida use them
Happy trails,

[n7bsn]

3oaks wrote:
Be aware there is a difference between Dual Pane (Storm Windows) and Thermal Pane windows. Some manufacturers, Arctic Fox for one, offer both kinds as options. I would always go with Thermal Pane windows.

matt_r wrote:
Its odd, I would have expected thermal windows to be part of any four season package--...............

I found that very odd too.

Some years back I talked with the production manager for Northwoods (Arctic Fox, etc) he said the about 90% of their Fox's are made with Thermal pane, a small number were made with Storm. But about 7 percent were made with regular.
Those were mostly "base" model orders by the dealer. Almost every customer order was Thermal.

[seaeagle2]

In theory, thermal pane windows would have a thermal break spacer between the panes and argon or krypton gas.

[myredracer]

Some manufacturers offer them as an upgrade option. We tried to get them on or 2014 KZ TT but KZ stopped offering them allegedly due to a small number of requests for them. In 2013, they only had a handful of orders for them so I guess it's not profitable for so few orders.

The other thing about dual/double pane windows is that they reduce noise transmission through the window as well.

What is the difference between a dual and thermal pane window? Low-e coating and/or another pane of glass (triple pane)? Never heard of a difference.

Having worked in the ceiling cavity of several TTs, I would say the greatest heat loss is through the ceiling. Lots of voids, batts compressed all over the place (reduces R-value) and no insulation whatsoever along the sides (around 6" or so). They seem to either have no clue how to properly install insulation or don't care. Probably both.

[pira114]

pira114 wrote:
I use my trailer to camp all year, plus hunting season. Which means it gets used in sub 20s weather. I've never winterized it because it gets used so much.

1987 trailer, single pane windows. Never once thought it was too cold. Never had sweat on the windows. You gotta leave the roof vents open. Don't strive for 85 degrees inside, when it's 17 outside. I get it to about 68, vents open, no issues.

Yes, it goes through propane. But I've done the trials both ways. It's really not that much. Using it that way, and cooking and fridge too, I've never used up a whole 30lb tank in 7 days. Close, but not quite.

[pira114]

I use my trailer to camp all year, plus hunting season. Which means it gets used in sub 20s weather. I've never winterized it be a use it get used so much.

1987 trailer, single pane windows. Never once thought it was too cold. Never had sweat on the windows. You gotta leave the roof vents open. Don't strive for 85 degrees inside, when it's 17 outside. I get it to about 68, vents open, no issues.

Yes, it goes through propane. But I've done the trials both ways. It's really not that much. Using it that way, and cooking and fridge too, I've never used up a whole 30lb tank in 7 days. Close, but not quite.

[tatest]

Dual-pane or insulated windows will be hard to find in travel trailers. Most of the travel trailer market is outside the price range of building true "four-season" capability. The windows are only a small part of the cost of building for four season use, as it involves thicker and better insulated walls, heating basement spaces, putting all plumbing in heated spaces; it is a distinct market segment from mainstream recreational TTs.

However, relative to the other costs of building for four seasons, the dual pane windows are relatively cheap, and most of the heat loss in even the most poorly insulated RVs will be through the windows. So if you can get dual pane as an option, or as a replacement, it would be worth the cost, for less heat loss in winter, less heat load in summer.

[B_O__Plenty]

There are 4 season packages and there are real 4 season packages. Very, very few trailers are true 4 seasons units. Double pane windows will be on my next rig. Better for heating also better for cooling and better for noise reduction. Just because your rig has them doesn't mean you are all set to use it in below freezing temps but they won't hurt anything...

B.O.

[RollandB]

Our current trailer is single pane, the one befor it was dual pane. I will not buy another without dual panes, it gets tiring wiping the windows of their sweat and you can't get to it behind the screens too easy. We use it every month of the year.

[3oaks]

Be aware there is a difference between Dual Pane (Storm Windows) and Thermal Pane windows. Some manufacturers, Arctic Fox for one, offer both kinds as options. I would always go with Thermal Pane windows.

matt_r wrote:
Its odd, I would have expected thermal windows to be part of any four season package--...............

I found that very odd too.

[Trackrig]

matt_r wrote:


Interesting---we bought an Outdoors RV / Timer Ridge last year with the 4 season arctic package---no double pain windows.

We are looking at a Grand Design / Reflection TT with Arctic / Four Season package and none that are for sale now on the West Coast have the thermal windows.

If you look at Grand Design, the Arctic package does not come with thermal windows standard.

Its odd, I would have expected thermal windows to be part of any four season package--but with skinny margins and price pressure, you need to keep cost low everywhere you can.

I can't imagine any respectable mfg selling an Arctic / Four Season package without dual paned windows!

Bill

[214skier]

rbpru wrote:
Unless you bought a four season model I doubt you would see dual pain windows. I have never seen them on any standard models at the RV shows.

Most folks do not camp in the winter and the daily campground electric hook up cost the same no matter how much AC you use; so the dealers have no incentive to order them.

However, for those who do camp in the cold or have long term leases with separate electrical billing, dual pane windows might be worth the extra cost.

Interesting---we bought an Outdoors RV / Timer Ridge last year with the 4 season arctic package---no double pain windows.

We are looking at a Grand Design / Reflection TT with Arctic / Four Season package and none that are for sale now on the West Coast have the thermal windows.

If you look at Grand Design, the Arctic package does not come with thermal windows standard.

Its odd, I would have expected thermal windows to be part of any four season package--but with skinny margins and price pressure, you need to keep cost low everywhere you can.

[rbpru]

Unless you bought a four season model I doubt you would see dual pain windows. I have never seen them on any standard models at the RV shows.

Most folks do not camp in the winter and the daily campground electric hook up cost the same no matter how much AC you use; so the dealers have no incentive to order them.

However, for those who do camp in the cold or have long term leases with separate electrical billing, dual pane windows might be worth the extra cost.