Motorhome Blinds open or closed during the day

[Klondike Ed]

Hi Funsters
I am in Italy at the moment and every site we have stayed at most nearly every MH has their front blinds closed or screens covered all day, we leave our blinds open until we go to sleep as we like looking at what is going on, am I missing a protocol here, please advise

 

[Phill D]

It’s not protocol it’s keeping the sun out and helping the temperature in the van less affected by the sun.

 

[David and Sally]

Probably because of the heat in the dash area.

 

[pjay]

No protocol that i'm aware of, just do what you are comfortable with. They probably have all the blinds closed to keep the heat out if its hot where you are.

Pete

edit- slow typist

 

[Riverbankannie]

Hi Funsters
I am in Italy at the moment and every site we have stayed at most nearly every MH has their front blinds closed or screens covered all day, we leave our blinds open until we go to sleep as we like looking at what is going on, am I missing a protocol here, please advise

I’m with you on wanting to see out. We never take the silver screens away with us but do close the internal blinds in the hottest sun.

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[carolyn]

I’m with you on wanting to see out. We never take the silver screens away with us but do close the internal blinds in the hottest sun.

We’re like you Annie. I reckon the last time we took the silver screens was winter in Spain 2019 and we were in one place for 4 or 5 weeks. Remis cab blinds are fine for keeping the worst of the heat off. Mind you we are just plain lazy.

If we’re inside the van I like to keep an eye out to make sure people are behaving themselves. I am also nosey.

 

[Oldrat]

Hi Funsters
I am in Italy at the moment and every site we have stayed at most nearly every MH has their front blinds closed or screens covered all day, we leave our blinds open until we go to sleep as we like looking at what is going on, am I missing a protocol here, please advise

Eh?


Perhaps do as you please

 

[Lenny HB]

Ours are open until it's dark outside would rather suffer the heat than not have view.

 

[Stonemags76]

Our silver screens have a privacy screen, so we can see out. Makes a massive difference to the heat in the van (& the cold in the UK)!

 

[carolyn]

I suppose some people are just very private and don’t like people seeing into their vans either. A bit like their houses I expect. Can’t remember the last time we pulled the curtains downstairs unless it was due to glare on the TV. We haven’t even got blinds in the kitchen.

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[Sandancers]

The instruction with our MH state that in sunny / hot weather the skylight blinds must be no more than 2/3s shut. This is to prevent a build up of heat into the "double glazed" plastic skylights.

One time in France we had the window screens closed in the bathroom on a hot day and the plastic stoppers of the window all popped out with the heat.

 

[Phill D]

Can’t remember the last time we pulled the curtains downstairs unless it was due to glare on the TV. We haven’t even got blinds in the kitchen.

We are the same but it really depends where you live and how your property is situated.
I can think of lots of houses that I would prefer curtains/ blinds closed at night.

 

[rb62]

Minster/ Polar technologies 'solar view' screens keep the sun out but you can still see out. People outside can't see in unless you have the lights on at night

 

[Riverbankannie]

The instruction with our MH state that in sunny / hot weather the skylight blinds must be no more than 2/3s shut. This is to prevent a build up of heat into the "double glazed" plastic skylights.

One time in France we had the window screens closed in the bathroom on a hot day and the plastic stoppers of the window all popped out with the heat.

I have never seen that instruction, but maybe not looked . Makes sense but if it is hot enough to be a problem, the skylight would be open anyway.

 

[Sandancers]

I have never seen that instruction, but maybe not looked . Makes sense but if it is hot enough to be a problem, the skylight would be open anyway.

The instruction we have specify doing this even when driving, guess it's on the assumption that you might park up somewhere on a drive, get out for a walk or whatever, and not give any thought to keeping the top blinds a bit open.

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[Brains]

The instruction with our MH state that in sunny / hot weather the skylight blinds must be no more than 2/3s shut. This is to prevent a build up of heat into the "double glazed" plastic skylights.

One time in France we had the window screens closed in the bathroom on a hot day and the plastic stoppers of the window all popped out with the heat.

Yup.

We found this out the hard way as well.
So if we close blinds during daylight hours I always leave a decent gap for the heat to escape

We only close blinds in daylight to reduce heat.

 

[pelican]

Yup.

We found this out the hard way as well.
So if we close blinds during daylight hours I always leave a decent gap for the heat to escape

We only close blinds in daylight to reduce heat.

Doesn't hot air rise?

 

[suavecarve]

We leave the blinds open as the pampas grass plant needs sunlight

 

[BikerGraham]

I suppose some people are just very private and don’t like people seeing into their vans either. A bit like their houses I expect. Can’t remember the last time we pulled the curtains downstairs unless it was due to glare on the TV. We haven’t even got blinds in the kitchen.

That’s because it’s 1/4 mile from your windows to the property boundary Carolyn

For some of us the footpath is 10 feet away and everyone who walks past to and from the local pub goggle and stare through the window is the blinds aren’t closed. and it’s not a pretty sight of me in my shreddies on the settee

 

[Ridgeway]

Do these camper vans have any pampas grass outside

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[suavecarve]

Do these camper vans have any pampas grass outside

You've given me a thought for the next rally we go to.

A sort of pass the pampas grass outside someone's motorhome game

 

[Ingwe]

I suppose some people are just very private and don’t like people seeing into their vans either. A bit like their houses I expect. Can’t remember the last time we pulled the curtains downstairs unless it was due to glare on the TV. We haven’t even got blinds in the kitchen.

Think it may be a cultural thing. In SA where I’m from, a lot of people simply don’t draw their curtains or blinds. Also seen this a lot travelling in Holland; homes with windows clear, lights on and no issues. Often remark how cosy some Dutch homes look with tapestries on walls, lamps etc.
No rights or wrong, just different.

 

[Brains]

Doesn't hot air rise?

Yes.
Our Remis blinds can have the gap top or bottom (or both top and bottom)

 

[pelican]

Yes.
Our Remis blinds can have the gap top or bottom (or both top and bottom)

Cor thats posh!

 

[Brains]

Cor thats posh!

I would not know, the Butler sorts it out every morning.

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[pelican]

I would not know, the Butler sorts it out every morning.

Bet you even got an inside toilet.

 

[VXman]

Hi Funsters
I am in Italy at the moment and every site we have stayed at most nearly every MH has their front blinds closed or screens covered all day, we leave our blinds open until we go to sleep as we like looking at what is going on, am I missing a protocol here, please advise

I am surprised at the number of UK motorhomes that do this too. On campsites and in more informal off grid scenarios. Outside covers on, internal blinds. Weird. It seems people like going away somewhere (often pretty) and just sitting in a dark, claustrophobic space.

I get some people like privacy but then maybe going to a campsite (particularly a CAMC style one) is probably the wrong choice.

For me - blinds not closed until it's fully dark and if it's a nice view at night too they will stay open. I never use outside covers.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

All following the sage advice from Manfred Man, and don't want to be " Blinded by the Light"
We leave ours open for the view, if there is one, if not and it's hot, partially close leaving the bottom up.
Mike.

 

[Brains]

Bet you even got an inside toilet.

Of course, it's next to the bidet.

 

[Oldrat]

Privacy glass for us.
Perfectly clear from the inside..
From the outside, it’s almost impossible to see into the van unless the interior lights are on or we are silhouetted against the window on the other side.

We occasionally have folks press their nose to the window to get a peek inside! They don’t hang about once they see it’s occupied.

One time I had a young lad walk up to the van with something in his hand and started to make like he was going to scratch along the paint work.. he got such a shock when I banged on the glass just inches from his head.

Strangely enough it turned out to be a bourbon biscuit that he had and he’d scraped it along the vehicle before us too. Weird!

Of course we have blackout blinds too.

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