Did you know that traveling is beneficial to your health? Taking a trip on your camper van with your loved ones can help you reduce stress and boost your happiness, creativity, and mental health. You will also enjoy the freedom and create memories without spending a lot of money. Though traveling by camper van is fun and cheap, you might not enjoy adequate light and ventilation, especially at night. You can solve this challenge by installing a camper van skylight.
Camper Van Skylight is installed on top of your van to promote ventilation and allow light to illuminate your interior. If your van does not have a skylight, you can buy and install one to make your traveling livelier and more comfortable. These skylights come in different sizes, designs, and features to improve your van.
Finding the best skylight for your camper van can be challenging if you have never installed or bought one before. So, keep scrolling if you are wondering what to look for in a skylight and which is the best skylight for your van. This article compiles the top five best camper van skylights.
What is a Camper Van Skylight? Is it Beneficial?
Recreational vehicles are ideal for traveling, but they may lack proper ventilation and lighting, especially at night. Though the campervans have doors, it is not ideal for opening them at night due to security purposes. Skylights are installed in mobile homes to promote ventilation.
A skylight is a window-like structure installed on top of camper vans to promote proper entry of fresh air and natural light. You can open the skylight when it gets dark, and you don’t want to risk your safety by opening the doors or keeping the lights on.
A campervan skylight is a worthy investment since it has numerous benefits. Some of the benefits of installing a campervan skylight include:
Reduces energy consumption: Your car’s Air Conditioner (AC) uses battery power to heat or cool down the temperatures of your mobile home. You can cut the cost by installing a skylight. When the temperatures get high, you can open the skylight to let air cool down the interior and then close it when it gets cold. Additionally, it saves the energy that lights could have consumed if the car lacked a skylight.
Makes your campervan look larger: Like mirrors, skylights can increase the light in your mobile home and make it look more spacious.
Gives you an outside view: With a skylight, you can enjoy the sky view while traveling and watch the stars at night without comprising your security by opening doors.
Can act as an emergency exit: Besides providing ventilation and natural light, you can use the skylight as an emergency exit. In case of emergency, open it fully and make your quick exit.
Now that you know what a skylight is and its benefits, you need to understand the factors to consider before purchasing a skylight for your campervan.
What to Look for When Shopping for a Campervan Skylight
Though all skylights are geared towards providing light and aeration, they have different designs and shapes. Therefore, you need to consider the various features to select the best fit for your recreational vehicle. Take a look at the following features that you should consider to ensure you have the right skylight that meets your needs.
Installation Process
When looking for a campervan skylight, go for a unit that is easy to install without hiring a professional. Check the user’s manual for the instructions on installing the skylight and the tools needed.
Typically, you need simple tools like a driller to drill the hole for tightening the skylight. If the provided installation procedure seems difficult or requires you to have complex tools, you should opt for another skylight model.
Quality of the Build Material
One of the most important factors to consider when buying a skylight is the quality of the material used to make it. If you are planning to use your camper van frequently, you must ensure that the skylight is made of high-quality materials that will last long.
You can check online reviews of skylights on social media and platforms like Amazon to get an idea of the quality of the skylight. Customers who have already purchased any specific model will outline the quality of the material, reliability, and durability. If most reviews are positive, you can make the purchase. However, too many negative reviews and comments mean the skylight is unreliable.
The Skylight’s Cover
Skylights come in different designs and forms to increase usability and reliability. Some models have covers with a simple design where you can only open or close the skylight. You can also get more advanced models with adjustable covers to open it in different ways.
With these advanced skylights, you can open the cover to allow limited air and light to pass through or slide it to one side to open it fully. You can also look for a skylight that features an inbuilt fan that improves air circulation and comes in handy when cooking inside your mobile home.
If you plan to tour and camp in an insect-infested area during summer, consider looking for a skylight cover with insect mesh. With the insect mesh, you will enjoy aeration and light without the insects bugging you.
Price
When making any buying decision, the price is among the topmost considerations. If you are on a budget or only looking for a skylight to use a few times each year, you can go for a budget-friendly model. However, these cheap models do not have additional features besides letting air and light enter your campervan.
If you use or hire your campervan regularly, investing more money in a skylight would be best. Expensive campervan skylights feature impressive features, a strong build, and will last long. Nevertheless, go for the most affordable option depending on your budget.
Top 5 Best Camper Van Skylights
Now that you know what to look for in a campervan skylight, you can review some of the best skylights you can purchase. Here are the best skylights for your campervan:
Fiamma Turbo Vent
If you plan to use your campervan frequently and need a skylight with great features and usability, go for the Fiamma Turbo Vent. This 46cm-by-46cm skylight features a 12V motorized fan that rotates in both directions without using much power. Since the fan rotates in both directions, you can set it to either draw air out or suck air into the van.
The vent has a transparent opening hood that allows light penetration and controls that allow you to change the fan’s settings. Due to these features, the Fiamma Turbo vent is ideal when traveling in hot climate areas. However, this skylight can be noisy when the fan is working.
MaxxAir MaxxFan Deluxe
The MaxxAir MaxxFan Deluxe is among the most powerful skylights you can install in your campervan. It features a 12V fan with ten different speeds to promote temperature regulation in your recreational vehicle. The fan also rotates in both directions to draw air in or out of the van.
Another great feature of the MaxxAir MaxxFan Deluxe is the remote control that enables you to adjust different settings without much hassle if your ceiling is high. However, you can still operate the skylight manually if the remote batteries run out.
Besides being powerful, the MaxxAir MaxxFan Deluxe runs smoothly and quietly, giving you peace whether you are on the road or sleeping. Therefore, you can turn on the fan without worrying about noise. This skylight’s vent comes in three different colors; smoke, white, or tint(clear) to promote air and light to pass through.
Dometic Seitz Heki 2
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If you are willing to go deep into your pockets to get a skylight with great features, the Dometic Seitz Heki 2 is your best choice. With a large vent of 78cm by 53cm, this skylight will allow extra light and air into your campervan to keep you comfortable.
The Dometic Seitz Heki is durable and has great usability with a metal bar handle to open it and a pneumatic stand to hold the pane when it’s open. Are you worried that water will penetrate your campervan when it is raining? Worry less. This skylight has a bad weather setting that locks the window and prevents any water from penetrating your van’s interior.
To add to its numerous features, the Dometic Seitz has a double glaze that provides extra insulation to keep the car’s interior warm in cold climates and cool in hot climates. You will not worry about insects and bugs as this skylight comes with a fly net. Additionally, it features a blind that allows you to alter the sunlight penetrating the roof.
MPK Roof Skylight
If you are running on a tight budget but looking for a great skylight for your recreational vehicle, consider checking the MPK Roof Vent Skylight. This affordable skylight features a plastic-made frame and dome with two layers to increase its lifespan. This two-layer design ensures that you enjoy excellent airflow, whether you have opened or closed the dome.
You can use the adjustment handle to set the skylight in five different positions to allow light and air to penetrate through all the vent’s sides. This feature makes it ideal for the MPK Roof Skylight to be installed above the kitchen to promote air circulation. This easy-to-install skylight also has a removable fly screen to prevent insects and bugs from entering your mobile home.
Auto shield Campervan Skylight
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The Autoshield Campervan Skylight vent is among the best skylights for excellent ventilation. It is made of UV and impact-resistant material that makes it more durable. This skylight also features a well-performing airflow ventilation system and a built-in 12V fan to promote aeration and regulate temperatures.
The Autoshield is a standard skylight with an opaque vent measuring 42cm by 42cm and a black top cover. If you want less light, you can use the back-top lid, which reduces the sunlight entering your recreational vehicle. This skylight is easy to install/operate and has a solid seal that prevents water leakage when it’s raining.
Final Thoughts
When cruising the world with your recreational vehicle, you want maximum comfort and fun. One of the ways to ensure your trip is comfortable is by installing a skylight to promote aeration and light into your campervan. However, it can be challenging to settle for a specific skylight with numerous skylight brands with hundreds of products can be challenging.
The rule of the thumb is to find the skylight that suits your needs and fits your budget. Consider the factors laid down in this article while buying a skylight. You can choose one of the skylights we’ve reviewed and enjoy your ride.
