Insulating Your Van
Option 1: Rock Wool or Sheep Wool Insulation
Many cargo vans are double walled, meaning there is going to be space between the inside wall of your van and the outside wall. You should stuff this space with either rock wool or sheep wool insulation.
“After filling in the gaps, you can begin installing the outer layer. Both of these types of insulation should only be used if you plan on staying in primarily cold. Van insulation is useful to keep storage safe and secure from outside Weather conditions.
Option 2: Polyiso Foam Board Insulation
If you plan on traveling to primarily warm places, thick insulation like wool will not be as necessary for your van conversion. However, keep in mind that less insulation will also make the outdoors a bit noisier.
Polyiso foam insulation is made from foam plastics and is a very popular choice among van dwellers.It has a high R-value for its size, making it a great option for camper vans.
However, rigid foam does have a couple downsides: it’s less environmentally friendly, and it has the potential for moisture build-up if left exposed to inclement weather during the conversion process.
When you shouldn’t insulate your van?
If you are only going to be living in hot places, insulation is not going to be a great idea unless you have a strong a/c unit.
When you are in a hot place, the insulation will delay the heat from getting into your van, but once the heat gets in, it’s going to stay there longer because the insulation will actually trap the heat into your campervan.
So at night when it cools off outside and you’re trying to go to bed, it will take longer for your van to cool off because the heat is trapped.