# Enclosed Trailer Insulation



## [email protected] (Nov 18, 2012)

Hello all! Newb here! My business is Tile/Grout & other hard surface cleaning/restoration.

Due to the nature of my business, the temperature in my trailer cannot go below freezing. I have quite a few pieces of equipment that has brass fittings, pumps, etc that hold small traces of water regardless of how thorough I am trying to remove it between jobs.

My quandary: I have a 5x8 enclosed trailer. When I set my rig up, I didn't think ahead enough to insulate it before winter. :sad: I have purchased a small ceramic heater with a thermostat that I have set at 40 degrees, but when it gets real cold here in Indiana, that thing will run continuously--NOT GOOD. :no:

The space between the plywood and my trailer wall is very narrow and the plywood is very thin. I was hoping there might be some kind of foam I could inject between the plywood and the trailer walls that expands, but not so much as to bust open the plywood. 

Taking all the racks down and installing foam board and another sheet of plywood is not really an option at this point. I have attached a picture of the trailer for your reference.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for your input!


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## Northwood (Jan 6, 2010)

Just my opinion, but I would think the small amount of foam, if it even filled the voids properly without bulging the the thin ply, would not add as much insulation as you'd like. 

I'd get through this winter with your heater or an oil heater so it cycles less and then do the whole thing with thicker foam.

Maybe someone else has a better idea.


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## charimon (Nov 24, 2008)

you may want to ask this on carpet cleaning forums. Those folks have vast xperence in the questions you raise.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Get a bigger trailer and add 5" of foam board on all sides. That in cobination with your heater should work very well. Should hardly cut on at all.


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> Hello all! Newb here! My business is Tile/Grout & other hard surface cleaning/restoration.
> 
> Due to the nature of my business, the temperature in my trailer cannot go below freezing. I have quite a few pieces of equipment that has brass fittings, pumps, etc that hold small traces of water regardless of how thorough I am trying to remove it between jobs.
> 
> ...


Buy a bigger heater and put it on it's own circuit.

I have a 7x20. I live in upstate NY. No wall insulation in my trailer. I did put some of that reflective air bubble insulation in the roof area.

I have a 1500 watt oil filled heater that gets plugged in @ night on my shoreline. Keeps the contents from freezing completely. 

One heater should surely keep a 5x8 warm enough. The cost to run that every night for the winter shouldn't be as much as replacing one piece of damaged equipment.


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## [email protected] (Nov 18, 2012)

Thanks for your input folks. I will look into the oil heaters and maybe something to put on the ceiling. 

I just started this business in August and am still trying to get things off the ground. Finances are extremely tight right now. I'm yet another one of those "50-somethings" who went out on his own because the job market for us is not what it used to be.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

On my trailer although much bigger, 8x20, I layed foam back carpet on the floor and put 1" blue board in the ceiling and have put a 35000 btu rv heater in it. Keeps it really nice inside and yes It does use some LP , not bad though. It is just the cost of working in the winter and having a warm trailer to work out of. Set the themostat on low .

If I was to buy a new trailer I would have it insulated at the factory .


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

Randy Bush said:


> On my trailer although much bigger, 8x20, I layed foam back carpet on the floor and put 1" blue board in the ceiling and have put a 35000 btu rv heater in it. Keeps it really nice inside and yes It does use some LP , not bad though. It is just the cost of working in the winter and having a warm trailer to work out of. Set the themostat on low .
> 
> If I was to buy a new trailer I would have it insulated at the factory .


Randy, 

What does your carpet look like? I have the foam work mats that you lock together, and they're a bear to keep clean. I can't imagine how you do it with carpet.

I certainly hope it's not SHAG! :laughing:


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

svronthmve said:


> Randy,
> 
> What does your carpet look like? I have the foam work mats that you lock together, and they're a bear to keep clean. I can't imagine how you do it with carpet.
> 
> I certainly hope it's not SHAG! :laughing:


This is what I used it is a very tight loop carpet. Has been in the trailer since 06 and has held up very well. 

I do put a piece of indoor outdoor on it down the middle to catch dirt and mud which has really helped.


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## Windwash (Dec 23, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> Thanks for your input folks. I will look into the oil heaters and maybe something to put on the ceiling.
> 
> I just started this business in August and am still trying to get things off the ground. Finances are extremely tight right now. I'm yet another one of those "50-somethings" who went out on his own because the job market for us is not what it used to be.
> 
> Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Plug it in at the jobsite on the customers dime during the day and keep it in a garage at night with a heater that has a thermostat if it gets cold enough. Maybe pull a couple of insulated concrete blankets over it if it sits outside next to a shop?

As far as cost of foam sheets, there is always some on craigslist for way less than retail.

I have heard about guys using old ambulances as they are set up to just "plug in" so contents don't freeze.


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## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

Just thinking outside the box here. what about handfull small pad heaters. http://www.amazon.com/Kats-24050-Wa...&qid=1353386989&sr=8-9&keywords=block+heaters .. doesn't help with the continously running heater though. Also fitting some foam sheets. trailers are tough to insulate with out reconfiguring them. The roof and floors probably the toughest, I'd start with foam panels on the roof first maybe gluing them, leading down to the top of the ply and seal the little space at the top of the ply. Im assuming most of the heat is going right out the top.


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## [email protected] (Nov 18, 2012)

I was down at the corner hardware looking at some of the flexible foam yesterday. If nothing else, it would help somewhat. Sure, a heated garage would be nice, but not an option for me. 

I did like the idea of plugging into the customer's power too. I wonder if I could jack into my next door neighbor's outdoor power as well. Hmmmm....  (BTW, I am a member of a gun owners forum where Purple means sarcasm.)

The carpet idea would probably help as well--through the winter anyway. If you look closely at the pic above, you will see that I put down Herculiner on the floor and slightly up the wall because of the water and cleaning solutions I use. It has really helped with keeping the floor from being slippery. Not sure what the "R Factor" of Herculiner is though, HA!

I also like the idea of those pads. I could possibly use them inside my portable where the pumps are located. I guess it would depend on how hot they got.

I'm going to Lowe's & Home Depot or Menards today to see if they have any alternatives as well. 

All good ideas guys! Thanks again!


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## Lion Hunter (Apr 5, 2012)

possibly could build a chamber with just the things that need to be heated. for now even a blanket over the thing.


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## [email protected] (Nov 18, 2012)

I had actually thought about using an electric blanket over my portable, but those silly things have a 10 hour automatic shut off...


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## carolinahandyma (Jan 6, 2006)

You may want to check to see if there is a nearby heated storage unit.


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## [email protected] (Nov 18, 2012)

Yeah, I'm looking into that. There is an indoor storage facility not far from my home. I would have to load/unload the critical components before/after each job. None of the storage facilities in my area are large enough to back my rig into. 

Right now, I'm testing to see how expensive it will be to just heat my trailer vs renting space.


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## carolinahandyma (Jan 6, 2006)

[email protected] said:


> Yeah, I'm looking into that. There is an indoor storage facility not far from my home. I would have to load/unload the critical components before/after each job. None of the storage facilities in my area are large enough to back my rig into.
> 
> Right now, I'm testing to see how expensive it will be to just heat my trailer vs renting space.



Sorry I should have been more specific. I was suggesting a large enough storage unit where you could back the whole trailer into. That way you can avoid having to load/unload every day.


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## john5mt (Jan 21, 2007)

Seen some of the insulation companies spray foam the interior of their trailers.....pretty ugly but it seems to work


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## fireguy (Oct 29, 2006)

I have a pressure washer mounted in my trailer. I have never seen temps below -30°F in the winter. We can see freezing temps from Sept to April. We often see -10°F below for a few days. 

I removed the plywood and used spray foam top and sides. I then put the plywood back. I also installed a propane heater http://www.propaneproducts.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=24
The heater is ventless, so quite a bit of moisture is evident.

One of my not-yet-done projects is to install a thermomoter from a commercial freezer. That way I can monitor the inside temp easily. 

I stopped blowing out the hoses and coil several years ago, w/o any problems.


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## [email protected] (Nov 18, 2012)

*Here's another question:*
Does anyone know how I might heat the trailer while en route to the job site? I was hoping there might be some way to wire something to my truck that will at least keep the trailer above freezing.

*Update:* My wife and I installed some foam in the ceiling and it seems to be helping to keep the heater from running constantly. We'll see how it goes when it gets really cold.

Thanks again everyone!


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