ROADDUDE

Longtime Off-Grid/Vanlife Adventurer - On the Road In North America

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Installing A Roof Vent In A Van

NOTE: This How-To was written about installing Fan-Tastic vents in a ribbed cargo van roof, though it can easily be used for any roof vent and for any type of vehicle and roof.

There’s been a lot of conversation on adventure and vanlife forums about DIY installation of a roof vent in wide-ribbed roofs like on GMC/Chevrolet and Ford cargo vans.

I’ve seen people go to great lengths to raise platforms or add metal panels or fiberglass etc to provide an even flat surface on which to install a roof vent so they don’t have to deal with the high and low spots of a ribbed roof. None of that is really necessary if you follow the vent manufacturer’s simple instructions and use some simple, common, sense.

I installed a Fan-Tastic Roof Vent in my GMC Savana van back in 2013 and documented the process.

Fan-Tastic Roof Vents can be ordered in a variety of configurations (flat or dome lid in various colors, high and low profile bases, vent lock, etc). When ordering from some suppliers, you can also add your roof thickness measurements to help ensure a better fit and less hassle in installation of the interior garnish.

Fan-Tastic Roof Vent for vehicles
Fan-Tastic Roof Vent fresh from the box

I chose the flat lid instead of the more typical dome, as well as the low-profile base and lid-lock, because I like the lower overall profile and will be able to still take my van through my favorite car wash, as well as get into more parking garages than I might otherwise. I’d advise, though, to know your exact overall height before entering a parking garage.

You can see the interior garnish still in the box in the image above. Having carefully measured my roof thickness–from interior ceiling through insulation to van roof–I was able to order the garnish pre-cut to desired depth at no extra charge. Some have said cutting the garnish to the right height yourself is as much trouble as installing the whole vent.

vehicle roof vent with interior garnish
Vent with interior garnish
vehicle roof vent with garnish in place
Vent with garnish in place

Now to figure out where in the roof to install the vent. In cargo vans there are interior cross-ribs that support the roof. There is one more cross-rib and potential roof space for your new fan in the extended bodies than in regular vans, I believe.

The cross-ribs are easy to avoid. When installing my ceiling insulation and headliner, I marked the width of all supporting cross-ribs at the top of each side wall on the reinforcing band that encircles the van. I also took pictures of the roof and walls before insulation and lining so I have a clear record of all structural and support pieces. These marks and images come in handy for future van modifications.

I chose the space between the rear most cross-rib and the back doors, as in my interior configuration, and with no rear door windows, having the vent as far to the rear as possible will create the most cross-air flow through the van when the driver and passenger door windows are opened even slightly. If you have rear door windows that open, you may want to consider a more central placement for your fan, to bring air in from either or both directions.

As Fan-Tastic indicates on the included Installation Directions & Operating Instructions, slightly opening a window on the shady side of the van with the roof vent set on exhaust can create a comfortable ambient temp, even on hot days. It pays to put the vent in the right place.

mark the ceiling for roof vent
Using the garnish as guide, mark the inside ceiling

Once you know where in the roof to put it, there are lots of ways to determine exact placement and where to cut the hole. The way I did it was to use the interior garnish upside down against the ceiling, so I could better gauge spacing, how far the flange would go, and the overall way it would look upon finishing. If I’m going to spend a great deal of time inside the van, I like things to look and feel balanced.

I had also placed the vent assembly with flange on top of the roof to see what kind of space it would take up, and was pleased to see there was only one “valley” I would have to bridge.

I marked the center of the van width on the ceiling inside and marked the center of the garnish, then held the garnish flange side up against the ceiling so it was even to each side and square to the rear. Then I marked the inside corners of the garnish, knowing I would have to add to the dimensions to make the hole large enough for the vent to slide in from the top. The industry standard for RV type roof vent openings is 14″. The Fan-Tastic is no different, as it is made both for new installs and to upgrade older model vents.

layout lines for roof vent hole
Garnish lines with added dimension to equal 14″ for standard hole size
drill holes at the corners
Drill holes at diagonally opposite corners

Drill holes at the corners. Use a large enough bit to create a hole large enough to accept your jig-saw blade.

drill holes marking corners for hole to be cut
Drill holes marking corners of hole to be cut

Ready to cut. In retrospect, I could have just drilled two holes, at opposing corners, and been able to cut the hole just fine.

The above image can be a bit of an illusion, depending on how your mind sees it. The shadows can be deceiving with no reference point. The drilled holes are actually in the high parts of the roof, with only one valley between. As you can see, my interior measuring paid off, as the holes I drilled are evenly spaced from the edge of each roof rib.

New hole in van roof
New hole in the roof

I have a hole in my roof. Again, your eyes may say otherwise, but the valley is dead center, with a raised section to each side.

Dry fitting the interior garnish for roof vent
Dry fit the garnish

Dry fit the garnish from below. Looks good.

new hole in the roof
New Skylight

View from inside, with garnish in place, just dry fit, not screwed in. I like the new skylight and abundance of fresh air, but will reluctantly install the fan.

dry fit fan assembly
Dry fit the fan assembly

Dry fit the fan assembly from the top, without the interior garnish to check fit and clearances. The garnish piece slides up into the space between the control plate and the outer edge. Its flange will easily hide the rough cut edge of my ceiling liner. The wires will be placed up between my ceiling liner and insulation over to the side I want for future hook-up.

interior garnish notched for wiring
Notch the interior garnish if necessary to accommodate the wiring

.

.

wire placement notch in garnish
The plate on the fan assembly will cover the notch in the interior garnish

The interior garnish piece needs to be notched for the wiring, so it fits well when put in place from below. Easily done with a fine toothed jig saw blade or coping saw.

Dry fit the garnish
Dry fit the garnish

Dry fit garnish from below. I’m happy with the fit and look.

Time to dry fit the fan from above to check where I will need to fill with putty before screwing it down. I put the fan in and pre-drilled for the corner screws and only marked for the side screws with a slight push of the drill bit. The corner screw holes are not exactly in line with the side screw holes, they are a tad further out. Simply marking the side screw holes now, then pre-drilling them once the fan is removed ensures you don’t mark up the vent cover with your drill chuck.

Note: the fan came with standard zinc #8 flat-head screws. I put those aside and purchased stainless steel screws of the same size to prevent possible future rust stains. Some prefer to use self-drilling screws. I opted for regular and to pre-drill smaller guide holes.

roof vent dry fit for marking screw placement
Dry fit for marking screw placement; back end view
Dry fit for marking screw placement; side view
Dry fit for marking screw placement; side view
Dry fit fan assembly
Dry fit and mark screw placement; front view

Fan is now screwed down only at the corners, without any putty or sealant, so I can see how well it fits to the roof surface and where I will have to fill.

Note: In some pop up campers these fans are installed with the hinge to the rear, for some reason. For cargo van installation, you want the hinge to face into the wind, that is, towards the front of the van, unless you have some other specific reason to do otherwise. Otherwise you’re likely to rip the lid right off if driving when the vent is open. It would also be more likely to catch the top brush in automated car washes, too.

As you can see, it fits rather snugly against the roof, with a minimum of space in the valley, fore and aft, to fill. That space is only about 3/16″, certainly not insurmountable. Along the sides, there is next to no gap to fill as the high flat parts of the roof taper into the valleys.

I marked the outside corners and mid points along each side of the flange to guide the placement of the putty, which I want right along the outside edge of the vent flange. Then I pre-drilled the rest of the holes.

To be continued in Part Two: Installing the Putty…

 

On the Road in America

THE BIG PAUSE of 2020-21

ROADDUDE.COM is usually about one man’s travels and photography around North America.

During The Big Pause of 2020-21, however, it is about making quality cloth & fabric face masks and face coverings for the public. Every mask purchased enables more to be made for donation.

I have made, sold, and donated thousands, as far away as Sudan.

Stay safe, stay clean, stay healthy!

Thank you for your orders and support!


Kudos from Customers for Face Masks I make, sell, and donate throughout the pandemic:

“The best design I’ve seen.” ~ Richard F, California

“We love your masks and use them all the time! They are the best fit from different types we tried. I was actually thinking of ordering more :)” ~BW, Cambridge MA

“We really love them. The quality is amazing and they are comfortable. Will be great for hiking and work.” ~ Beckie G, SW Harbor

“Both my husband and I love the masks. Fit very well and stay in place when talking.” ~ Susan W, Livermore Falls

“The masks arrived today! Thanks so much. They are terrific! Best fit, most comfortable, most stylish of any I have worn or seen.“ ~ Elaine J, SW Harbor

“Excellent mask! Highest quality and fit. Find it very comfortable and breathable. Much better design than the pleated style. If you care, please wear!” ~ Jane W, Scarborough

“Outstanding quality comfort and fit. These are as good if not better than pictured on the web. Worth the wait and cost. I would buy again. Have recommended you already. Five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating!” ~Janet, Rockport

“Got ‘em!!! Arrived today and they are impressive.” ~ Bob B, Maine

“Thank you so much for the quality masks. The fit is great. Good work!” ~Lynn B, Maine

“Really quite nice and much needed!” ~Kathy H, Maine

“That’s nice, dear.” ~Ma


Where is Road?

Back Cove, Maine, working on:
– making masks
– portfolio & prints
– prep for painting desert art mural
– improving storage functionality in van
– helping folks haul and deliver items
– South of I-10, Another America
– Roaddude Food Cookbook
– website improvements
– my tan

I hear it’s summer. Is that true?

Help Roaddude Tell More Stories & Write More Blog Posts About Adventuring


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