A camper roof vent is a must if you're to enjoy your experience on the road. In summer, a campervan is a hot metal box. Without the airflow provided by proper venting, this quickly becomes unbearable. Even worse, poor air circulation leads to very bad indoor air quality due to cooking, moisture, and smelly clothes. Smells and moisture infest clothes and bedding, giving an overall air of mustiness. Moisture buildup indoors also produces mold, which ruins your woodwork and insulation. A roof vent effectively keeps your van cool, fresh, and moisture-free. In our Roaming Home study, we found that 52% of vans had a fan installed. In this guide we will discuss campervan fans, skylights, and air conditioning. We'll go over pros and cons and detail the installation process for each.
Index
Shane, the founder of The Van Conversion, is a campervan professional dedicated to helping people transform ordinary vans into homes on wheels. He has authored Roaming Home, and teaches The Van Conversion Course, guiding many people through their van builds. Shane also writes The Van Conversion Newsletter, where he shares practical tips and insights. After completing two van builds and living on the road full-time since 2020, he is passionate about sharing his expertise with others.
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Supplies List
This is a sample list of supplies for installing your chosen roof vent. Besides the vent itself, you'll need:
 | A power drill of at least 500W For driving and drilling |
 | HSS drill bits For drilling through your van's metal panels |
 | For protecting bare metal from rust |
 | For filing burrs on exposed metal |
 | |
 | Tapping and cutting fluid To safely lubricate the metal as you're cutting it with the saw |
 | Sandpaper For finalising cut edges after deburring them with a file |
 | Your preferred flexible silicone-based sealant For sticking and sealing the vent to the roof Read more about sealants in our comprehensive guide |
 | A selection of clamps |
 | Timber To build your interior frame |
 | To form a level and watertight surface which the vent mounts to Read more about sealants in our comprehensive guide |
 | To bind your interior frame together |
What is the Best Camper Van Roof Vent?
The two most popular brands of campervan fan are Maxxair and Fantastic. I personally have a Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe and absolutely love it for the following reasons:
It has a built-in rain shield, making it great for all weather conditions. This is a super important feature, not to be understated
It is a 10-speed reversible fan with intake and exhaust, meaning I can pull in cool air at night or when I'm parked in the shade, or keep air circulating without losing heat on cold days
It has a programmable thermostat and a remote control
Another great option is the Maxxfan Mini. This vent is a more buget option from Maxxair, featuring more basic features whilst still including a rain cover.
You could also look at buying a cheaper, 'no name' campervan fan from Amazon. This one is particularly well-reviewed and good value.
Campervan Roof Fans Compared
Here's a table comparing the most popular roof fans for campervans based on key features such as airflow (CFM), power consumption, noise levels, unique features, and cost. These factors are important for helping users choose the best fan for their needs, especially in terms of energy efficiency, noise, and performance.
CFM stands for cubic feet per minute, and is a measure of how much air a fan moves. A CFM of 800-1,000 is enough to create a significant wind in a campervan's small interior, and probably isn't necessary for most people. Meanwhile, a CFM of 300-600 is comparable to a office fan and should be adequate for campervan use.
Model | Maximum Airflow (CFM) | Power Consumption at 12V | Noise Level (dB) | Speed Settings | Unique Features |
900 | 2.6A – 4.0A | 35 – 52 | 10 | Rain shield, reversible, remote control, thermostat | |
920 | 3A – 4.5A | 35 – 55 | 14 | Remote control, reversible, rain sensor | |
800 | 2.5A – 3.5A | 40 – 55 | 10 | Remote control, reversible, rain sensor | |
600 | 2.0A – 3.0A | 40 – 50 | 4 | Compact | |
920 | 2.5A – 4.0A | 35 – 50 | 3 | Rain sensor, reversible | |
350 | 2.0A – 3.0A | 45 – 60 | 1 | Reversible |
Key Factors to Consider:
Airflow (CFM): Cubic feet per minute (CFM) is a key metric for measuring airflow. Higher CFM values provide better ventilation, though the highest settings of some fans are perhaps overkill for most situations. Fans like the Maxxfan Deluxe and Fantastic Vent 7350 offer some of the highest CFM levels.
Power Consumption: Power consumption is crucial for campervans using 12V systems. Most of the fans listed above have a comparatively low power draw, with the Heng's Vortex II and Maxxair Maxxfan Mini being the most energy-efficient at just 2A – 3A.
Noise Levels: Noise can impact comfort, especially when sleeping. The Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe is relatively quiet, at 35 dB on the lower settings, while budget options like the Heng’s Vortex II can be noisier at 45 – 60 dB.
Unique Features:
Rain Shield/Sensor: The Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe comes with a built-in rain shield, allowing you to operate it in bad weather, while the Fantastic Vent 7350 has a rain sensor which closes the vent automatically when it detects rain.
Remote Control and Thermostat: Fans like the Maxxfan Deluxe and Fantastic Vent 7350 have remote controls and programmable thermostats for added convenience.
Reversible Airflow: Most high-end fans, such as the Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe and Fantastic Vent 7350, as well as the Heng's Vortex II, allow for both intake and exhaust functions.
Skylights and Unpowered Vents
Skylights and unpowered vents also have a place in campervan ventilation. In our 2023 Roaming Home study we found that 42% of vans had installed a skylight or unpowered vent. Whilst powered vents offer superior ventilation, an unpowered vent or skylight offers some benefits.
Where a powered vent's fan obstructs most light, an unpowered vent allows a lot of natural light in from above. This brightens up your interior more effectively than a side-mounted window. An opening on the roof also provides better ventilation than a window, allowing rising warm air an escape and being more exposed to wind, no matter which direction it's coming from. An unpowered vent also has the advantage of being upgradeable with a fan kit down the line. If budget is an issue, you can start with an unpowered vent and upgrade it later. Alternatively, many vanlifers build their own DIY roof fans by combining an unpowered vent with cheap desktop computer fans.
Be cautious when choosing, as some skylights are simply transparent windows which can't open. In our view, this eliminates the primary benefit of a roof vent, which is ventilation. As it is, a skylight lets in sunlight and therefore heat, and needs to be combined with a shade in hot weather. A skylight which can't open has this same drawback without the upside of ventilation.
Many of the same manufacturers of roof fans also make unpowered vents and skylights, including Fiamma, Dometic, and Thule.
Floor Vents
The air that a campervan fan extracts needs to be replaced with fresh air from somewhere. This is a vital component of campervan venting, as keeping cool and comfortable isn't just about the removal of hot and moist air. Rather, it's about establishing a flow of cool, fresh air into your campervan. A great place to take in cold air is through a vent in the floor, as the air underneath your van is shaded and cooler.
If your fan is at the front of your van, then the floor vent would ideally be at the back, and vice-versa.
Whilst you could use a simple drop-out vent for this job, in cold climates you might regret having a permanent opening in the floor. It's better to have a louvred or rotary vent which you can open and close as necessary. Alternatively, a blast gate valve also works well for this purpose.
Alternatives to a Campervan Roof Vent
Roof fans and skylights aren't the only solutions for campervan cooling. We'll discuss some other options here, including air conditioning.
Fans
Office-style fans are a simple and effective way to improve air circulation within your van. Fans come in various types, including ceiling fans, oscillating fans, and portable fans such as neck fans, handheld fans, table fans, and clip fans. They use significantly less power than air conditioners and can be sufficient for mild climates. Even a couple of USB fans might get the job done.
Air Conditioning
Another way of staying cool in a campervan is with air conditioning. I don’t own an air conditioner, but sometimes in the depths of summer, I really wish I did. In the Roaming Home study, we found that 11% of van conversions had AC installed.
This is a big topic, but in short, air conditioning is a luxury option which is only appropriate for campsite usage due to its high power draw. Of course, air conditioning is by far the most effective way of cooling the inside of your van. Therefore, if your budget and electrical input can handle it, you won't find a better solution. There are a number of manufacturers of 12V DC air conditioners designed specifically for campervans, including Dometic, Velit, and Nomadic Cooling:
Read more about campervan air conditioning in our long-form article on the subject.
Evaporative Coolers
Also known as swamp coolers, these are a cheaper and much less electricity-hungry alternative to air conditioning. Evaporative coolers work by passing air over or through water-saturated pads, causing the water to evaporate and cool the air. The only powered components in an evaporative cooler are the fans and a small water pump, making them much less power intensive than air-con. Evaporative coolers constantly pull in fresh outside air, cooling it on the way, rather than recirculating stale air from inside the van. Finally, the efficiency of an evaporative cooler actually increases as outside temperatures increase, as this promotes evaporation of water. This is in contrast to air con units, which have to work harder as it gets hotter outside.
Evaporative coolers won’t feel the same as air con units. They have a more subtle effect, passing cool, fresh, humidity-controlled air into the room, as opposed to dry, thoroughly chilled air. The cooling effect is less profound, though some say that overall comfort is higher with an evaporative cooler due to their maintenance of a humidity level that’s optimal for human comfort. Their main drawback is the fact that their efficacy decreases as outside humidity increases.
How to Install a Camper Van Roof Vent
Note: Though we are discussing the installation of a roof vent here, the process for installing a skylight, air conditioning, or another campervan fan is the exact same. Refer to the supplies list at the start of this article to make sure you have everything you need.
Locate the site where you want to install the fan
From inside the vehicle, find the location in the roof where you want to install the fan. Make sure you consider the size and location of your solar panels/roof rack.
From the inside, mark/trace out the interior dimensions of the fan.
Drill four holes in the four corners of the markings you just traced.
Cut a hole in the roof
Hop onto the van roof and cut out a hole with a jigsaw - connecting the pilot holes you just drilled.
Make sure to add a few drops of tapping and cutting fluid when using the jigsaw.
Stick a tarpaulin or black bin bag to the inside of the van to catch swarf.
File the sharp edges
Use a metal file to smooth the rugged or sharp edges of the hole.
Further smoothen the uneven edges further with fine sandpaper.
Clean the area
Use isopropyl rubbing alcohol to clean any dirt and filings on the roof and around the cut-out. Do this on both the indoor and outdoor surface. This ensures your adhesives and sealants will have a clean surface to bind to.
Apply metal paint to the cleaned area
After the alcohol dries, apply anti-rust metal paint. This will guard against corrosion in the future on the exposed metal. If your metal paint does not contain primer, you will need to paint the surface with primer first.
Make a wooden frame to finish the interior aspect of the hole
I used 2x2' timber framing board, cutting 4 pieces to match the interior dimensions of the hole in my roof. I built the frame using mitred butt joints (45° angles). You can do this with your jigsaw, or with a mitre box for more precision.
Next, glue the four pieces of wood together using a strong wood glue. Clamp the pieces together and leave it overnight. I used corner clamps to hold the pieces as the glue dried, but you can use standard carpentry clamps too.
Add a mastic/butyl tape seal to the top of the van
Van roofs are frequently far from flat, with rungs or rails running along their length. To smooth out the roof's surface, apply strips of mastic tape. Also known as butyl tape, it has the added benefit of waterproofing the area too. Your vent will mount to this mastic tape base, so make sure you get the dimensions right.
Lay down strips of mastic tape on all four sides around the cut out area. Lay down the strips until the area is nice and level.
Stick the backing flange to the top of the van
Apply a thin bead of your chosen adhesive sealant to the inside of the plastic backing flange that comes with your vent.
Flip the plastic backing over and stick it into the hole in the van.
Adjust the flange on all sides of the hole so that it is evenly distanced from the edges.
Press the flange hard onto the mastic tape seal to make a water-tight bond, then clamp it down for the manufacturer-specified curing time.
Inspect the seal between the flange and the roof. If there's a gap, consider filling this with adhesive sealant to get a flush transition between the flange and the roof. This deprives water and debris of a space to collect and cause corrosion. Check out our article on camper roof sealing for more information on sealants and how to use them.
Stick the wooden frame to the inside of the van
Apply adhesive sealant to the inside of the wooden frame.
Clamp the frame to the roof of your van in the same way you did the vent backing flange. Be careful not to crack the backing flange by clamping the frame to it and tightening too hard.
Screw the vent's plastic flushing through the roof and into the wooden frame
Hop onto the roof of your van and screw down the plastic flushing around the flange. Self-tapping screws will make this much easier as they can be screwed directly into the roof.
Put a little bead of adhesive sealant on top of each screw head after they have been drilled in to seal the screw holes.
As with the flange, use adhesive sealant to fill the gap between the vent's plastic flange and the roof.
Attach the body of the fan to the flange
Place the body of your fan into the flange.
Use the included screws to attach the body to the plastic flange.
Attach the fan trimming to the inside of the van
On the inside of the van, attach the plastic trimming to the wooden frame.
Conclusion
A roof fan (combined with floor-level venting) is a comparatively cheap, electricity efficient solution for campervan ventilation. Whilst air conditioning and evaporative coolers might provide more noticeable cooling, they're far more expensive and use more electricity. With a roof fan, you can stay cool in most climates without depleting your leisure batteries.
Don't forget to check out our top picks for campervan roof fans, including the Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe and Mini.
Don't forget to subscribe to The Van Conversion Newsletter for everything you need to get started with your own van conversion (we'll send you a free wiring diagram when you join).
If you're looking for some guidance with your van conversion, you might be interested in our book Roaming Home, or in our online course The Van Conversion Mastery Course. You'll learn directly from our founder Shane how to convert a van into your dream home - no prior experience needed.
Until next time.