The van is a relatively small enclosed space, and so keeping it ventilated was a big concern of mine. Sleeping and cooking tend to generate a lot of humidity, which creates an ideal habitat for mold to form. Also, my AC only works when the engine is running, and so I needed an effective means of cooling for when I’m parked.
There's a hole in my roof!
I settled on the Fantastic Fan - supposedly the best RV-style roof fan on the market. They’re pretty commonly used in van conversions, so I wasn’t too concerned about how well it would work. I was, however, concerned about the 14 x 14 hole I was going to have to cut into the roof of my van. This was going to be the first irreversible modification I was going to make to the van, and screwing this up would likely require welding to fix.
Testing for fitment after cutting the hole.
So, I measured 20 times, used a template, and then drilled and cut out the hole very carefully. Luckily, the fan fit perfectly! In order to weather seal the fan to the van, I used a rubbery butyl tape underneath in between the van roof and the fan lip, and then a runny silicone lap sealant over the whole seam, which provides a flexible waterproof seal.
