RV Roof Vents & Fans

Sorting out RV roof vents and fans

Nearly every RV rooftop opening is the same 14" x 14" cutout, which is why one broken lid or one dead fan is usually a bolt-in fix rather than a roof project. What you're actually shopping for depends on whether the part moves air, blocks it, or just keeps the weather out. Start here and go down to the right category.

• Powered Roof Vents. The 12-volt fans — MaxxAir Maxxfan and Dome Plus models — plus the drive gears and switches that keep them running. This is where you go to move air in or out, ventilate a hot galley, or upgrade a plain crank vent to a multi-speed fan with a rain shield.
• Vent Insulators. Reflective foam panels that press into the opening to stop heat and light coming through a closed vent or skylight. Cheap, and the fastest way to keep a bedroom dark and the cabin cooler in summer.
• Vent Lids & Covers. Replacement lids for cracked or sun-baked vents, complete vent kits, and the vented covers that let you run a fan in the rain without water pouring in.

If your issue is heat and humidity while parked, start with a powered fan. If it's a broken or leaking lid up top, go to lids and covers. And if the cabin just cooks in the sun with the vents already shut, an insulator is the ten-minute fix.