Ultimate Guide To Van Roof Vents

Cutting a hole into the roof of your new campervan conversion? It might make you feel faint, but adding a van roof vent is an essential step. A vent will help air circulate inside your van, keeping it cool and fresh by extracting rising heat while pulling in cool air from below.

But unless you’re going for a full-size pop-up roof, the vast array of roof vents and fans on the market is dizzying, to say the least. Which one to pick, and how do you choose? You might want an affordable and basic vent to push up and let in the air when you need it, or go for a high-tech, remote control version with several different fan speeds. Here are our top picks!

Van roof vents – our top picks

MaxxAir 00-07500K MaxxFan Deluxe with Remote

The high-tech Maxx Air is one of the most efficient van roof vents around and regularly scores “best in show” for overall performance and features. It doesn’t just let air in and stuffiness out – the airflow can be adjusted using any one of 10 different speed levels so you’ll always have the perfect temperature.

You don’t have to do this manually, either, as the temperatures can be programmed in advance. Everything – temperature, fan setting and even the roof opening – are done by remote control, so you don’t even have to get out of bed.

Cost: $480

Fan-Tastic Vent RV Roof Vent with Thermostat, Manual and Automatic Speed 12 Volt RV Vent Fan, Smoke Dome RV Vent Cover

Dometic Fan-Tastic is a well-regarded company for all things ventilation and fans, and this model is a popular option for small to mid-size vans. Sitting snugly in a standard roof opening space, it runs up to 920 CFM from its three-speed range on automatic or manual setting and has a removable cover for easy cleaning. Fan-Tastic’s USP is the quietness of its fans, perfect for light sleepers or if your van bed is directly under the fan.

Cost: $403

Dometic Seitz Midi Heki Clear Skylight, 700 x 500 mm

From a Kiwi distributor, our second Dometic pick is the most expensive on this list, coming in at around $795. But its range of features means you’ll be travelling in (well ventilated) style: this model has an operating lever with three different positions including one suitable for rainy weather, opens up to either 45 or 60°, and comes with a blind and fly screen on its inner frame. It even includes 12V LED lights.

Cost: $794

Fiamma Roof Vent 160 40 x 40

A great option for budget roof van vents, this Fiamma model provides permanent airflow ventilation. It has a watertight system to prevent rain from coming into the van and also comes with a mozzie screen. The vent is suitable for roofs with depths of 2.5-5cm. An extension kit is available for roofs up to 8.5cm.

Cost: $125

Solar Powered Steel Caravan Boat Camper Canopy Exhaust Roof Fan Vent w/ Battery

If you’re planning to run your campervan off-grid or on solar power, this canopy exhaust fan vent is perfect. Its solar-powered battery is capable of running up to 24 hours without sunlight, and the fan is water-resistant too. Be aware though that this fan needs a larger roof hole than standard – 115mm – and that you can power or charge the fan, not both at the same time. That said, this is an excellent fan for a good price.

Cost: $113

REMItop Vario II Skylight/ Roof Vent, 400 x 400 mm With Click Stay

Also from a Kiwi distributor, the REMItop Vario II is a skylight vent to fit the standard cut-out size of 400x400mm. Its top features in our book are the high opening angle, which like the Domticf Seitz can be shifted up to 60°, and that it can be fitted either vertically or horizontally. This skylight also comes with tinted insulating panes and in a discreet beige and white/grey effect.

Cost: $295

Why install a van roof vent?

Unless you’re only planning to use your van for an occasional weekend, we reckon a roof vent is essential for your campervan conversion. Here’s why:

Air quality

Campervans are small spaces, so they can get a bit whiffy if you’re on the road for more than a few days at a time. It’s also important to have good air quality and van ventilation for overall health, particularly for travellers with health conditions like asthma or allergies. A vent fan will get rid of dust, smells and cooking odours with a simple pop-up and switch.

Preventing condensation

Small living spaces, especially ones where you’re cooking food, can easily fill with condensation, leading to mildew, mould and possible rust. Not only is this unhealthy, but a build-up of condensation or an outbreak of mould will also damage your campervan’s [function] and value.

Temperature control

Travelling in warm climates is no fun without proper ventilation. Opening a window will provide some cool air, and an installed aircon system even more. But running aircon all day will drain your van’s power quickly, whereas a roof vent is a simple and energy-efficient way of keeping things cool.

Security

If you don’t have a roof vent, it might be tempting to leave your van windows open at night to let in air and keep the van cool on warm nights. But depending on where you’re parked up, windows open at night could be a security risk. A roof vent is a much safer way of letting air in at night.

All this taken into consideration, we think a roof vent is essential even if you’re only using the van occasionally, as a roof vent will make your van more attractive to potential hirers. Don’t leave your van on your driveway all year – rent it out to bring in extra income!

Types of van roof vents

The roof vent for your van will very likely be one of these three main types:

Wind-powered

Wind-powered roof vents are sturdy, reliable and easy to fit. They work on a rotating basis to bring ventilation into the van by harnessing wind power outside. While a simple and inexpensive option, their main disadvantage is they only work with wind motion or when the vehicle is moving.

Manual

This is the most popular option for effective van roof ventilation on a budget and is easy to operate as it doesn’t require electrics. Manual vents fit into a fitted hole in your roof van and are worked by hand – just open the vent when you need fresh air or ventilation.

Electric

An electric roof vent system uses a roof vent space cut into the van with an electrical fan system built-in, running on your van’s 12V power. The highest-performance vent you can add to your van, its big advantage is that it can be used when the van is stationary, so it’s ideal for hot nights.

Unless you have solar panels, it’s not the best option if you plan to be off-grid a lot; and the noise of some models makes them unsuitable for light sleepers.

How to choose a van roof vent

As mentioned, there’s a wide range of roof vents and roof vent fans on the market. So apart from budget and overall type, what criteria should you use to choose a vent for your own van conversion? The main things to consider are energy consumption, features, size and cubic feet per minute (CFM):

Energy consumption

This is the first thing you’ll need to know about your van – the lower the draw of your amperage, the less energy a vent will consume. Most vents will easily run on a 12V system, which is the standard electrical system in most campervans.

Features

Basic manual-operated vents are the most cost-efficient, but you might want to install something more technical. Rainy weather use, flyscreens, automatic settings, remote controls and fan speeds are all possible features to consider.

Size

The standard size for van roof vents is 14 inches (35.56cm/355.6mm) by 14. Going for a vent of this size gives you more choice and will suit any budget. Don’t forget to measure the depth of your van roof too!

CFM

Air circulation of vents is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). A higher CFM will mean a more efficient vent.

Installing a campervan roof vent

Once you’ve bought your vent, it’s time to install it! You should already have decided on your campervan’s basic layout, such as where the bed and kitchen area will be, which will help with placing your roof vent.

If you’re only installing one vent, have it over the kitchen area/cooker; if installing two, have one over the cooker and one over the bed. (And if you’re installing a shower, add a roof vent there too!)

Install your roof vent system by following these steps:

Check interior as well as exterior space

Once you know where your roof vent will fit on the outside/top of the roof, check the position internally too. This is to make sure the space doesn’t have van ribs or beams running widthways along the area you want to cut. Cutting between ribs is a simple way to keep on track.

Measure the space

Whether you’ve gone for a standard size vent or something more bespoke, it’ll have to fit the hole you cut in width, height and depth. Measure this several times to make sure you’ve got it exactly right.

Draw out the space

Use a ruler, pencil and set square to mark the roof vent space on the outside of the van, ensuring all corners are a tight 90°.

Cut into the roof

Yes, this is the nerve-racking step of voluntarily slicing a hole into your lovely campervan. Tape a plastic bag on the corresponding space inside the van to catch metal filings, then snap on your safety goggles and get started.

Drill starter holes first, then use a metal jigsaw blade to cut out the square; do this line by line rather than all four at once. Take care not to go over the lines – you can always make a little extra space by filing the metal later.

File and paint the metal edges

Make everything safe and tidy by filing down any rough edges then using a handheld vacuum or vacuum hose to suck up any last fragments of metal. Paint the metal edges of the hole with rust preventative paint.

Fit the vent

Time now to fit the vent fan into the treated roof hole – if you’ve carefully followed the steps above, it should be a perfect fit! Some van owners opt to insert a wooden frame into the cut hole first, installing it from inside the van/the bottom of the cut space.

If your vent fan comes in top and bottom parts, fit the top half of the vent fan first, using self-tapping screws. Add sealant around the vent when done. Then install the vent’s underside by screwing it into the top half.

That’s it – you’re done!

Learn more about campervan conversions

If you’re only just starting your conversion, see our step-by-step info, including adding ventilation, in ourcampervan conversion guide. And our top tip – if you’re not 100% confident in any of these steps, pay for help! A van conversion company will get the job done professionally and keep your stress levels down.

You can also see how van roof vents and fans work while on the road by hiring a campervan for your own road trip – check out ourcampervans for hire in New Zealand.

Why Camplify?

Each year, heaps of Kiwis earn up to $10,000 by hiring out their campervan through Camplify. It provides a quick and easy way to generate long-term passive income and earn a return on their investment.

And the best part is, Camplify takes care of many of the expenses involved in hiring out your vehicle, including:

• Comprehensive hire insurance.

• 24/7 AA nationwide breakdown cover for hirers.

• Dedicated customer support.

If you’re interested in joining Camplify as an owner, try ourearnings calculator and see how much income you could generate each year by renting out your unused campervan!