Improving the bug screens

db_cooper

I'm posting this in the Truck camper section, but it would apply to all NuCamp products that use the same windows.

We've had several instances of small bugs, but larger than noseeums, swarm the inside of the camper.   I have made covers for the windows with noseeum mesh and elastic, but have found them even climbing around the elastic and making their way in.  So after the last trip,  I started looking even closer for any gaps, and ways to fill them in.  Here's what I've found, if you have other solutions,  I'd love to hear them.

First Problem that I have found that when deploying the bug screen, on 2 of our 4 windows, that the bug fuzz on the side channels don't work because the screen unfolds to the side of it.  So for those 2 windows, I've found if you lower the screen slower it does better, but I need to pull the vertical string that runs through the mesh to align it better.  


The peaks of the screen should be flush with the plastic frame to function the best.

The second problem is that there is a tiny gap between the frame and the wall where bugs can get in.  I chose to use 5/16th bungee cord to wrap around the window and fill the gap.  Adding a really thin gasket/weatherstrip would probably be easier and work better.  I'm planning on using the bungee to hold the noseeum mesh.


The third problem I found was the corners of the window screen, especially the upper corners.  When the screen is deployed, those corners become empty and the mesh is not attached to the frame.  Bugs easily go around that and into the camper.  This is where we really noticed the little bugs coming in.

Here's the issue:

To leave room for when it is folded back up,  I used furniture felt pads on 2 sides of the corner,  one sticking the mesh to the top of the frame, and the other on the side.  The window screen still retracts fine:



Here's when deployed, showing how much harder for bugs to get around the mesh:


Finally,  the bottom corners aren't as much of an entry point, but I found dead bugs in the corner cap, so I put one piece of felt to block it some.  Since the bugs were dead, I'm assuming they mostly didn't escape these corners as much.


I have not had a chance to test them yet, but I'm pretty sure there's not much else to be done.  They are great windows, and the screens do work great for privacy/blackout, but the bug performance has been pretty frustrating.  I don't think this will be perfect by any stretch, I'm just hoping they will keep more bugs out than before.  We'll still be sleeping with a bug zapper in the camper.

Ane one other tip,  our screen door has always been difficult to open.  I happened to have an oily rag while going in the door, and since it was hard to open, ran the rag down the groove and it was slick as butter after that.  Wish I'd done that a year ago!