The Wanderlust Bus was originally a full time commercial greyhound bus and, as such, came with all the standard greyhound bus stuff… including the horrendous plastic emergency hatches. It is now time for some emergency hatch replacement! Not only are they rather unsightly, they’re also unsafe; brittle from years of exposure and neglect.
We knew there were going to be a lot of options out therefor emergency hatch replacement, but we had some very specific requirements that needed to be met. We looked at everything from RV vents to high end commercial exits. The problem we found was that NONE of the options available met ALL of the requirements we had. Here’s the options we have been mulling over:
The option to use a standard RV style exmergy exit vent was the first option we looked at. We found a unit that would fit into the opening almost perfectly. It had a screen, worked as egress and was vented. The fact that it was mostly plastic that will offgas for years to come was a major turnoff as was the fact that you can’t buy one with a clear lid pre-installed. It’s only available by purchasing an additional lid, which is close to the same cost as the vent itself.
The use of all natural components is of the utmost importance in our project so we had to eliminate the RV vent as a possibility regardless of how many things that it had going for it.
DIY SKYLIGHT SCORECARD
| CLEAR | VENTED | SCREENED | EGRESS | GLASS | LOWISH COST | SIZED CORRECTLY | TOTAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NO | YES | YES | YES | NO | YES | YES | 5/7 |
NOTE: TOXIC OFFGASSING ELIMINATES THIS REGARDLESS OF SCORE AS A POSSIBILITY FOR EMERGENCY HATCH REPLACEMENT
After doing some research, the missus stubled across marine style deck hatches. These units are gorgeous, glass and metal, strong, they vent, and they’re a means of egress. Everything was going swell, we we’re all set to pull the trigger and buy them. The problem comes in when you turn over the price tag. You should be sitting down when you do this search cause it’s kind of a painful proposition.
Truth is, although they are a very high quality piece and they would end up looking great on the bus; we just could not find a way to justify the cost involved in these units. In the end the same result can be accomplished at a price that is much friendlier to our project’s bottom line.
MARINE HATCH SCORECARD
| CLEAR | VENTED | SCREENED | EGRESS | GLASS | LOWISH COST | SIZED CORRECTLY | TOTAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YES | YES | NO | YES | YES | UM NO | YES | 6/7 |
NOTE: UNLESS YOU’VE GOT SOME EXTRA HUNDREDS IN YOUR WALLET, I WOULD PASS ON THIS EMERGENCY HATCH REPLACEMENT OPTION
The option to just replace what was originally installed in the bus was always an option. We just wanted something a little more stylish for our roof, not to mention being able to see out at night while we visit some of the great places we plan to go would be a definite bonus.
These are also made from plastic, and even though they have some of the other benefits we are looking for, even those benefits are outweighed by other issues within those benefits.
COMMERCIAL BUS HATCH SCORECARD
| CLEAR | VENTED | SCREENED | EGRESS | GLASS | LOWISH COST | SIZED CORRECTLY | TOTAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NO | ISH | NO | YES | NO | YES | YES | 3/7 |
NOTE: MADE OF OFFGASSING PLASTICS AND NOT THE MOST ASTHETICALLY PLEASING FOR EMERGENCY HATCH REPLACEMENT
Next is the DIY option. All over the web you can find hatches and skylights that folks have built onto everything from buses to barns. Some are well-built, stable constructions that will stand the test of time. Others… not so much!
We actually tried this one and to be honest with you, it became a scary endeavor. We found an unused double hung window that was about the right size and attempted to remove the glass from the frame. This ended with glass everywhere and the missus vetoing the whole process for safety reasons. Even though this is a very cost effective solution, it is not one we recommend.
DIY SKYLIGHT SCORECARD
| CLEAR | VENTED | SCREENED | EGRESS | GLASS | LOWISH COST | SIZED CORRECTLY | TOTAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YES | POSS | POSS | POSS | YES | YES+ | YES | 6/7 |
NOTE: FINAL SCORE FOR EMERGENCY HATCH REPLACEMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE A TAX OF 10 POINTS FOR COMPLETE LACK OF SAFETY!
Our final option for our emergency hatch replacement was a typical construction residential skylight. These are easy to obtain, relatively cheap and look really nice. There are vented models, as well as those that can be used as egress; but these models are typically made for pitched roofs. Those units also come with a higher possibility of leaking onto all of our nice new inside stuff. Curb mounted skylights, on the other hand, are designed to be installed at 0° (parallel to the roof).
Plus, unless you special order it, most residential skylights are made of glass, tempered glass. At 24″ square there is also less risk of it breaking if it is hit by say hail, sticks, road debris, or a toy thrown by a toddler in the midst of a raging tantrum.
RESIDENTIAL SKYLIGHT SCORECARD
| CLEAR | VENTED | SCREENED | EGRESS | GLASS | LOWISH COST | SIZED CORRECTLY | TOTAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YES | NO | NO | NO | YES | YES | YES | 4/7 |
Ultimately, after all discussion had ended, we decided on the residential skylight. It was a non-toxic option being made of glass and metal, clear so we could see up and out, strong enough to hold impact, the size was right. We decided that we could put small vents in the roof elsewhere for circulation and I convinced the missus that we could do without the screens since the entire side of the bus opens up.
Check out the video below for the entire demo and installation from start to finish. They really ended up coming out nice and if we need to exit through them, I’ve always got my hammer.
Products Featured in the Video
VELUX FCM 2222 0004ECL Skylight – This fit the opening in the bus perfectly, you can get one for your bus (or house since they’re made for those things) by clicking here.
Bessey WS-3 Angle Clamp – This thing can be a lifesaver, holds stock lumber up to 2x4s at a 90° position for perfect framed corners. Square up you life by getting one here.