MCS Airstream

Renovating an Airstream for someone with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

The following is an account of my experience renovating an Airstream travel trailer.

First I had to locate an Airstream that was affordable enough to discard the entire interior, one that needed complete rehab. The leaks over the years would create enough mold and mildew to destroy an interior. Also people using insecticides, perfumes, shampoos, soaps, tank deodorants, etc. would render a trailer like this useless to anyone with MCS. My sister told me about one that was $600 and I purchased it. Here are some photos before the demolition of the interior. There was mold and mildew growing visibly on almost every surface!

Here are some photos after ripping the walls, insulation, floors..............pretty much everything was torn out.

The toxic adhesives used to hold the insulation onto the frame need to be grinded off . I used a circular wire brush attachment that goes onto my drill just like you would put a bit onto a drill except it has a wire brush. You can find them at most home improvement stores. It takes a long time to do....about 30 hours of grinding. I would hire someone to do it if your sensitive. I found someone to do it in the local paper for $200.

Here is the frame after the adhesives had been ground off. If you don't grind them off when the sun hits the exterior it will heat them up and they will offgass. For me I would not be able to tolerate being inside with the adhesives offgassing in the sun. I use a clear silicone adhesive from GE to replace any spots around the windows or to seal in the adhesives around the windows and doors that weren't ground off. It stinks when you first use it but when cured for a couple of weeks has no odor.

A tile floor was put over new plywood (had to use poster board and do a template first because the corners are so oddly shaped) floor that had to attach to the frame with bolts. A lot of work!!!!! Then I had a welder weld some steel boxes over the old plastic wheel boxes. They were cracked and in bad shape. I also had to have some frame work done before the floor was put in at the welders as the frame itself had rotted and rusted in places. Cost about $1500.

I had to replace the lights on the back because the old ones had rotted out and rusted from moisture and leaking. I ordered them from an RV supply catalog, cut the holes and put them in. Had to repair where I had taken out the old lights because the new lights wouldn't fit where the old ones had been. Also had to put new running lights all the way around as the old ones were cracked from moisture and sunlight. The wiring and plugs for towing had to be replaced too, so that the running lights, brake lights, turn signals, etc. would work.

I bought new propane tanks and had a line run to the back where a propane run generator will be on a tow platform I bought.

Had an electrical box put in and wires running to the track lighting, outlets, outdoor lights, and air conditioning.

The window seals had to be replaced as the old ones were cracked and not sealing tight at all! It was quite a job taking the widows off without breaking the riveting (broke a few and had to replace the rivets) and then scrapping the old glue off each window. A days work at least. Also many rivets on the outside of the Airstream needed replacing as they were leaking, a lot of outside caulking and troubleshooting leaks. You can order the original rivets that Airstream used at http://www.airstreamdreams.com/

They also have cool stickers and vintage Airstream stuff!

I found some wool from a Mennonite community in Pennsylvania (West Earl Woolen Mill, (717) 859-2241) that is affordable and nice that hasn't picked up any chemical odors...perfumes etc. for the insulation. I chose wool because it wouldn't get moldy if it became wet or damp, and it didn't need any chemical treatments. Holes had to be drilled into the aluminum frame studs and wire run through to hold the insulation in place as no glue could be used. This took days and about $500 dollars in insulation.

Well, here is the new interior. Baked enamel aluminum paneling (special ordered from Wrisco industries (www.wrisco.com) at $52 a sheet (needed 12 sheets) plus freight) was riveted to the aluminum studs, along with a stainless steel countertop (Sam's club, about $100), with a sink recessed into it, an electric hotplate, a bathtub/shower, futon bed in back, water filters for the incoming water line and a separate one for drinking water, a small refrigerator, and hot water heater underneath the stainless steel countertop. Most the other supplies I found at Lowe's and can be priced over the internet. I ordered the A/C from the standard RV catalog that is published yearly (about $700). You can get a catalog from almost any RV dealer. They are thick and about $10 but well worth it. Coast distribution is the big RV distributor. I ordered about 8 times from the catalog different parts that were needed along the way. I had to order a new jack, a portable waste holding tank, an RV toilet, running lights, rooftop A/C, 50 amp power cord, more.....................

I put plastic bamboo shades in because they were quite tolerable to me, more than the natural ones that were treated with some chemical to preserve them.

The last step now is to put metal sheeting underneath with insulation with a rivet gun.

This has been probably the hardest project I have ever done. I knew very little about renovating RV's. I was lucky to have previous house renovating skills. I started the project in September 2004 and it was finished in April 2005. It started from a desire to have a travel trailer as I cannot stay at a hotel or friends house due to my extreme chemical sensitivities. I decided that I wanted the freedom to go camping, to visit a friend, or move to a new location. With this trailer I can go anywhere! So I feel a bit more free now to move about the country now if I need to or want to.

Many steps have been left out due to the enormous amount of time and space it would take to detail the entire project. Also this Airstream works for me and my sensitivities but may not work for everyone with allergies or sensitivities, so this account is merely my own experience, and hopefully if you have allergies or MCS and your thinking about renovating a trailer that this account will help give you an idea of what is involved. This was an extremely difficult project with a lot of bumps in the road. I would probably not undertake anything like it again due to the expense and difficulty, but am glad that I did do it because it gives me more freedom.

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