Storage Covers

[DLane]

I am looking for guidance on the use of storage covers. Is there a preferred type (preferred fabric etc.), can they be left on in Summer (with adequate ventilation) as well as Winter and how do you get into a DP while the cover is on. Also, are there any tricks to geting it on or off?

Thanks, Don

[DLane]

I am looking for guidance on the use of storage covers. Is there a preferred type (preferred fabric etc.), can they be left on in Summer (with adequate ventilation) as well as Winter and how do you get into a DP while the cover is on. Also, are there any tricks to geting it on or off?

Thanks, Don

[Doc Mark]

Don - I used a car cover a few years back to protect my 1965 Mustang convertible. I researched all the fabric types and bought what was supposedly a breathable fabric.

Stored the vehicle for 3 months outside in FL in the summer. When I uncovered it just about all you could see was mold & mildew. A truly horrific mess. It took me months to get rid of it all.

So, to say I am not a fan of covers would be an understatement. Maybe they have improved since I bought mine.

Mark

[RVDude]

I used an ADCO Tyvek cover for years on my Class C here in the humid mid-Atlantic. Absolutely the right thing as my rig remained in pristine white condition while the cover took a real beating of stains from fallen leaves, air pollution settling, general dirt and grime and the like. I did not even have any fiberglass chalking due to sun exposure. There is plenty of ventilation under the cover but I did make a PVC pipe tee-pee assembly to help insure the top of the cover from settling and pooling water. The cover also insured that no rain would seep inside the rig from a poor, undetected caulk seam. Hence, the inside never took on any musty smell.

Sorry Doc had problems but my experience is totally in the I'll do it every time camp as it was the cover that let me sell my rig a couple years back for top dollar.

As far as tricks I'd suggest to develop a routine after you get it on the first time. To remove go on top (careful where you step as you can't see the stuff under the cover!) and lift up the sides trying to neatly pile the sides along the roof next to their respective side. Once you have all of the sides (front and back too) piled up on top along the edges you can fold the side piles over onto themselves into thirds. This should leave the entire cover spanning lengthwise along the center of the roof and maybe some 3 feet wide. I would then start at the front and roll that pile tightly into a large roll all the way to the back. Wrap a bungee around that roll and send it to the ground.

To install just reverse the above. It worked well for me as I would know exactly how it was "folded" making installation/removal a breeze. Probably took me 10 mins on or off on a 24 footer.

[DLane]

RVDude,

Thanks or the info. How did you get into the coach itself when the cover was on? I've seen them with zip open sectons on the sides, but I assume you have to buy one that has the zipper opening adjacent to your entry door. On a Class A, I would expect you might need a ladder to get up to open the top of the zipper pannel to fully unzip it.

[RVDude]

Adco covers have zippers - so entry was simple. I just left the one zipper by the house door unzipped allowing me free access. The house door would catch the cover at the top a little but if you didn't force anything I could go in and out at will. A zip and a bungee at the bottom and the cover was fully secured. And, I could always use the driver/passenger doors by slipping under the cover and just opening the door. Since those doors are recessed from the house the cover left a space there to get in/out.

[DonnaB]

Don,

I have no personal experience with covers so this isn't something I have experienced, but have heard of as an issue. If you live in a high wind area, aside from the general difficulty of getting this cover on/off with the wind fighting you.....the wind causes constant movement of the cover and can end up causing tiny scratches in the finish. I have seen others say they actually had areas completely bared from this friction. Just another thing to add for your thinking-it-thru process.

[Chezhead]

Here's my experience with covers, sun and salt:

10 years ago I moved to the Florida Keys with my Class C. Being totally ignorant about sun and salt, I left everything uncovered. After only two years, anything made out of iron was rusting, any aluminum was corroding, my tires had to be replaced due to weather checking, and all drapes and curtains had totally rotted from the sun. Thousands of dollars in repairs and replacements and then I sold the MH.

A year ago I bought a new Class A. Now smarter, I bought a Tyvec MH cover and tire covers and immediately began to cover everything. 12 months later, everything still looks like new. No rust, corrosion, or any other problems. I do have a few places at the bottom, where as noted in previous posts, the straps are wearing on the paint. You've got to look hard to see it and most people won't notice.

The cover is taking all of the abuse and it'll probably only last another year, but that's only $200 a year in costs compared to the thousands I had before.

Bottom line: I'll keep covering mine.

[NLOVNIT]

A cover will, surely, extend the life of your coach finish, especially a coach with full body paint. We've been glad we covered ours. RVDude's instructions for getting the cover off/on are spot on. That's what we did & it worked great. We washed the coach the day before we put the cover on it & it stayed clean all winter. Our coach looks brand new even though it's 3 years old.

All that being said, we had issues with rips in the fabric & rubbing on the coach roof edge. Go to this page to look at about a 1/2-dozen photos of ours after it's first winter on. Even though we took off the antenna & put a rubber ball on it's mount (see the photo with the blue ball popping thru), as well as taking off the solar panel on the roof (sharp edges), we forgot about the prongs that stick out on the slide topper roller arms. Those did a real number on the cover fabric in the strong OH winter winds. You need to be sure you pad ALL possible projections to avoid what happened to us. I'm using a cut up swim noodle to take care of these now. Also, even though we did our best to cinch the cover down with all it's straps, there was rubbing of the roof edge along the length of the coach on both sides. Something to be aware of.

Oh, & go ahead & order an additional patch kit. You'll need it.

Lori-