Vents open or closed

[WDW]

We're about to put our A to bed for winter. This is our first storage season for our MH.

We've secured a spot in a large unheated warehouse that has other RVs and cars. Given ambient air temp can be below freezing here in WNY should we open any of the roof vents?

We will have power for the batteries but I don't want to run a dehumidifier because checking it more than every 3 weeks or so would be inconvenient.

We plan on deploying several damp rid containers, rodent "food" and dryer sheets. Should we put mothballs in the storage compartments?




Taking in the sights ...where my Trolley takes me.

2016 Coachmen Mirada 35BH

[mel s]

Originally Posted by WDW

We're about to put our A to bed for winter. This is our first storage season for our MH.

We've secured a spot in a large unheated warehouse that has other RVs and cars. Given ambient air temp can be below freezing here in WNY should we open any of the roof vents?

We will have power for the batteries but I don't want to run a dehumidifier because checking it more than every 3 weeks or so would be inconvenient.
We plan on deploying several damp rid containers, rodent "food" and dryer sheets. Should we put mothballs in the storage compartments?
2016 Coachmen Mirada 35BH

WDW
I store my coach outside in Wisconsin with one of the roof vents, and one sliding window, (which have rain covers), open.




And a few packs of D-con...(but no "Damp Rid" or mothballs).
Have for 14 winters.

Mel
'96 Safari, 144k miles

[Bug512]

We keep both roof vents open and the bedroom window cracked. If there is no air flow you can have a condensation problem if the ambient temperatures have a huge swing in a short period of time. We did this with our trailer and now MH for ten years and have been successful.

[DeWat]

I keep my vents open as well to equalize the temperature differences between the inside and outside as temps rise and fall, which helps prevent condensation. However, I would never use any type of mouse/rat poison (deterrents not included). The last thing you want is for a rodent to eat the posion, go to an inaccessible area in your motorhome, and dye. It could very easily take a couple years to find out where the smell is coming from, and another couple years to entirely rid the motorhome of the smell.

[ga traveler]

I always put D Con in my coach. I have never had a problem with a smell. I have seen evidence of rats eating the D Con but never found a dead rat. I have been told to make sure there is no water in the coach as they will leave the coach in search of water when the poison hits them.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by DeWat

I keep my vents open as well to equalize the temperature differences between the inside and outside as temps rise and fall, which helps prevent condensation. However, I would never use any type of mouse/rat poison (deterrents not included). The last thing you want is for a rodent to eat the poison, go to an inaccessible area in your motorhome, and die. It could very easily take a couple years to find out where the smell is coming from, and another couple years to entirely rid the motorhome of the smell.

DeWat
Not to worry.
I've been feeding rodents D-Con for over 35 years in my RVs, cars, garages and houses and I have yet to find or smell a body.
Mel
'96 Safari

[NLOVNIT]

We've got the Maxxair vent covers & leave the vent lids cracked open a bit all during winter storage. There are several options for humidity control that aren't electric, search for DampRid or similar. I do put small Tupperware containters with charcoal briquettes in the fridge compartments so it doesn't get stale smelling & I also leave the doors propped open a crack. I don't put anything down for rodents. Been lucky I guess.

Lori-

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by DeWat

I keep my vents open as well to equalize the temperature differences between the inside and outside as temps rise and fall, which helps prevent condensation. However, I would never use any type of mouse/rat poison (deterrents not included). The last thing you want is for a rodent to eat the posion, go to an inaccessible area in your motorhome, and dye. It could very easily take a couple years to find out where the smell is coming from, and another couple years to entirely rid the motorhome of the smell.

Simple solution to keep rats out of your MH:
Place poison under your MH on aluminum pie tins. Never inside the coach. Then place pans of water under someone else's MH. The rats won't feel well enough to go back to yours. LOL

I was born this way. What's your excuse!
Lynn

[Mac99]

I've stored my MH in exactly the same environment as you
describe, in central PA. I do not leave any vents open.
I remove anything edible and all paper products.
With no food or warmth, rodents are not interested.
Cabinets open, frig doors cracked open.
Plugged in to keep batteries fully charged.
5 years of doing this with no issues.

[WDW]

Thank you! I appreciate everyone's response.


Taking in the sights ...where my Trolley takes me.

2016 Coachmen Mirada 35BH

[LETMGROW]

Nothing to do with vents but we remove everything from our MH before storing it. My wife has stackable plastic bins which are marked and numbered. Every cabinet and drawer is emptied and everything goes into the bins. Any food or condiments are brought into the house and get used. She does keep a list of what we bring in so she can replace it in the spring and put it back into the MH. In the spring she will clean the entire MH and put everything back into it's respective storage place.
I take care of the storage bays. Most everything is fine to leave in the bays except anything which may freeze and be damaged. I do take everything out in the spring and clean the bays. Nothing ever gets put into a bay unless it is clean and dry when we camp.
The plastic bins get stacked in our basement for the winter.
Lynn

[NMRVer]

Vents open, food out, everything else stays the same. With over 25 years having RVs, never a problem with pests. Close everything lower down that can be closed. Since I'm not plugged in, there's limited ways for anything to enter my coach since wheel wells are closed in..

[WNJeffers]

With vents closed, you run the risk of condensation inside. Leave vents open. That allows diffusion to dissipate any excess moisture inside.

Wayne