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Old 09-18-2018, 11:07 PM   #1
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Roof cover for fulltimer

Hey there, I moved into an 18' Terry travel trailer this year, and am preparing for my first winter in rainy Portland, OR. So far in my research, I've learned that blue tarps are considered a big no-no, and a full cover seems impractical for fulltime living. But with 6 months of rain on the way, do you think I should get a roof cover or shade of some kind? I can't put up a carport because of where I'm parked, but could connect a cover to the roof of the garage next to me.. or just strap something to the roof of my trailer directly. Thoughts?

Would a reflective, heavy duty tarp be any better than the blue ones? Would one of the ADCO RV roof covers be better? Or is it best to leave my roof exposed for winter? I'd be eternally grateful for any input; pointing me in the direction of good resources would be wonderful, too. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
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Old 09-19-2018, 10:01 AM   #2
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Roofs are destroyed over time by the sun, not by rain.
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Old 09-19-2018, 10:44 AM   #3
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While I agree that sun takes it's toll on a roof, I've had two TC's and two class A MH's over a span of 40 years and all of them eventually leaked. On top of that Portland does get it's fair share of rain. We live near Medford, which is pretty dry as the state goes, and our campers would leak here. After the the first few years of having RV's I have always covered them during the rainy season (winter).

During the rainy winter here I always cover whatever camper we have for the duration. Most of the time I have used a blue plastic tarp from Harbor Freight. They will generally last through one year. The only damage I have noticed is some paint rubbed off the edges/corners of the roof where the tarp would rub during windy conditions.

We currently (temporarily) have two MH's in our driveway and I'm planning to cover the 26' Flair with a tarp and the 30' Monaco with an Adco cover I got from a neighbor who sold his RV. I had it on the Flair last year and IMHO, a tarp was a lot easier (lighter?) to manipulate.

I usually tie the tarps down securely with parachute cord. It gets pretty windy down here during winter.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

Steve
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Old 09-19-2018, 11:06 PM   #4
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What about a basic portable car port like this. Would keep all weather including the sun off your trailer and you could get it with removable walls/sides to help protect against other inclement weather. For the price it is def worth it.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Caravan-C...0c&athena=true
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Old 09-19-2018, 11:28 PM   #5
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Just for clarification...You are living in the TT not just storing it correct?
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Old 09-20-2018, 11:46 AM   #6
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I am getting ready to have my roof shrink wrapped like they do with boats. It will just be the roof, and maybe down about 1 foot. The door will still be accessible, etc. I think that would be doable for full time living too if you add some kind of ventilation to the roof area. Maybe lay a section of sewer hose dangling over the side with the shrink wrap holding it in place. Just a thought...
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Old 09-20-2018, 01:21 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by billyw View Post
I am getting ready to have my roof shrink wrapped like they do with boats. It will just be the roof, and maybe down about 1 foot. The door will still be accessible, etc. I think that would be doable for full time living too if you add some kind of ventilation to the roof area. Maybe lay a section of sewer hose dangling over the side with the shrink wrap holding it in place. Just a thought...
IMHO....I would not do the shrink wrap.
You need the vents for the fridge,fresh/black/gray tanks,cook top vent and oven vents all open..As well as the furnace (on some models)..
And don't forget that you need the ceiling roof vents to open as well..
Otherwise you will have excess moisture inside and that WILL support mold/mildew..not good.The interior must be able to "Breathe".....
The other real concern is that the shrink wrap will have space between it and the roof membrane.. No Matter how tight/taunt it is installed...any tears or weak sealing areas for your vents will allow moisture between the shrink wrap and the roof..again mold/mildew or in a worst case scenario destroy the composition and integrity of your existing roof..


In essence You run the real risk of creating the "Perfect Storm" which will destroy your RV..

I would just insure that your current roof is water tight and all the caulking/seams are up to snuff and forget about the other types of coverings...unless you can get a "roof over" pole barn type of building to park it in..
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Old 09-20-2018, 01:52 PM   #8
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I too would just make sure your roof is water tight and not cover it with anything other than a freestanding shelter or carport. Leaks happen because of poor preventative maintenance, not because it simply rains.
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Old 09-20-2018, 01:56 PM   #9
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I agree with Saddlesore. Also, unless there is enough air movement under the tarp it will never dry out and will mildew very quickly. There is enough moisture in the air in Portland to keep the RV wet underneath the tarp through condensation. Even the Adco covers will have water/dampness underneath in spring when you remove.

A carport is the only real protection from the elements. If you do not have access to one then make sure your caulking is good. You will need a window and ceiling vent open and still will have wet windows from condensation, maybe walls too.
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Old 09-20-2018, 08:47 PM   #10
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Dehumidifier is your friend inside. Set at 40%
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Old 09-20-2018, 10:33 PM   #11
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Saddlesore, Yep! Living in it year round. Thanks for the feedback about shrink wrap as well!
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Old 09-20-2018, 10:35 PM   #12
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Parks, thanks for the tip! I'll look into that option.
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Old 09-20-2018, 10:37 PM   #13
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That's great feedback. I have a fear of getting a leak during the rainy winter, then struggling to fix it while it's still wet. The reassurance is helpful!
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Old 09-20-2018, 10:40 PM   #14
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Keymastr, great, thanks for the reassurance. I am looking into the carport option. I just need to measure the height of my trailer to make sure I can find one that will fit over my roof. Thanks for your wisdom everyone! This is incredibly helpful.
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