Community Forums

CipherFamily · 07-24-2017, 05:21 PM

We've just purchased a brand new travel trailer - don't even have it home yet. Our last one was bought used and served us well for 8 years before a bad storm did enough damage to total it. (We were on the road when the storm hit.)

We do not have access to indoor storage for the winter. With our previous tt, we kept it in the yard, parked very near the side of the garage as a wind/sun shield on one side of the vehicle and covered the roof area with an ordinary tarp and bungies. This worked okay, but now investing in brand-spanking-new, we are wondering if the covers are a good investment? We've heard they can promote mildew inside/underneath? We live in north-central Iowa out in the country, so lot of snow and deep drifts are a norm for us. We've always done a very good job of thorough winterizing and "mouse-proofing" with drier sheets inside and mothballs outside and have never had mice in the camper. I'm more worried about the wear and tear of high winds, ice and snow.

Our new one is fiberglass over aluminum as opposed to straight up aluminum siding. It's very pretty and shiny and we'd like to keep it that way as long as possible! haha

Do you use a cover? Recommend not a cover?

winniman · 07-24-2017, 06:23 PM

If you can find indoor storage it is worth it in the long run. Resale value will stay higher, and you can sleep at night knowing your baby is safe. Otherwise, just keep it shoveled off, and dont let too much snow build up on it. A cover wont help with snow load.

tbos1958 · 07-24-2017, 07:49 PM

High winds and covers don't get along. The covers will get ripped and the Trailer will get scratched from the constant rubbing of the cover.

OldShu · 07-25-2017, 02:31 PM

https://sutherlands.com/traditional-...ages.php?loc=0

lynnmor · 07-25-2017, 05:32 PM

I think that sun exposure does more harm than snow. If you invest in a cover, plan on using it year round.

slowmachine · 07-25-2017, 07:11 PM

From a New Hampshire perspective, three truths:

As the value of your RV increases, indoor storage becomes more likely to be worth the cost, whether you rent it or build your own. High winds destroy covers faster than anything else. Sun does more damage than snow, if your roof can withstand the snow load.

We struggle every winter with an invasion of mice seeking shelter from the winter weather. Once the snow is on the ground, those who have not made it inside are pretty much out of the picture. It is common here for RV owners with outdoor storage to reinforce the roof from the inside using lumber structures to help carry the snow load. If you're using a cover, it needs to fit very tightly to survive the wind. If you don't have a cover, a thorough re-caulking of the roof seams and penetrations is required to prevent water infiltration. Mildew is trivial to fix compared to water damage. Batteries need to be removed to a charging station, or provided in-place maintenance charging to survive.