Community Forums

jondrew55 · 06-10-2021, 07:03 AM

Here's a thought exercise. If you know a hurricane is coming and you may be without power for a while. Is it better to bring your RV home from storage before the storm, or wait for it to hit? I ask this because the last time we were without power (for 10 days) from a hurricane I went to pick up my MH but could not get it because the storage lot was without power and they could not open the gates. It took 4 days before I could pick it up, which was infuriating. I just wonder if it's safer in the storage lot or in my driveway?

Podivin · 06-10-2021, 07:13 AM

I think you've answered your question - if you can't get to your RV after the storm then it needs to come home before the storm.
As to where it's safer, there's is no sure way to know that. It's impossible to tell how hard any particular area is going to get hit during a storm. You just take you best guess and go with it. If you house is surrounded by tall trees or in a flood zone then maybe it's safer elsewhere, but it's still useless to you if you cant get to it.

fletch460 · 06-10-2021, 07:20 AM

I evacuate in mine a couple hundred miles away. After storm, refill on gas near home and run on genny usually for about 4=5 days. Can be done conservatively.

jacwjames · 06-10-2021, 07:23 AM

Plus if you get it before the storm you can make sure the fuel tank is full, refrigerator running and stocked, full water tank.

Earlier this year our well pump crashed but I had not dewinterized yet so we went without water for 3 days. Had just finished my RV garage so now I'm considering not winterizing and keeping it ready as an emergency shelter. I could go quite a while if necessary, at least it would give me time to come up with options.

**hamm2018** · 06-10-2021, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jondrew55

Here's a thought exercise. If you know a hurricane is coming and you may be without power for a while. Is it better to bring your RV home from storage before the storm, or wait for it to hit? I ask this because the last time we were without power (for 10 days) from a hurricane I went to pick up my MH but could not get it because the storage lot was without power and they could not open the gates. It took 4 days before I could pick it up, which was infuriating. I just wonder if it's safer in the storage lot or in my driveway?

How big is the hurricane - Cat 1 yes.
If it is a Cat 5 run.
The biggest hurricane I had been thru was Hugo in Charleston in 89.

JJH3rd · 06-10-2021, 07:38 AM

Several years ago we had a water leak that required over half of the wood flooring and 18" of drywall in the effected room in our house be replaced, after everything dried out! The good news is that our MH is parked in our back yard and has shore power from an outlet on my wood working shop (50A). We spent about 4 weeks sleeping in the MH. We were VERY glad to have an extra bedroom in our back yard.

ThomB · 06-10-2021, 07:40 AM

I'm basically in the center of the St. Pete peninsula at 11 feet above sea level - there are storm surge warning signs in my neighborhood. I'm bugging out of a hurricane comes close. We've never lost power, have a generator (portable) and transfer switch at the house, but I don't covet this home enough to stick around to save anything in it when I can just relocate to a different location in the comforts of my rv. I keep the RV tank (gas) full and the propane is over 3/4. I can fill the fresh tank in about 20 minutes hook up the car and be gone in 20 more. (short of my wife clearing her closet with clothes to bring.)

rvbiker45 · 06-10-2021, 07:47 AM

If your reasoning for bringing the RV home is to have an alternate living facility in case the main-home gets whacked, I would rethink that action. If the main-home gets damaged and is unlivable, the RV will probably be a wreck also if it is sitting on your property.
From my perspective, if a storm is threatening, pack up and leave in the RV.
Get out of town and into a place that might be safer and offer more protection should a major storm reach your area. Leave early, rather than later.

Sweetbriar · 06-10-2021, 08:05 AM

If there are no trees, power lines, you are not in a potential flood zone and such I would bring the coach home. Use it as necessary for post storm shelter or a life boat if you need to evacuate. Never use an RV as shelter during the storm. Stay in the stick and bricks or evacuate early if in doubt. Don't wait until when the storm is 12 hours from land fall to try and fill the water tank, top off fuels, bring the fridge on line or load test the generator.

dfuelman · 06-10-2021, 09:07 AM

We store our at home under a shed. Last winter because of an ice storm we were without power for three days. The Coach was our backup plan for heat if things got unbearable in the house (I did have emergency generator and kerosine heater). It has always been our back up plan for Hurricanes also. We do not live close to the coast, but have had extended power outages for up to 11 days do to past hurricanes. I keep the coach full of diesel at all times so I know I have almost a weeks with of generator (more if I conserve) and propane for cooking. Country Boy can Survive!

jharrell · 06-10-2021, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThomB

I'm bugging out of a hurricane comes close. We've never lost power, have a generator (portable) and transfer switch at the house, but I don't covet this home enough to stick around to save anything in it when I can just relocate to a different location in the comforts of my rv.

I am just up the road and bugged out for Irma up to north FL with the RV, it ended up going through just as bad up there and since everyone left out of state then came back and power was down at most gas stations up 75 I was stuck up there for 3 days after the storm until the stations re opened and the interstates cleared up, also some rivers rose and I think they shut the interstate down.

Problem with bugging out at least from Tampa area since only so many ways out, is you have to do it early enough to not get stuck with everyone else trying to leave and you really have to go up into north GA or further to really be sure and you might be stuck for a while before you can come back.

Would probably do again if it was a big storm, but they change tracks right up to the last second and can hit 100's of miles away you have to go far.

I also have a cutover switch run some of my house off my RV (light and fridge) if I can get back and powers out for some time.

PKI · 06-10-2021, 03:36 PM

If you plan to leave the area, get the RV, stock it and get out of town in time to dodge the storm. If you want to live in it in the event your house may not have power, leave it in storage and get a $1000 dual fuel Champion generator for the house. Ifs you think the RV is safer at home than in storage ..... I would consider alternate storage.

Tha_Rooster · 06-10-2021, 03:41 PM

Bring it home that way the hurricane can take out S&B and MH the same time.

RKins · 06-10-2021, 04:53 PM

I see you live in FL - so do we.
I poured a pad beside my house, the coach is under a tree partially - the house has all hip roofing , so the coach is actually protected by the house (it's about 6' from the house). The pad is on the east side of the house and that is the safest side for our location - I won't get into hurricane psychology here but after being here for 65 years, I'm pretty good at it.
So back to your question (and my example), I would not put a RV in your driveway exposed to the winds of the hurricane. I have 2 boats that are exposed on the south side of our house and susceptible to westerly winds, so I pull both boats into the "L" of our house/garage. The "L" protects them from the majority of the wind. Last hurricane the boats were full of leaves, small branches (under a tree just outside of the "L") but otherwise ok. We lost power and we just moved out into the coach, cranked up the genny, turned on the propane and cooked breakfast. Raised the antenna and checked the status of the storm on the TV. Like being in a hotel room.

Of course, your house facing orientation would help me help you.