Community Forums

dcarver · 09-21-2014, 05:11 PM

Hey everyone,
I'm looking for those of you who have experience in bad weather while full timing.
Little background: I'm currently in physical therapy school and next August I start my clinical rotations and I have the opportunity to have those rotations all over the country if I like. My wife and I love to camp. We have a 2010 Forest River Surveyor 295. My wife is currently an RN and although she could work anywhere, we've decided she should not work those 10 months and take care of our 14mo old daughter. So to save up money so I don't have to take out any more loans than I already have to, we're discussing to go ahead and sell our home and live in the trailer now. We live in Lubbock, TX and recently it has been given the worst weather in America honor. For example it can be -11 and snowing and honest to goodness 70 degrees the next. It hails, dirt storms like you wouldn't imagine (haboob look up on youtube), snows but usually less than 2in a year, and reaches over 100 degrees in the summer. My only reservation to going ahead with this plan is the cold and hail.

So my question for you guys is, what do you do when you have bad weather like this and don't have the opportunity to move?

Bowiesmom · 09-21-2014, 05:27 PM

Funny I should see this after having a tornado hit our family farm a few weeks ago. I was alone with my two dogs in our Phaeton. It was a 1 on a scale of 1 to 5. Even then, it was frightening. It certainly did sound like a train. With a baby, perhaps you can get a early detection device, have pre planned evacuation baby bag and location set up. The odds are with you. Its more dangerous driving. The tornado here was fast and loud. I just remember thinking, it's in Gods hands.

chief02 · 09-21-2014, 06:47 PM

Not all rvs are designed for those weather extremes. A full-time rig is costly and heavy requiring a heavy duty truck. There is a huge difference between a four-season rig and a full-time rig. A four-season rig typically has freeze protection for the tanks but may be very hard to heat and cool. Make sure you understand the difference and weaknesses of your rig. There are many threads about cold weather RVing. Good luck.

dcarver · 09-21-2014, 06:55 PM

I guess its not so much the cold weather. I'm installing heaters for the tanks, purchasing a heated water hose, putting something on the windows to keep heat in, using a plug in heater as well as the furnace, and I'll keep the slide in if necessary. I guess my main concern is hail. How much damage would golf ball sized hail do to a rubber roof?

Gordon Dewald · 09-21-2014, 07:11 PM

It all depends upon where you are doing your practicum. There are areas where hail does happen but it is not everywhere. When it hits it can be disasterous if it is the large size. Hail generally is localized. Chances are pretty small IMO.

I have lived in or hear hail country for years and have never had hail that damaged vehicles. I have encountered hail as large as small grapes but no damage other than to the garden.

IMO you would probably have to replace the roof if in a serious hail storm. I am talking about golfball to baseball size hail. That is if is was hard hail. Often the hail will be quite soft and smash when hitting something. The thing about a RV roof is it is slightly flexible and will absorb a lot of the engery from a hail stone.

One of the easiest things to do is try to pick areas and times of the year when hail is the least likely. I would get my family to the club house should concern about an impending hail storm. Check the weather channels for hail cloud descriptions and timing and if there is potential - well you get the drift. Hail needs moisture, heat and uplifting clouds to form. The clouds will give you warning of the chance of hail.

While hail is a valid concern I think the cold weather concerns you have are more likely.

twogypsies · 09-21-2014, 11:11 PM

16 years of full-timing and have never been in hail. There's nothing you can do about it short of being under cover so don't worry about it.

It sounds like you know what to do as far as cold temps protection. However, in Lubbock I would advise not to let your water hose connected even if you protect it. Fill the holding tank and run off of that. Store your hose until you need to fill it again.

For your other holding tanks, don't leave your sewer hose outside. Store it and haul it out when you need to dump. Those hoses will easily crack in extreme cold weather.

You'll be going through a lot of propane with the furnace so if your park allows it, it would be good to rent a large propane tank and use a quick connect to your rig.

You will be dealing with a lot of moisture in your RV with everything closed up and the propane use and just people breathing. One thing is every morning pull your mattress slightly away from the wall to let it air out or you'll have mildew. A dehumidifier would help, too.

Good luck...I admire your determination!

chief02 · 09-22-2014, 01:42 PM

Vent covers and skylights are more of a immediate risk of breaking during a hail storm. Heavy rubber mats work well to protect them.

Jackm · 09-27-2014, 07:56 PM

As a full-timer since 2004, we've spent winters in cold places like Maine. Leaks, frozen pipes, and stress are the big three risks. If there is some way you can put a tarp over the rig and its slide-outs, do it. Likewise, hay bales will go along way towards reducing frozen water and sewer pipes. Never underestimate the wind. The stress comes from the gloom, the cold, and the endless battle to stay warm and dry. If you can take care of the first two problems, you'll have a lot less stress. Best of luck.

Jack

Ramets · 09-28-2014, 07:09 AM

Hail can do a number on A/C shrouds, vent caps, roof vent covers, and as mentioned skylites. It also made our roof radius's(radii?) look like someone went the entire length of the coach banging it with a ballpean hammer, but no damage whatsoever to our rubber roof. I will admit it was worse than hail, it was jagged edged hunks of ice that hit us in Maryland in 2010. It also did a number on our towed, not to mention all the holes it put in the siding of our then home which was for sale at the time. We couldn't get out of there fast enough.

smarty · 10-13-2014, 04:44 PM

I think your bigger issue is going to be cooling the unit during your hot days. I live 90 miles west of you in Portales NM. When it is 95 out your unit will 85, with both air conditioners running full blast. Your wife and child will not be too comfortable in that day after day.

drillking · 10-14-2014, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chief02

Not all rvs are designed for those weather extremes. A full-time rig is costly and heavy requiring a heavy duty truck. There is a huge difference between a four-season rig and a full-time rig. A four-season rig typically has freeze protection for the tanks but may be very hard to heat and cool. Make sure you understand the difference and weaknesses of your rig. There are many threads about cold weather RVing. Good luck.

Times two!