Forum Discussion

SuperBus's avatar
SuperBus
Nomad
Oct 26, 2019

Winter Storage - Cover at Home or Store at Indoor Facillity?

I recently dropped my coach off at a local indoor storage facility - a first for me. In past years I had a barn of a friend available but he has moved and I no longer have that option. A few days have passed and I feel very uneasy about it being more or less completely in the hands of the site owner. It has nothing to do with the owner in particular, just the fact that it is his building, the facility is subject to his maintenance and upkeep and his security choices - all that which determines whether or not my coach comes out the way it went in at the end of March 2020.

To further intensify my unease, he mentioned he might need it moved in a few weeks when the last of his customers bring their coaches in, and said "I think I could move it"; its a 45' London Aire. I told him to call me and I'll be there in a heartbeat to move it myself. When parking it he didn't instill to much confidence based on how he directed me into the rather tight space. I'm pretty sure he was trying to tear a mirror off a Mountain Aire with the back of my bus. Thank goodness my sister was there to direct me in too. Then he talked of fire due to bad battery tenders at other automotive storage facilities. Yikes.

My only other viable option is to get a cover made and keep it outdoors this winter. It would be subject to snow and wind and everything else Michigan has to offer in our 6 month "season" of winter. I am not thrilled about this option either as it means I'll have to monitor the cover, clean the occasional 12" of snow of the roof, etc. I am also concerned about the wind cycling the cover on the exterior - potentially inducing scratching. Due to a run in with a palm leaf/branch in Naples, I have some scratches to buff/compound out anyway next year, so maybe this isn't a huge deal as long as the cover wouldn't do a number on my finish. Due to my coach's length, I would need to do something like this:
https://www.rvcovers.com/collections/custom-rv-covers/products/custom-sunbrella-rv-covers?variant=16651675336773

Once again I have written a novella, my apologies. Anyhow, I am interested in the opinions and better yet experiences of anyone who has used a cover. I need to pull my bus from the indoor facility by Monday if I chose to do so, before it gets buried behind several other coaches that are coming in after the weekend. Thanks!

I did search the forum and only found this result. I hope I can get a bit more feedback than this poor guy...
https://forums.goodsamclub.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29979437.cfm
Class A
  • Bruce_Brown's avatar
    Bruce_Brown
    Moderator
    Oct 26, 2019
    I vote for building your own garage for it. Winter isn't here yet, I'd say you'd still have time to get a pole building up before the snow falls.

    Time find a contractor or get building it yourself.

    BTW, ours is in a heated garage and its awesome. We haven't winterized since 2001.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Oct 26, 2019
    In my experience, I was a lot more comfortable having my RV at my house and covered with an ADCO cover than I could ever be with it at a storage facility.
    Installing and removing the cover is a bit of a job but each is only done once a year - I can spare 30 minutes of my time that often.
    The cover never did any damage and the RV looked as good as new in the spring. I never removed snow.
  • way2roll's avatar
    way2roll
    Navigator II
    Oct 26, 2019
    My personal experience is that covers are more hassle than they are worth. Add to that they can scratch your paint or rub the finish. Getting them off for a mid winter trip is also a less than pleasant experience. But that's my experience, some have luck with them. Indoor storage is utopia. If you have concerns, voice them to the owner of the facility, document the condition of your MH, make sure he is not to move it without your consent and make sure he understands he's liable if anything were to happen to it under his control. MH's are made to be outside, so storing it outdoors provided it has a good wax and preventive maintenance shouldn't be an issue, but indoors it certainly mitigates almost 100% of that. And it never hurts to shop around for other places to store it. I've often thought about driving around and asking local farmers, industrial complexes or anyone with a barn or warehouse to lease the space in winter. Airplane hangers are also worth checking out.
  • ArchHoagland's avatar
    ArchHoagland
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2019
    When you parked it in his place did you do a walk around with your cellphone videoing the condition of the coach and noting all the existing dings?

    I now do that when I drop off my RV for any service.

    I covered a 25 foot trailer three times. Quit doing it as my helpers disappeared every time they knew I was going to cover it. Not fun, can't imagine doing yours.
  • DutchmenSport's avatar
    DutchmenSport
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2019
    That's really a tough call. Personally though, I like to keep my campers on my own property, under my own control, and accessible whenever I want. Even the most secure place, even under cover, is still at the control of someone else.

    The house we currently own was purposely purchased for 2 reasons. 1) It has space for a wood-working shop. 2) Local ordinances had no restrictions on RV parking, or living in them either, provided the "family" is "single dwelling". But, there is no building to park the campers in. So they have all been outside. And yes, I've covered and then I didn't cover. And now at the age, time in life, and size of camper, NOT covering is the option I do now. I'd rather not cover on my own property than be under roof at someone else's.

    For a short while, we parked one of our previous TT on the in-laws farm near Lafayette, Indiana while we searched for a new house, because the city of Carmel, Indiana told me I had to move my trailer (after parking one there for 16 years). We considered storage facilities, but also heard horror stories about RV break-ins and theft. The in-laws let us park it there while we transitioned to our current house. I hated having it there, even though I knew it was in good hands. It went through one very hard winter there when Indiana temps got down to -20 F (without the wind), and the vinyl floor and shower surround cracked there. Once we had the new house, the very next day after we got the keys, we pulled the trailer home. I've never regretted having the trailer in my own driveway under my own control, even when it wasn't covered.

    But, that's just me.
  • SuperBus's avatar
    SuperBus
    Nomad
    Oct 26, 2019
    DownTheAvenue wrote:
    I think your best bet is to drive it to Florida and stay with it during the Michigan winter!


    I like the sound of that. Unfortunately, I still work (and will be for a while yet) so here in Michigan it will stay :(
  • SuperBus's avatar
    SuperBus
    Nomad
    Oct 26, 2019
    magicbus wrote:
    I guess putting in your own barn isn’t an option? We did but it is for a 24’ Sprinter so the door is only 12’ tall and the barn 30’ deep. I use to keep our Country Coach under a cover in a windy area and it had a soft underside and never hurt the coach, but there were always things jutting from the coach trying to wear spots of the cover. My CC was a 36 and that was a bit of a chore to handle the cover, I’m not sure a 45 would be much fun to put on, off and store.

    Dave


    Dave, if there was an award for a fast and useful response, you'd win it! Unfortunately no, I do not have my own barn available. I live in a suburban area and don't have the room available to build an appropriately sized barn. My father might have space in his barn, but then we'd need to find new homes for two co-owned classic vehicles, which would be easier to do I guess, but would just move the problem to those vehicles from the bus.

    Long term (i.e. next year) I may build another barn on his property to solve this issue, so I guess I need only be concerned with one season of the coach being under a cover.
  • DownTheAvenue's avatar
    DownTheAvenue
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2019
    There are always risks. Leave it outside, and besides the potential scratching caused by a cover, rodents could cause severe damage or even a fire. Winds could cause an object to hit the coach and damage it. I think your best bet is to drive it to Florida and stay with it during the Michigan winter! Seriously, wherever you park for the winter, there will always be risks. You apparently have been prudent finding a winter storage facility, and besides being sure you are adequately insured, there is nothing more you can do.
  • magicbus's avatar
    magicbus
    Explorer II
    Oct 26, 2019
    I guess putting in your own barn isn’t an option? We did but it is for a 24’ Sprinter so the door is only 12’ tall and the barn 30’ deep. I use to keep our Country Coach under a cover in a windy area and it had a soft underside and never hurt the coach, but there were always things jutting from the coach trying to wear spots of the cover. My CC was a 36 and that was a bit of a chore to handle the cover, I’m not sure a 45 would be much fun to put on, off and store.

    Dave

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