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ivbinconned's avatar
ivbinconned
Explorer II
Sep 08, 2015

RV Covers. Good or bad??

Up here in Canada we can get a lot of snow/rain on the roof while in storage. If I would get a full cover is moisture in the trailer an issue?

6 Replies

  • As an alternative, can you put up a carport? My personal experience here in Texas is that covers get severely weakened in the summer due to UV light... then in the winter, get torn to ribbons by the winds. Even a Shelterlogic tent that is well anchored would be a lot better since it wouldn't contact your RV.
  • I'll add my experience. Not Canada but a lot of moisture and heat. the best cover available made with heavy Sunbrella. deeveloped green growth at the corners on roof and other places. It never quit stretching.
    Wind came up andd would get under the belly and puff it out some.
    I tightened the buck;es snug but not too tight. Every few days I would snug them some more and the free end got longer.
    If I were to use one again I would figure out some method of keeping it from direct contact on top and sides. It would be labor intensive I think.
    Snow up noth gets quite deep thaws a bit and then more so very heavy. You would have some ice in corners etc as the material breaths and some moisture got in.
    You might end up with some intrusion of water and ice at seams in corners.
    If I were to cover it I would still want it under a hard cover such as a pole building.
    No problems with heat and steam but still moisture at contact points as material breathes and stretches and maybe contracts.
    The one, for our fifth wheel weighed about 75-80 lbs and really two people need to wrestle it on but I did it by myself. Just don't back up too far and fall off it.
    Mice liked to climb the straps or jump on the tires or up jacks and up the material and to air conditioner. I couldn't figure out the pattern, of stretching and little tracks of pricks, on the material for a while.
    It was at home on concrete and our Cat made short work of them eventually.
    I'm not as young as I think I am sometimes of I would have a solid surface and a pole building sealed at the floor and garage door, big enough, and the biggest expense, and experience installation with complete seal when closed built. Five thousand or six vs three hundred though.
    We had a little problem with heat inside the RV. A neighbor had major problems with heat and moisture build up parked in summer inside. Plastics warped and all covering loosened and mold and mildew.
    So windows open a bit, cove on with soft spacers of some kind, that won't adsorb water at corners etc, and a cat that sleeps under the RV, in his own little house and you would perhaps do all right. You can buy heater and heat pads designed for car houses or dob houses outside.
  • Lots of previous discussion on this topic if you search for `rv cover' including my comments.
  • Cover breathes, so external moisture isn't a problem. Best of all, cover allows one to leave a vent open, especially with a vent cover, which also eliminates the internal moisture issue. My vent stays open 24/7/365 mostly, and I've never had a moisture problem.
  • The covers are designed to breathe. Also, some are designed specifically for wet conditions. I cover for the winter. Been using the same cover for four years, and there is no sign of wear.

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