Hi All, I hope all is well. My wife and I purchased our first camper about 2 weeks ago (we are actually camping 3 out of the next 4 weekends and I can't wait). We live in Ohio were we tend to get lovely winters that consist of cold temperatures, snow, ice etc. My question to all of you is whether we should plan on buying a specific Camper cover to put over our new home on wheels for the winter time? I looked into them at Camping World and they were only $260 which may be well worth it. What are all of your opinions?

I am hard on my TT when I use it....but I pay for indoor winter storage....treat it like the princess every trailer is.Pretty sure that will extend the life.

Skip the cover. Look for inside storage.

if not inside? cover it ,I live in canton ohio close by, wet will ruin a rv faster than anything. and mouse proof it. use peppermint oil and FRESH CAB. remove all food wash and clean the rv. inside out.

midnightsadie wrote:if not inside? cover it ,I live in canton ohio close by, wet will ruin a rv faster than anything. and mouse proof it. use peppermint oil and FRESH CAB. remove all food wash and clean the rv. inside out.I grew up in Alliance so not far at all, probably 15/20 minutes. But anyways, can you expand on the mouse proofing? Do you just put the peppermint oil in random places and do the same with the fresh cab? Also, what is a rough estimate of renting a inside storage facility for the winter months?

Very familiar with weather conditions in Akron. I have close relatives in Warren and Youngstown. Spent may winters on the road traveling from near Indianapolis to that area. Winters can be harsh, same as where I live. We usually get the weather first, and then it moves East through Ohio and you get it next. So, that does leave a question what to do with the trailer. Of course, the best solution, as stated above, is to put it under cover. But I know, and you know, where we live, that's probably not reality. Unless (we) know a farmer that has an open bay in his barn, there just isn't anywhere readily available for inside storage. Self-storage units are even outside and access is outside. Self-storage units in our area is packed full of RV's, pretty much year round. Indoor parking ... nope, not an option where we live. To cover or not to cover, that is the question.I've done both in the past and really, covering made little to no difference. What covering DID do, was prevent ready access to the inside of the trailer. Since we've always parked our trailers in our own driveway, no matter where we lived, we realized, even on the coldest of winter days, even the snowiest, we still hung out in the camper. When we had a cover, I had to prop the cover up and out of the way to run the furnace. Although the cover over the trailer helped a little bit with insulation value using it in freezing weather, opening enough of the cover to expose the furnace was a real challenge. In time, we just started leaving the cover off.Then came the 2nd trailer, which we covered again. (longer trailer, new cover). Very soon, the cover became a PITA again, we started doing winter camps, and found out REAL fast how hard the cover was to remove when it had frozen ice on it.Third trailer, we never got a cover. Had it for 5 years in central Indiana, and used it twice every winter during that time, one week in Christmas, one week in March to go to either Florida or South Carolina. And we still used the camper every day until temps were so cold, the propane usage and cost became too great for our pocketbook. About the snow and ice on the roof. With no cover, nothing EVER got hurt or damaged. In the Spring, I'd always inspect the roof seams carefully, and recaulk if I found some cracks in the caulking starting to form. Actually, recaulking didn't start until about 5th year of ownership for 2 of the 3 TT's we previously owned. (they were purchased new).Now, with my 5er, the thing is just too dang big to cover, and we are literally living in it year round, even in the driveway. Covering is NOT an option any more.And snow and Ice hurt nothing.This last winter:Previous camper. We always pulled the slides in when it snowed. I didn't want snow on top of the slides, in the event we needed to move the camper on a whim. After snow ended, we'd pull the slides back out and continue using the camper. We even did this when traveling and got caught in a snow storm. But no cover. Two trailers ago:That cover did not stay on there very long.So, here's my conclusion.First, I'll let others chime in on how well a cover actually "protects" or "damages" the camper.Second, if you plan to use the camper in the winter, take winter trips, or use it for bedroom space in the winter, in snow country, DON'T cover. The cover is a real PITA to remove when it's got a few inches of snow and ice on it. Then you have to put the cover somewhere. It's now heavy, wet, and won't roll up. What do you do with a gigantic ball of glob then. Not to mention, attempting to remove it when it's freezing cold outside, or put it back on when it's freezing cold.Bottom line, if you plan on USING the camper over the snow and cold months in your area, planning any winter trips to warmer climate, then do not cover. It's a real PITA.

Winter Storage of a Travel Trailer????? | Good Sam Community

20 Replies

mbyost13
Explorer
Sep 12, 2019
It really seems like it is 50/50 on those that cover versus those that don't cover. Haha it's not making the decision any easier.
kellem
Explorer
Sep 11, 2019
I cover for the UV protection only,that's about all a breathable cover does and allows for a beautiful lawn of mildew to form on the roof,mine does.
Perhaps I need to look at other covers but my current thick canvas cover doesn't impress.
Boon_Docker
Explorer III
Sep 11, 2019
My 2007 trailer has sat outside in the cold winter months (rain, snow, ice) uncovered since new and it has survived with no ill effects.
rbpru
Explorer II
Sep 11, 2019
Proper tie down is important. Gutter pads and other protective sharp edge covering prevent holes in the cover.

Except to frozen pipes, I believe the biggest problem is mice. Over the last few years I am convinced the can walk through walls, enjoy the various elixirs I use for repellent and they do not clean up after holding their annual meeting in the sink.
valhalla360
Navigator
Sep 11, 2019
For mice, make sure to get all the food out and clean any spills up.

Without any food, there is nothing to attract them. Some moth balls help as a secondary encouragement.
Campfire_Time
Explorer
Sep 11, 2019
badercubed wrote:
I've never covered and I am pretty positive I get worse winters than you outside of Rochester, NY.

We have major RV dealers all around here and none of them cover their stock in the winter either.

I am not saying no to covering, I just don't think it is a must by any means.

X2. We've never covered. Actually that's not true, we had a bad experience with a cover on a pop-up. Never again. A cover will probably extend the life of the color and decals. Things do fade. But seals and caulking still dry out and have to be maintained.

We cover our AC and our tires. That's all. Our last two trailers we had for 10 years and aside from faded decals they were in great condition. Our current one is 6 years old already.

Regarding mice, we park our trailer next to our attached garage, on a gravel pad about 4 feet from the garage. We get mice in the garage, especially in winter. In 26 years we've never had mice in the trailers. There is no brush or grass or any place for the mice to hide around our trailer. Mice want to avoid predators. Putting a trailer in a barn is an invitation for mice to move in.
Tvov
Explorer II
Sep 11, 2019
We cover our TT over the winter. The custom covers are really nice, make sure you tie it down using EVERY grommet / hole / snap - that will help prevent any wind/flapping damage. The covers do not last forever... it varies with quality and use, but you might want to replace a less expensive cover every few years, the more expensive ones last longer. Some really expensive covers can last a lot of years.

Storing inside a barn or similar is ideal.

Mice... there are tons of threads on mice. Read all the advice, and here is one more tidbit -- Do NOT use moth balls Inside your camper! Try to catch the mice before they get into the camper.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Sep 11, 2019
I have had minor abrasion damage from a cover. Obviously the trailer needs to be very clean before installing a cover because fine grit will abrade. Yes, a cover will help a bit, but my opinion is that most damage is from the hot sun, not winter snow. A pole barn now protects the trailer whenever it is not in use.
valhalla360
Navigator
Sep 11, 2019
Make sure that cover is in perfect condition and tied down real tight.

I've seen the damage when a loose or damaged cover flaps around for weeks...eventually damaging things.

A little snow on the roof isn't going to hurt anything.
afidel
Explorer II
Sep 11, 2019
mbyost13 wrote:
Hi All, I hope all is well. My wife and I purchased our first camper about 2 weeks ago (we are actually camping 3 out of the next 4 weekends and I can't wait). We live in Ohio were we tend to get lovely winters that consist of cold temperatures, snow, ice etc. My question to all of you is whether we should plan on buying a specific Camper cover to put over our new home on wheels for the winter time? I looked into them at Camping World and they were only $260 which may be well worth it. What are all of your opinions?

Hey neighbor, we store our trailer in a cave over in PA. Constant 65 degrees means not having to worry about ice damaging the trailer and winterizing isn't something I stress over (blow the lines out with air and put antifreeze in the traps for when we head to Florida over Xmas).