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mbyost13's avatar
mbyost13
Explorer
Sep 10, 2019

Winter Storage of a Travel Trailer?????

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?

20 Replies

  • I live near South Bend IN an I have covered and not covered my TT. Covering is nice if you have a heavy snow or ice as it keeps the roof dryer. A light snow will often blow off or evaporate.

    We camp into November and sometimes go south in January,so some winters we may not mess with the cover.

    It can be tricky to put on but my wife and I can usually wrestle it into place in an hour. It also came with the TT so we didn't have to buy it.

    I lot depends on how fussy you are about your new TT and how long it sits between trips.

    The best choice is under a roof. A properly designed cover cannot hurt but most TT just sit out in the cold.
  • I used a cover for years. never had an issue. just pad the corners and anything that protrudes so they don't tear through the cover. Then we decided to put it in indoor storage. its a bit more pricey but worth it to keep it out of the winter. the winter will age an RV prematurely. with our new to us class A the previous owner either kept it covered or had it stored indoors. And now we have it stored indoors. nice to have it come out the same way it went in and not worry about leaks.
  • badercubed wrote:

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



    Why would they? It's not like they are going to own those same trailers 10-15 years from now.

    NOT covering will not kill a trailer after 1 or 2 seasons....but it won't last as long as a covered one.
  • 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.
  • Search this Forum for `RV cover' and read on and on including my responses for using a Sunshield tarp.
  • 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.
  • 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?
  • 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 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.