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1st hand snow experience.

garysol
Explorer
Explorer
We will be experiencing our first Michigan winter this year and our camper will be stored in a locked outdoor storage area that I will not be able to get to very often. I am not planning on covering it, Has anyone ever had any 1st hand experience with roof damage due to snow pack sitting on a roof? I have read thread after read of the possible damages that could happen but I have not read any 1st hand experiences of anyone who actually had a roof cave in or any other catastrophic damage occurring. Anyone have any experiences to share?
2020 GMC Canyon
2022 NoBo 19.2
21 REPLIES 21

MIKECBROWN
Explorer
Explorer
I shoveled 3' of snow off my 5er the day before leaving for Florida. Hooked up the next morning and it wouldn't move. Dug down through 4 or 5 ft of snow to get to the blocks. Nice and sweaty, crawled into the hole, crawled back out to get a hammer for the frozen down blocks, sweat and snow soaked, in a great mood................ Nice start for a 1500 mile drive!

Remember

BUT FIRST.......

rskeans
Explorer
Explorer
We're in the SoCal mountains. It is either feast or famine. Been dry for the last several years, but, when we do get a Pacific storm, it is significant.
I kept our slide-in truck camper up here until snow and ice caused a major problem. We would get 2' of wet snow over night. It would try to melt during the day then hard freeze at night. The build up could be in excess of 3'. Then it would start to slide like a glacier. Slide down from the roof over the front cap. Pulling the cap from the roof causing interior leaks. My fix was to not park it at home during the winter. Find a winter storage spot in the valleys, or, just park it in Arizona during the winter.
We have a 5ver now and I can't even get it home. So it stays in Arizona all of the time. Most folks don't have that option.
'14 RAM CTD,Aisin,CC,DRW,4.10 Longhorn, LB
Aerotanks.com 70 gal underbed fuel tank.
Lifestyle LS36FW, Andersen Ultimate AL hitch

greende
Explorer II
Explorer II
We get a lot of snow here. I just put the 5er nose high when I winterize it. Have not had problems and never cleaned it off.
2011 Chevy 3500 HD LTZ Duramax/Allison Crew Cab Long Box DRW
B&W Turnover Ball with Companion

2012 Keystone Cougar 293 SAB 5er

USAF 1968 - 1972 Viet Nam '71 - '72

OH48Lt
Explorer
Explorer
Leave the front end of the unit a little high. This lets the thaw water run out the back so it won't refreeze.
2017 Ford F-150 Crew Cab 4x4 3.5 EcoBoost
2014 Cruiser RV Fun Finder 215WKS
2015 Harley Road Glide Special in Amber Whiskey
2019 Mustang Bullitt
Yamaha Grizzly 660 (his)
Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O.(hers)

colliehauler
Explorer III
Explorer III
I have a seasonal in Northern MN. There are several people like me that don't see there camper until next spring once they winterise. Have not had any problems in 8 year's. I don't know of anyone else that has had issue either.

garysol
Explorer
Explorer
n7bsn wrote:
garysol wrote:
..
All batteries including smoke detectors, remotes and main battery are all already removed. Ill just leave the TV's in. If the weather god decides he wants them then it will give me a good excuse to upgrade.... 🙂


The weather god isn't why I was recommending. Thieves often target all the TVs and batteries on units in storage.


Good point......
2020 GMC Canyon
2022 NoBo 19.2

MNGeeks61
Explorer
Explorer
Our campground is slightly north of the Twin Cities area. 2-3 years ago we had a 15" snowfall over the course of two days, followed within a week by another 3" of wet snowfall. There were many ShelterLogic-type covers in the campground that collapsed, and my neighbor experienced a cave-in on his camper roof.

Let me state that his camper is a early 1980's model...I wouldn't think any newer models would have a major issue with snow, but in the case above, I'd bet some folks drove up to the campground to remove at least some of the snow from their campers. When I came up to check on my collapsed shelter, I saw probably 15-20 people removing snow from their camper roofs.

However that means at least 300-400 folks that did NOT remove snow from their roof...and I didn't see a ton of RV repair going on in the spring, so perhaps they were all ok.

When my camper was in the open, I'd usually track the weather and keep an eye on snowfall.

empty_nest
Explorer
Explorer
Mine sits outside all winter and gets it's fair share of snow. Never have a problem. I do, however, throw a blue tarp over the roof. Never really sure what happens when the snow melts with some sunshine and then refreezes. In my mind, it's just an extra layer of protection against any leaks. Probably not necessary, but it doesn't hurt.
2008 38' Winnebago Adventurer
2012 Jeep Wrangler (Toad)
03 Ranger 520 DVX - 225 hp. Evinrude

n7bsn
Explorer
Explorer
garysol wrote:
..
All batteries including smoke detectors, remotes and main battery are all already removed. Ill just leave the TV's in. If the weather god decides he wants them then it will give me a good excuse to upgrade.... 🙂


The weather god isn't why I was recommending. Thieves often target all the TVs and batteries on units in storage.
2008 F350SD V10 with an 2012 Arctic Fox 29-5E
When someone tells you to buy the same rig they own, listen, they might be right. When they tell you to buy a different rig then they own, really pay attention, they probably know something you don't.

Milt
Explorer
Explorer
Welcome to the area. I'm just east of you in climax. I have had a trailer that was uncovered for several years with no problem. If your storage is west of US131 it's in the "lake effect" snow belt and will likely get a lot more snow. If there is a really heavy snow it might be a good idea to take roof rake and pull some of it off. My current trailer is under a carport type cover, protection from the sun also.

cheteckie
Explorer
Explorer
When you park your RV for the winter, make sure it is not level. You want to have one corner lower than the rest of the unit so rainwater and melted snow has a way to get off the roof. That will help with water puddles freezing on the roof and creating ice dams.
2013 Allegro Bus
2013 Subaru WRX

MFL
Nomad II
Nomad II
westernrvparkowner wrote:
Biggest problem will probably be the fact that when the snow melts during the day and the water is held in place under the snowpack only to refreeze at night. The expansion of the water as it freezes will occasionally cause damage. That is the best reason to keep the roof cleared. The weight will generally not be an issue. Also, be aware that if you have some ice built up on the roof and you move the rig, that ice can cause damage to anything it hits, be it stuff mounted on your roof, or someone or something behind you.


This is the reason I push the snow off the roof. The snow melts at roof level first, when it warms up, then refreezes at night. If it stays cold, snow is no problem, unless really deep, and heavy wet.

The melting snow on the bottom, under the heavy snow on top, does a really nice job of roof cleaning. I use a medium bristle garage floor broom, about 18"s wide, with a 7+ foot handle. The snow just slides right off the south side, with me standing on a tall step ladder, on the north side.

Jerry

westernrvparkow
Explorer
Explorer
Biggest problem will probably be the fact that when the snow melts during the day and the water is held in place under the snowpack only to refreeze at night. The expansion of the water as it freezes will occasionally cause damage. That is the best reason to keep the roof cleared. The weight will generally not be an issue. Also, be aware that if you have some ice built up on the roof and you move the rig, that ice can cause damage to anything it hits, be it stuff mounted on your roof, or someone or something behind you.

garysol
Explorer
Explorer
n7bsn wrote:
I would also take the TV and batteries out of the rig and store at home.


All batteries including smoke detectors, remotes and main battery are all already removed. Ill just leave the TV's in. If the weather god decides he wants them then it will give me a good excuse to upgrade.... 🙂
2020 GMC Canyon
2022 NoBo 19.2