Question- Snow & Slide outs

[countrycampers3]

I have a question for those who have experience in this instance.

This is our first camping rig with slide outs. Having camped in the winter with snow before I've not had to deal with this before. No slide outs.

I assume if it snows on your slide out the snow will start to melt do to not the greats insulation in a camper, and probably start to freeze. Then a person would have to crawl up on top and remove that ice to put the slides back in to transport the rig.(something I hope to avoid) Then if you got the slides in all that snow and ice remaing would melt on the inside.

Is there a way to avoid this. No please don't tell me to stay home until spring. Do the Slide out Awnings work in this instance??? What if the wind blows the snow around would snow get under the Awning slide on top of the slide out roof? Has anyone experienced this.

Your help and suggestions are appreciated.

Thank You.

[countrycampers3]

Looks to me the slide out covers are the way to go for me, & then open & close them every few inches of snow.

Closing the slide for the duration of the storm was a thought, but we have 4 slides & with them in the only place to go is on top of the bed & the hall between the bathroom & shower. Which is OK unless its a three day storm. Just have to spend the day in the club house I guess.

Thank Everyone for the info.

[countrycampers3]

Us out West,
Thanks for the pics worth a thousand words.

[time2roll]

I ended up with about 1/2" sheet of ice on my slide once. No topper.
Used hot water to melt the ice enough and remove by hand. PITN.
Put a hose fitting on the hot low water drain for next time.

[Bob_Olallawa]

And in my world that is why they made blue tarps. Drag the snow off with the blue tarp and then bring in the slide. Lay some older towels inside along the sides of the slide to catch the water that is left and enjoy the camping trip .

[Dayle1]

Agree with others, best option is to bring the slides in. Next is to have slide toppers to keep the snow away from the roof to keep it from melting and refreezing, but bring them in to dump the snow before it gets too heavy, then put them back out if you absolutely must. Toppers will also handle sleet and freezing rain the same way.

[GrumpyandGrandm]

Don't know why the link isn't working, but AMES makes a plastic snow roof rake with a 17' handle. You never have to leave the ground if you have toppers.

[Raymon]

dbbls wrote:
If it is snowing much, I would bring the slides in. I have had to use a ladder to clean them off. I won't do that again.

X2 The extra space afforded by the slide-out is not worth the risk of getting on a ladder with snow and ice on the ground. Plus with the slides in, it takes less fuel to heat the interior of the RV. JMHO

Ray

[K_Charles]

Depending on the amount of snow, you can bring the slide in and then put it right back out before the snow melts and freezes. When you bring in the slide with a topper the snow rolls right off.

[Greentreena]

As above. FYI a rubber roof is very slippery with snow on it. The ladder and long brush is the best route.

[dbbls]

If it is snowing much, I would bring the slides in. I have had to use a ladder to clean them off. I won't do that again.

[Dennis_M_M]

Had to clean snow off the slide topers in Denver last fall. A real PIA.

The snow melted and froze, in fact it froze the toppers to the slides! Used a hose & a long broom to break the toppers loose from the slides, then swept the snow off. Not sure if it would be better with or without the toppers. Either way the snow and ice has to come off and you need to be up on the ladder in the cold.

[RedJeep]

Several times I have had to use a ladder and broom to remove snow from the slides. I don't have slide toppers. Another consideration is the weight of the snow. In Utah one time we ended up with 6 to 10 inches of snow on top of the trailer. I figured the weight to be about 2500 lbs. Needless to say this had an impact on TV performance in the mountains. I ended up having to shovel snow off the roof of the trailer.

[Us_out_West]

Winter???

The following pics are from last May in Cheyenne, WY.

We wouldn't be w/o our slide toppers.