Cold Climate Folks: how often to run your C in the winter?

[KristinU]

I know, I know, the easy answer is to go south to warmer climes!!! Future plans call for that for sure, but for the next decade we're stuck at work and beholden to the school calendar.

So this will be our first winter with a driveable, and I understand that it is a good idea to run it every so often when in storage (and run the genny with a load on it while we are at it). It will go unused for 4 months: December, January, February, and March.

So do you guys do this religiously? Once a month? Just run it or drive it around a bit? How long?

We were planning on covering it for the winter since it will be stored outside and we've had good results with covering our previous towables. However I'm not sure how that will play into the equation if you guys recommend actually driving. If we're just running it, I would think we can fold back the cover enough to allow for front and exhaust ventilation - would you agree?

Anything else we should keep in mind as we get ready for winter? We do plan on adding Sta-bil and topping off the tank. Anything else?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[pnichols]

I don't know about covering it (unless under a roof or in a building) with an RV cover. RV covers keep an RV too closed up. We had a nasty mold problem once that developed inside an RV we kept completely closed up during the winter.

I'd recommended not covering it and keeping a front roof vent and a rear roof about half-way open (assuming you have rooftop covers over the vents) for good fresh air cirulation. Also, keep a thermostatically controlled electric heater inside turned to 50-55 degress so as to further keep moisture driven out and everything dry. It's the UV rays from the hot spring/summer/fall sun that can ruin RV exteriors more so than anything else ... so keep it covered those times of the year (under trees or a roof structure) ... but STILL with some interior air circulation. I'd never use an RV cover on ours, anytime, because fresh air circulation is impossible then.

Mold/mildew inside an RV can get into "everything" and come close to ruining it for human occupation from then on. We never want to risk this happening again!

[CloudDriver]

If the MH is going to sit for over a month between trips:

Once a month we drive our MH to a nearby mall - about a 40 mile round trip. Gets everything up to operating temperature, exercises the brakes, etc. We enjoy the ride as well.

Once a month, I run the generator for an hour with a load - in the winter a space heater, in the summer the A/C.

[tvchen]

I have kept my rv on my driveway for up to 6 month over the winter and been doing that for the last 10 years. All I do is
1. Top up the gas and add Stabil,
2. Run the generator and engine at least 1/2 hour every month
3. Top off the gas tank and add more Stabil to keep condensation out of the tank as required over the winter with a gas can
4. Fill all tires about 2 psi above the max rated (in my case 82psi) to minimize flat spots.
5. Park the rv (all wheels)on top of at least 3/4" thick wood boards. This will ensure that the weight is distributed on the driveway and also to ensure that water will not collect around the tires and possibly freeze.
6. Cover the tires and AC. I do not cover my rv over the winter as I found the hard way that the wind will cause the cover to rub against the edge of the roof causing small pin holes. Also, without the cover we can get away at the last minute over the Xmas break without too much work.

I've been doing this on my previous and current unit for the last ten years and had no problems.