I went over to the RV storage place the other day, opened the door to our trailer, and found the front bed completely soaked. I looked up and to my utter amazement found myself staring up at the sky through the roof vent above the bed. The vent lid was completely gone!I hitched up the trailer and stopped by the office on my way out. The office guy thinks the lid was ripped off by storms but I find that hard to believe. I think somebody was trying to get in. I told him to start looking at their security video while I brought the trailer home to dry things out. The sheets and comforters and all that went into the wash but the mattress is toast.These plastic vent lids can get brittle, so in late 2017 I got one from Amazon and replaced the old lid, which was indeed brittle and almost falling apart in my hands. But a new one can't go bad in 15 months... or can it? I still think somebody was trying to break in.

“I told him to start looking at their security video while I...”They aren’t going to review the tapes. If you want them reviewed, you do it.

I've had one of those "Turbo" Vent covers over my vent lid/fan for 15+ years....still as solid as can be and it keeps the vent lid from becoming so brittle, also great for leaving the vent open when its raining.

I had a roof vent strip the rack gears on it coming back from South Dakota in a driving rain (6" rain). It was also over the bed. I stripped the bed and the memory foam topper. I think the topper weight at least 150# and I threw it in the shower till I got home the next day. Then I replaced the vent, so anything can happen. After that I put vent covers on both vents so it could never happen again. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would have. Both 5th wheels we bought after that one the first thing I have done is put on covers if they didn't have them.

:h Man the bandido would have to been super skinny to think they cold slinky down thru that little hole.

Another good reason to have a Maxxair cover over the vent. I've seen them bounce up and down along the highway due to the wind but not with the Maxxair, or equal, cover.

Roof vent lid gone... how did this happen? | Good Sam Community

Dakzuki
Explorer
Feb 14, 2019
They age from UV exposure and become brittle. My brother had one blow off. Vent covers (like Maxxair) can mitigate this and provide other benefits (vent useable in rain and snow, etc.).
Bobbo
Explorer II
Feb 14, 2019
I put Fantastic Vents on mine because I have Fantastic Fans installed.
TragedyTrousers
Explorer
Feb 14, 2019
I don't know why RV Manufactures put these dam things in anyway. And if they do Maxair vents should be standard equipment.
Maynard
Explorer
Feb 13, 2019
Here's the answer to the security video question. The storage office guy and me, we did look through video. Not tapes but MPEGs on their computer. Flipped his monitor around so I could see it too. Occasionally blurred by rain on the lens but maybe 80%-90% of it was nice and clear. We never saw anybody up on the roof in any of that video.
Eric_Lisa
Explorer II
Feb 13, 2019
Dave H M wrote:
:h Man the bandido would have to been super skinny to think they cold slinky down thru that little hole.

I don't know the layout of your RV as to whether this would be possible or not. If a hole is available in the right location, it is possible to reach in with a stick and flip the lock to unlock a door from the inside.

I have had to use this trick a few times when I needed to 'break in' to something when my keys were accidentally on the wrong side of the lock. Something a simple as a couple broomsticks taped together may be enough to get across a passenger compartment and poke the power door unlock button. I had to do something similar when I needed to get in my sister's house when they were gone - the pet door was just big enough to get something in and hook the deadbolt latch.

So just because a bad guy can't get through an opening doesn't mean it isn't a break in.

Maynard wrote:
...The center bar was still in place, and the screen was still in place, and perfectly intact. No damage to either of those things. ...

Good to hear it wasn't an attempted break-in.

-Eric
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Feb 13, 2019
Dave H M wrote:
:h Man the bandido would have to been super skinny to think they cold slinky down thru that little hole.

They simply drop a kid thru the hole. The kid unlocks the door, WaLa they are in!
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Feb 13, 2019
Did the storage lot review the tapes? Enquiring minds want to know!
Johno02
Explorer
Feb 13, 2019
I have Maxxair covers on ours, even over the Fantastic Fan. Sure, I know that the cover may not allow full flow from the Fan, but it never runs on high anyway, so I prefer the wind and rain protection. 12 years so far, with no vent cover damage ever.
Maynard
Explorer
Feb 13, 2019
Okay, I'll say it was one of these recent storms. The center bar was still in place, and the screen was still in place, and perfectly intact. No damage to either of those things. One would think if somebody was going in through the top they might at least try a little harder. And yeah, the door or a window would have been easier. Thanks for the suggestions, no doubt that was a pretty cruddy lid since it lasted barely a year.
Ralph_Cramden
Explorer II
Feb 13, 2019
RedRocket204 wrote:
Just seems like a lot of effort for a thief to go to to gain access into a trailer when a broken door lock or broken window would be a lot less effort and quicker for a thief.

100% correct. Not hard to get through the wall or pry a door open when the wall is essentially a sheet of foam and two sheets of 1/8" plywood. A good right hook in the right place and you could just reach in and unlock the door.