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Leave slides in or out?

al7601
Explorer
Explorer
So as a new seasonal camper we have a TT with 2 slides and was wondering if it would be best to leave the slides open Monday - Friday when we are not there or close them?
16 REPLIES 16

houtrz
Explorer
Explorer
I lived in my fifth wheel for four years. It had five slides and one of them was a long slide with the couch and dining table. Slides stayed extended year round and I never had a problem with anything except the slide topper on the long slide would sag over time. I never worried about it and I never really had problems.

I now have a smaller RV with one big slide which we just use for camping. I keep it plugged in 24/7 with the AC set on 78-80 and I keep the slide in for no other reason than its less volume to keep cool while not in use.

richk88
Explorer
Explorer
mine is open from the first week of April until the last week of Oct.,no problems in 4 yrs.
2014 Shasta Revere 27RL
Retired from pulling and went seasonal

justafordguy
Explorer
Explorer
Ours stay open all year unless we are on the road but we are never away for more than a few hours so we can keep an eye on everything.
2015 Heartland Gateway 3650BH
2017 F350 CCLB KR FX4
2005 F250 CC FX4
77 Bronco, 302,C4,PS,PB,A/C,33" KM2s,D44/Lock-Right,9"/Grizzly locker

hbrady
Explorer
Explorer
Only time my slide is closed is when we are on the road or it's in winter storage. If I had a topper I may close it more often but I'm too lazy to waste time cleaning the top just to close is for no good reason.
2015 RAM 2500 HD Crew Cab w/ 5.7L Gas
2018 SportTrek 290vik
Blue Ox SwayPro

clangille
Explorer
Explorer
I leave mine out from opening day until closing day.
1st was 2009 Laurentian Ranger 190xp (written off in 2011, water damage)
2nd was a 2000 Keystone Sprinter 315BH
3rd was a 2006 Pilgrim 312BHSS
Now 2012 Forest River Salem 36BHBS

deltabravo
Nomad
Nomad
In when not in use. There might be nooks and crannies under the slide where critters can get in. That's the case with the slide on my truck camper.
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

srt20
Explorer
Explorer
Mikesr wrote:
Taz 23 wrote:
edbehnke wrote:
leave out unless you are concerned about weather. leave awning in.


X2 Ours stay out from April until mid October


X3

X4

Mikesr
Explorer
Explorer
Taz 23 wrote:
edbehnke wrote:
leave out unless you are concerned about weather. leave awning in.


X2 Ours stay out from April until mid October


X3
Mike and Donna
2016 Chevy 2500HD
2020 Open Range Light 312BH

Taz_23
Explorer
Explorer
edbehnke wrote:
leave out unless you are concerned about weather. leave awning in.


X2 Ours stay out from April until mid October

edbehnke
Explorer
Explorer
leave out unless you are concerned about weather. leave awning in.
eddie and sandie
3402 Montana 2013
Ford F350 2015

bobndot
Explorer II
Explorer II
I had a tree branch come down penetrating my roof when I was a seasonal . The open hole allowed water to enter all week.
Just something to consider if your not there to see what is going on. Neighbors and CG owner were useless due to the blinders they all were wearing.

If you have the possibility of falling tree branches on windy days, it's possible for a branch to penetrate the thinner slide-out top or sides.
Maybe otherwise missing the TT entirely.

Community Alumni
Not applicable
Mine stay open at our seasonal site from May through October unless we're not going to be there for 2-3 weeks.

wildtoad
Explorer II
Explorer II
I had my slides out for just a couple of days at the house. Didn't take the birds long to construct their little condo.
Tom Wilds
Blythewood, SC
2016 Newmar Baystar Sport 3004
2015 Jeep Wrangler 2dr HT

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
I'm not seasonal, but my camper sits at home when not on the road. During the times we actually use the camper, the slides are out. When it's not in use, we pull them in. So, as the summer approaches, we will sleep in the camper almost every night, they stay open all the time. But, when we know we will not be using it (for whatever reason), I button it up.

The only problem with buttoning everything up, we've go to make sure everything is out of way of the slides. But when we know bad weather is coming, or potential tornado warnings, or high winds, we'll pull them in regardless. The less roof exposed, the less "sale" for wind to hit, the smaller the foot print, the better we feel... especially when the weather turns ugly... which it does were we live, as we have strong winds (more than not!).

If I were on a seasonal site, I'd pull them in Monday through Friday ... (probably for the first year), then probably get tired of it the second year and leave them out!

We've visited a few campgrounds that had seasonal sites, more like permanent residents, and from the hill above, those campers looks awful .... dirty, dingy, leaves and tree branches on the top of the roof's, and all of them had slides out. I can just see a tree branch tearing up the slide roof.

But, they weren't my campers, and they can do it any way they want. But, personally, we keep ours pulled in unless we're actually using the camper.