Winter Storage of a Travel Trailer?????

[mbyost13]

Hi All, I hope all is well. My wife and I purchased our first camper about 2 weeks ago (we are actually camping 3 out of the next 4 weekends and I can't wait). We live in Ohio were we tend to get lovely winters that consist of cold temperatures, snow, ice etc. My question to all of you is whether we should plan on buying a specific Camper cover to put over our new home on wheels for the winter time? I looked into them at Camping World and they were only $260 which may be well worth it. What are all of your opinions?

[mbyost13]

It really seems like it is 50/50 on those that cover versus those that don't cover. Haha it's not making the decision any easier.

[kellem]

I cover for the UV protection only,that's about all a breathable cover does and allows for a beautiful lawn of mildew to form on the roof,mine does.
Perhaps I need to look at other covers but my current thick canvas cover doesn't impress.

[Boon_Docker]

My 2007 trailer has sat outside in the cold winter months (rain, snow, ice) uncovered since new and it has survived with no ill effects.

[rbpru]

Proper tie down is important. Gutter pads and other protective sharp edge covering prevent holes in the cover.

Except to frozen pipes, I believe the biggest problem is mice. Over the last few years I am convinced the can walk through walls, enjoy the various elixirs I use for repellent and they do not clean up after holding their annual meeting in the sink.

[valhalla360]

For mice, make sure to get all the food out and clean any spills up.

Without any food, there is nothing to attract them. Some moth balls help as a secondary encouragement.

[Campfire_Time]

badercubed wrote:
I've never covered and I am pretty positive I get worse winters than you outside of Rochester, NY.

We have major RV dealers all around here and none of them cover their stock in the winter either.

I am not saying no to covering, I just don't think it is a must by any means.

X2. We've never covered. Actually that's not true, we had a bad experience with a cover on a pop-up. Never again. A cover will probably extend the life of the color and decals. Things do fade. But seals and caulking still dry out and have to be maintained.

We cover our AC and our tires. That's all. Our last two trailers we had for 10 years and aside from faded decals they were in great condition. Our current one is 6 years old already.

Regarding mice, we park our trailer next to our attached garage, on a gravel pad about 4 feet from the garage. We get mice in the garage, especially in winter. In 26 years we've never had mice in the trailers. There is no brush or grass or any place for the mice to hide around our trailer. Mice want to avoid predators. Putting a trailer in a barn is an invitation for mice to move in.

[Tvov]

We cover our TT over the winter. The custom covers are really nice, make sure you tie it down using EVERY grommet / hole / snap - that will help prevent any wind/flapping damage. The covers do not last forever... it varies with quality and use, but you might want to replace a less expensive cover every few years, the more expensive ones last longer. Some really expensive covers can last a lot of years.

Storing inside a barn or similar is ideal.

Mice... there are tons of threads on mice. Read all the advice, and here is one more tidbit -- Do NOT use moth balls Inside your camper! Try to catch the mice before they get into the camper.

[Lynnmor]

I have had minor abrasion damage from a cover. Obviously the trailer needs to be very clean before installing a cover because fine grit will abrade. Yes, a cover will help a bit, but my opinion is that most damage is from the hot sun, not winter snow. A pole barn now protects the trailer whenever it is not in use.

[valhalla360]

Make sure that cover is in perfect condition and tied down real tight.

I've seen the damage when a loose or damaged cover flaps around for weeks...eventually damaging things.

A little snow on the roof isn't going to hurt anything.

[afidel]

mbyost13 wrote:
Hi All, I hope all is well. My wife and I purchased our first camper about 2 weeks ago (we are actually camping 3 out of the next 4 weekends and I can't wait). We live in Ohio were we tend to get lovely winters that consist of cold temperatures, snow, ice etc. My question to all of you is whether we should plan on buying a specific Camper cover to put over our new home on wheels for the winter time? I looked into them at Camping World and they were only $260 which may be well worth it. What are all of your opinions?

Hey neighbor, we store our trailer in a cave over in PA. Constant 65 degrees means not having to worry about ice damaging the trailer and winterizing isn't something I stress over (blow the lines out with air and put antifreeze in the traps for when we head to Florida over Xmas).

[rbpru]

I live near South Bend IN an I have covered and not covered my TT. Covering is nice if you have a heavy snow or ice as it keeps the roof dryer. A light snow will often blow off or evaporate.

We camp into November and sometimes go south in January,so some winters we may not mess with the cover.

It can be tricky to put on but my wife and I can usually wrestle it into place in an hour. It also came with the TT so we didn't have to buy it.

I lot depends on how fussy you are about your new TT and how long it sits between trips.

The best choice is under a roof. A properly designed cover cannot hurt but most TT just sit out in the cold.

[dodge_guy]

I used a cover for years. never had an issue. just pad the corners and anything that protrudes so they don't tear through the cover. Then we decided to put it in indoor storage. its a bit more pricey but worth it to keep it out of the winter. the winter will age an RV prematurely. with our new to us class A the previous owner either kept it covered or had it stored indoors. And now we have it stored indoors. nice to have it come out the same way it went in and not worry about leaks.

[_1nobby]

badercubed wrote:

We have major RV dealers all around here and none of them cover their stock in the winter either.

Why would they? It's not like they are going to own those same trailers 10-15 years from now.

NOT covering will not kill a trailer after 1 or 2 seasons....but it won't last as long as a covered one.

[badercubed]

I've never covered and I am pretty positive I get worse winters than you outside of Rochester, NY.

We have major RV dealers all around here and none of them cover their stock in the winter either.

I am not saying no to covering, I just don't think it is a must by any means.