Do you cover your camper with a tarp or ready made cover in the winter?

[Turbo Terry]

A good topic.  My local guy that builds them says it’s cover or not. Sometimes covering just holds the moisture in etc. a roof needs to be resealed from time to time. Every 8-10 years I’m told   Also the sides maybe. My 21 year old has been taken apart literally and resealed about ten years ago.  Much better sealer than when it was built. Cost about 1600$ not cheap but you can’t let water get in.  My slide in is not a normal size so I sent a top notch company in California all the measurements for a custom cover. About $900 not to bad but I didn’t do it. Next spring I’m going to try to get him to coat the top with something so I can get another ten years out out of it. Reason I didn’t buy the cover is what a pain to put on and take off when your 71 years old.  Could just do the blue tarp thing but there goes the neighbor hood . In most hoods here it’s ok but some won’t even let you park a camper or boat in your driveway so I think a good sealer will be the answer.  There was another thread about this recently also  cover or not ???

[Mopar1973Man]

I don't... Heavy snow winters tend to just tear the tarp. Neighbor to the north of me lost there cover in the first winter. The weight of the snow pull it tight and eventually rip from the constant water and ice contact. 

[Turbo Terry]

I think your right.   A person would have to use some good sawhorse supports and a heavy duty tarp from a tarp company and make it pretty steep so it would shed.  I send my 36 year old stepson up there with my trex porch shovel and he scoops it off a couple times a winter. And when we get a good  warm chinook.  Pineapple Express I put the 20 btu on in the middle of the day and get a pretty good run off hey I baby sit for free   It’s payback right 

But you do need vent covers of some kind.  Homemade or rv ones 

[01cummins4ever]

I thought about a cover once, I have a 34’ fifth wheel. For one, it’s to risky to shovel snow on the roof without taking a chance On stabbing something with the shovel, lots of plastic upon a RV roof. If it had a tarp on it that would make it next to impossible to shovel, plus like moparman says the tarp is just going to rip anyway, I think the going rate for a 34’ rv tarp is above 500. bucks. Two to three ft. snow storms here are not uncommon, and that the snow just freezes and more accumulates. thats a lot of snow load. I have found it easier to just transport the rv to the lower country for storage in the winter, at least if it does snow on it their it will melt off, 

 

If I was determined to keep it at the house every winter I would consider building a pole barn roof over it, 

[IBMobile]

I have a cover for my 27' 5er i bought years ago.  I put it on once to protect it from the sun in SO Cal, no snow at my house.  PIA to do by myself and I would have to take it off every few months since I use the trailer year round.   It's been stored in the garage ever since.   If you have someone to help put it on and take it off the job wouldn't be to bad.

For snow country how about an open sided pole barn with a 1n12 shed roof.  The initial cost would be higher than a tarp/cover.  It might be cost effective thou when you add the cost of several covers and trailer roof repair/replacement verse amortizing the cost of the pole barn over the life of the trailer of say 20 years.

[JAG1]

Building a cover is best as you never know what a winter will bring. There are some heat tape systems for roofs made. A bit expensive but, would be great as long as you have power or a gen set. 

[Turbo Terry]

Actually  just laying some heat tape up there is a wonderful idea.  I will get some and give it a try.  Get the snow load off etc 

[Mopar1973Man]

That's the bonus I've got my winter are typically light but when you do get a heavy one I just got to carefully shovel off the snow. 

[JAG1]

18 hours ago, Turbo Terry said:

Actually  just laying some heat tape up there is a wonderful idea.  I will get some and give it a try.  Get the snow load off etc 

I learned that working up on Mt. Hood. I have seen snow so deep you could walk right up on the roof. One coffee shop uses an 8 ft. diameter culvert to get to the front door.