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View Full Version : Insidious Evil of Melting Snow on the RV Roof


slman
03-14-2019, 07:24 PM
Stored my 18 foot Trailer from Nov 1 to March 14th at the 3500 ft. elevation in a cold, wet Calif. Sierra Foothill Winter.

I used a high end Home Depot Plastic Tarp. It hung over all sides 4 ft. and used rope through each eye to tie it down. Lots of Rain, 2 ft. of snow off and on, and wind storms.
Pulled tarp off, and was pleased to find no black mildew spots, esp. on the awning. Interior smelled new, and No mildew on any surface.
It was parked under 80 ft. pine trees, with 50% afternoon/ evening sun, on the rare occasions it came out this wet year.
I like the theory of the roof top air cond. unit holding the tarp up and away from most of the roof surface?

Now, getting to the point of the title. My friend the property owner's project resto. American Clipper (parked next to my trailer) is now ruined from a rain leak, and more so in my opinion from the melting snow masses the Am. Clip went through without a cover. When entering the Am. Clip, the wet moldy insulation smell to me, is a death sentence for this project. Nothing is more soaking and likely to find a small breach in your roof than melting snow.
He didn't believe in tarping.
Me, i'm sold, a good tarp, 4 dri-Z air pots, inside, and get it uncovered before warm spring temps. By the Way,---I was gone for 6 months, and never opened the trailer all winter. Was I lucky? While in another state, I slept alot better hearing the weather reports from the Sierras, and knowing the snow was on top of a 75 dollar tarp and not my camp trailer.

hankpage
03-14-2019, 07:40 PM
Great to hear that your trailer made it through winter unscathed from Mother Nature's wrath.

As with any cover or tarp, pay special attention to the roof corners where covers are notorious for rubbing holes in rubber roofing.

Travel safely, Hank

FlyingAroundRV
03-14-2019, 10:33 PM
You were wise to do that. My late FIL was a plumber and he used to say "Water will always find a way". A seamless tarp seems like your best insurance other than having the trailer under a solid roof.

slman
03-15-2019, 09:25 AM
California low humidity? Could this be a different story in the South East States with High Humidity? Either way, get the tarp off before humidity rises.

slman
04-08-2019, 06:39 PM
If tarping, thanks for the idea about tennis balls, slit open and puckered around the roof gutter extension to keep those 75 dollar tarps from tearing.