Snow weight/losing sleep!

Anson9110 · 01-09-2014, 09:15 AM

I am hoping to find anyone who has experienced a keystone cougar efs281 30' that has had snow pile up on the roof. My new (2004) 5th wheel is 3 hours away and the area has had at least 5ft of snow in the past few weeks. I'm getting incredibly anxious about it. I would drive north to clean it but the drive up is treacherous due to the snow. Really hoping to find advice... Thanks in advance very much. Anson.

**JRTJH** · 01-09-2014, 09:31 AM

We average between 175-200 inches annually. I've found that snow is a very unpredictable commodity. Sometimes it's a dry, fluffy snow, other times it's a heavy, wet snow. I draw that comparison because snow in various areas can have an entirely different character. Some places, a foot of snow may add ounces to each square foot of roof surface while just a few miles down the road, that same foot of snow on the roof may weigh upwards of several pounds or even more.

Depending on the amount of water in that 5' of snow you're talking about, how much melted, the addition of any rain or sleet during melting, and a host of other factors will change the weight of what's on your roof. Remember, dry fluffy snow will often blow and drift and your roof may not have any (or very little snow) while a wet, heavy snow tends to stick in one place and not move. If there's any added moisture with more snow or rain/sleet, that base on your roof would get heavier and heavier. So, really, there's no way of knowing what stress your roof is currently facing without actually going up to check it out.

Remember that an RV is only 8' wide with rafters every 16", so they are designed to be inherently strong and will support a significant roof load before any damage. That said, often times people do more damage to their roof by trying to shovel snow off, breaking vents, antennas, walking on stiff EPDM material, pushing ice around while it's adhered to the roof structure causing holes or abrasions to the EPDM material. Often, it's better to just leave it alone and not try to "help mother nature".

Is there anyone near your RV that you could possibly call to get a status report? Possibly a neighbor or someone that also has an RV in the same area who has gone up to check on their RV? or even a business in the area that might be able to give you some idea of what the local conditions are like by looking out their window and seeing how much snow is on the neighbor's RV roof? I'd explore some options before trying to make a trip up. You may well still need to go check, but at least you'd know in the next couple of hours what things are like right now.

Good Luck !!!!!

Anson9110 · 01-09-2014, 09:48 AM

Thank you so much for taking the time to help me decide on whether (no pun intended) to make the trip north. Unfortunately the only neighbours are quite a distance away and the trailer would not be easily accessible without snowshoes etc. The forecast there is calling for rain on Saturday. I just spoke with the insurance company and he told me people are taking the afternoon off work there to shovel roofs which didn't really help my level of anxiety!
I understand what you said about possibly causing more damage than just leaving the snow, and think I might keep telling myself that. I love my new investment but don't think risking my neck to getting there may be the smartest thing to do. Thanks again for taking the time to help me decide on what may just be a crazy "adventure" north. Anson.

**hankpage** · 01-09-2014, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anson9110

I am hoping to find anyone who has experienced a keystone cougar efs281 30' that has had snow pile up on the roof. My new (2004) 5th wheel is 3 hours away and the area has had at least 5ft of snow in the past few weeks. I'm getting incredibly anxious about it. I would drive north to clean it but the drive up is treacherous due to the snow. Really hoping to find advice... Thanks in advance very much. Anson.

Anson, I have been around RVs for many years and I have never heard of any damage from snow-load on roofs. Since your roof is less than eight ft wide there is not that much area for snow to pile up high enough to exceed the lbs. per sq. ft. load limit of your roof. There is probably more of a chance of damage from you trying to clear snow from it than from waiting for Mother Nature to do it on her own. In extreme cold it is very easy to break vent covers and skylights that have become brittle from cold and age. (Don't ask how I know this

) My opinion is to keep warm and stop worrying, Hank

Anson9110 · 01-09-2014, 10:10 AM

Thank you Hank! I read your post to my wife and she was laughing as you spoke as though you knew me well! I've been pacing around for the past few hours. I'm going to take your advice and just hope for the best. I wasn't looking forward to the drive and when I think about possibility of causing damage as well...
You both have helped a great deal and I thank you for it!

Sent from my iPhone

Sherwood · 01-09-2014, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anson9110

I just spoke with the insurance company and he told me people are taking the afternoon off work there to shovel roofs which didn't really help my level of anxiety!

Sounds to me like the insurer is trying to save their company some "payout" money by having their customers risk their necks. If I can safely reach up and out far enough to sweep some snow of my travel trailer without breaking anything up there like Hank said, then yes, I may do it. But I will not risk my neck to save my insurer a few bucks. I wouldn't worry about it either.

Anson9110 · 01-09-2014, 11:17 AM

I was so caught up in thinking/panicking about my roof I didn't even think of that. You guys have been great, thank you again. I've spent the past few months learning as much as I can about my trailer that I've spent about 30 min inside as I purchased it the same day the snow began to fly. I apologize that I'm not able to help anyone here other than if anyone has any AC/refrigeration problems at home! Anson

parkgirl · 01-09-2014, 01:35 PM

Anson, I see you're from Toronto. So am I. We have our trailer up in Parry Sound and this is our second winter there. At the trailer park we are in, they have an option where you can pay them to shovel off your trailer all winter. Last winter, as newbies, we thought we better take that option but after researching it, and thinking about the possible damage from having somebody up there hitting the vents, etc, we decided not to. We also talked to other old-timers who'd had their trailers up there for many seasons and had never bothered with the shovel option. Our trailer survived last winter without any problem at all and Parry Sound had a fair bit of snow.

This winter is certainly a different story and I've been pacing a bit, but I really agree with the others that it would probably be worse to try to shovel it. It is only eight feet wide. It should be okay. At least that's what I'm going to keep telling myself!
parkgirl

Anson9110 · 01-09-2014, 02:07 PM

You're kidding me....That's exactly where I have my trailer as well. Thanks for the input, I'm feeling better and better about it, especially after your comments

I'm also laughing as I don't feel quite as alone in the pacing department! Are you planning to go up and check things out in the next little while or are you just going up in the spring? Thanks again for easing the tension in my shoulders about this.....

parkgirl · 01-10-2014, 07:40 AM

No, we won't be going up to check on it at all until the park opens in May. I don't think we could get in to it even if we wanted to. We're at Horseshoe Lake and the park is big and the roads aren't cleared, so pretty inaccessible.

I'm surprised actually at how much calmer I am this year than I was last year. Last winter I paced the entire time, counting down the days--literally, I had a countdown on my computer. Realistically I should be a lot more worried this year because of the extreme weather but I'm not. Hopefully we won't be in for any nasty surprises, but the best thing is to try to relax and not think about it. Our trailers are for fun not worry!
parkgirl

yeabuddy · 01-10-2014, 08:51 AM

Another thing that may help you sleep better at night... Check out dealerships in your area. Dealers around here seem to leave the snow alone too. I figure if there was a risk, they would be the first ones to keep the roofs clear?

Anson9110 · 01-10-2014, 10:07 AM

I'm going to put a link to these comments on my desktop so when I find myself pacing around and worrying I'm going to re-read over again....Totally not kidding!

**JRTJH** · 01-10-2014, 10:12 AM

There's another thread going about how dealerships "abuse and misuse" RV's on their lots. Things like pulling them around with the slides open, while the tires are not properly inflated, dragging the power cord on the ground behind them, walking on the roof in leather soled shoes with metal taps no the heels, opening slides when the trailers are obviously nowhere near level, using shore power without a battery installed to power front jacks and slides during setup, and a host of other things.

So, I'd be reluctant to follow most any dealer's example when caring for my own personal investment. That being said, snow on the roof of an RV is very unlikely to damage anything while it's sitting. Now, towing with the increased load may well damage the suspension, tires and even the structure from the twisting and bouncing while "overloaded" from the weight of the snow.

There are RV's around here that I've seen winter after winter with 3 or 4 or 5 feet of snow on the roof and once it melts, the owners have been hitching and camping with no apparent problem. I'd focus more on keeping the driveway and the walkways clear. I think there's more likely to be "damage" to someone's bottom from slipping on the porch at home than there is to be damage to an RV roof from snow load.

SAABDOCTOR · 01-10-2014, 10:42 AM

HI I have had 4+ feet of snow on my roof and have had no problems.as others have said you may do far more damage clearing it! so my 2 cents is sleep tight you will be ok

**hankpage** · 01-10-2014, 11:19 AM

The whole idea of owning a RV is for relaxation. Stop worrying and just dream of the great places you can enjoy come springtime. I hope my friends to the North don't take offense, but this time of year I dream about WARM places and wake up whistling Dixie.

Pmedic4 · 01-10-2014, 01:14 PM

Interested in reading some of these comments. We store our 291RLS at a Storage Yard, and of course we're concerned about the weather, snow, rain, wind and I try to go by and check about every 2 weeks or so, but haven't made it because of the recent weather. But since we've only had about a foot of snow(and it's melting somewhat this weekend), so when I heard 50" or so, I can live with it. Rain and wind, that's been my big concern.

Of course, a friend was describing how they needed to head home because the weather was getting bad, so my other friend, being the helpful person he is describes it this way.... " So your going to go home and lay spread-eagle on the top of the barn to keep the wind from blowing it away? "
Something about that visual image makes you realize you can only do so much against the wrath of Mother Nature.

BTW, let's get this winter behind us, so we can use the RV!

**JRTJH** · 01-10-2014, 01:26 PM

PMedic4,

That's quite a healthy approach to not letting mother nature get you down.... I agree.....

Our first winter up here with the fifth wheel, we covered it with an ADCO cover. about January we realized that was a mistake as the cover was "socked in" and "frozen to" the trailer. We couldn't have removed it had we wanted and we couldn't get on the roof to shovel with the cover in place... So, like you, we just let it alone. The next three years we rented space in an old manufacturing plant and stored it inside. Last year we built our own pole barn to store it out of the weather.

You know, if I really wanted something to "worry about", I could now start worrying whether or not the pole barn might collapse on the trailer that's stored inside.........

Naaaaah, That's why we pay for insurance, let them do the worrying, I'll sit, drink an adult beverage and watch it fall