Roof Vents

[jsmith948]

Our Cougar is a 2012 model that we purchased in October of 2011. This past weekend, while cleaning the roof in preparation for its semi-annual treatment with Areospace 303, I lightly bumped the BR roof vent with the scrub brush. The vent lid literally fell apart - it was that brittle. The Galley roof vent was in the same shape. The bathroom vent, which has a Maxair cover, is like new.
Well, $38.00 and an hour on the roof and all is good. Two more Maxair covers are on the procurement list!

[bsmith0404]

Amazing! MaxxAirs should be standard equipment.....then again, if they were they would lower the quality of those as well. Has to be the most common aftermarket add on in the industry. It almost seems like the manufacturers use the attitude that MaxxAirs will be installed justifying lower quality vent covers.

[jsmith948]

Our HOT valley sunshine, at least what gets through the dust and smog, just seems to cook them. The replacement lids are pliable and could be a little heavier (thicker). We used foam "pillows" in those two vents to reduce the heat, which, by the way, worked. But, it looks like the trapped heat in the vent cooked the vent lids? Definitely have to get our pole barn style RV cover constructed!

[AlbertaRvMan]

Our dealer installed three maxair roof vents covers on our trailer. Two Gray in the main cabin and a black one in the bedroom to reduce sunlight.

He recommend for us to leave our vents open, even in the winter to allow for air circulation. I'm not sure if I should leave these open in the winter as I want to avoid any water from entering. In the winter the snow will be well above the height of the vent cover.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by AlbertaRvMan

Our dealer installed three maxair roof vents covers on our trailer. Two Gray in the main cabin and a black one in the bedroom to reduce sunlight.

He recommend for us to leave our vents open, even in the winter to allow for air circulation. I'm not sure if I should leave these open in the winter as I want to avoid any water from entering. In the winter the snow will be well above the height of the vent cover.

I live in Michigan and we get a "fair" amount of snow. I wouldn't leave my vents open for these reasons:

1. Snow, unlike rain, will blow into the vent. As the temperature rises and falls, the snow will melt inside the cover and form ice. As this builds, there's a chance that it will drip into the coach.

2. Leaving the vent open (for air circulation) can only occur until the vent is covered with snow. Then it is "essentially closed" to air circulation, however any snow that may have blown in is there, in a "closed vent" to melt, support mold growth and cause "water damage" during the spring thaw.

I'd recommend against it unless you're RV is parked inside during the winter.

[Ken / Claudia]

I had left my vents open under the vent covers and would have closed them before the 6 inchs of snow but, forgot. This time I did not have any snow blow in or melt and leak in but, I think I was lucky the opening was faced away from the wind. So, far 3 RVs and no rain water has blow in thru any vent covers.