Slides in or out

[tom39]

I picked up a used 2011, Rockwood 5th wheel model 8288 SS. This is my first RV with slides and I am wondering if while it is in storage, is there a greater possibility of harm or damage if it is stored with the slides pulled in vs pushed out?
The space where I am able to store it there are a lot of trees and I would prefer to have it closed up to avoid any collection of falling debris like leafs, acorns and shed branches on the roof of the slides.
Thanks,
Tom

[Dave Lyon]

I always store mine with the slide out "in". I'dont store mine at my house, So I'd have to pull the slide in and put the locks in place each time I moved it......too much effort.

As well, with the slide "in" your slide toppers won't get damaged or be subjected to UV deterioration (if stored outside and not covered)

my two cents.

[raspivey]

You'll get answers both ways but my line of thinking is that, when the slides are out, more is exposed to the elements. While it won't hurt it per se, it requires more preventive maintenance on the seals and other exposed areas. Mine stay in unless it's getting prepped for a trip or it's being used. Same for stabilizers.

[5picker]

I would say the greater possibly of damage would be if the slides are out.
And when I say damage, I'm meaning whet you referred to debris, leaves and the like.

Obviously if a BIG tree branch falls on the side of the camper, I don't think it will matter whether the slide is in or out, there's going to be damage.

I have always stored my units with slides... with them in.

[DocP]

Mine always go in as well. I don't want melting snow sitting on the slides all winter.

[tom39]

Thanks everyone for your response. Going to store it with the slides pulled in.

Tom

[conceptumator]

We keep ours stored in our driveway, slides in, leveled (as close as we can get on the sloped drive - pretty close) and plugged in, AC on and fridge running. Sure it runs up the power bill a bit but it sure is nice not to have to worry about cleaning out the fridge and cooling down the interior every time. Plus, with the Florida weather, I just like to keep it conditioned instead of humidity and heat building up inside of it constantly. Simply my preference on most of this, but I would say to keep the slides in while stored.

[tom39]

Has anyone tried using a dehumidifier inside the RV while in storage? Humidity in Virginia in the summer months can reach in the 75-90% range and I am thinking that pulling the moisture out may be beneficial.

[dieselguy]

Many storage areas don't have electricity to plug into, but yes a dehumidifier would work. You'd have to drop by and empty it regularly though. Many of us use this desiccant moisture absorber in our units. https://www.walmart.com/ip/DampRid-R...orber/16627481
As for the fridge ... clean it up good and stuff 4-5 pages of newspaper crumpled up in balls in freezer and fridge. They will absorb the ordors of a closed up fridge ... or just leave the doors ajar enough for circulation

[OscarsMom2]

Our RV is stored in our side yard. During the summer the slide out is out, but during the winter it is stored in and we use a RV cover.

[MarkyB]

We keep ours in the back yard, leveled, jacks down, plugged in, and AC on 85.
As far as slides, I try to keep them in, but if I come home and find the slides out I know the DW has conducted a pantry raid. [emoji3]

[brandon 2]

We have 3 slides and I find that if they are in , they stay much cleaner on the rubber seals. The toppers are also much cleaner.
We are not parked under any trees , which is good., however when we are camping we are almost always under trees of some sort or another. Thus the topers take the brunt of tree sap and other debris. Much easier to clean the toppers of this junk than to have some twigs and sap come into our unit with no toppers .Never mind damaging the seals When we put them in it always amazes me how much junk collects on top of the toppers. In the winter we use a product called DRI Z Air to keep the humidity down in the motor home. We check them (we use 2 ) about every 3 weeks and they collect a lot of water out of the air. Unfortunately we are not luckyenough to have a plug in for our motor home in the winter but we do start it up about every 2 - 3 weeks just to keep things lubricated. It is also covered.


Brandon2
2014 2500TS
Sun Seeker

[ProfChuck]

Since we store our TT indoors, we do so with the slides in. We also put down the stabilizers to keep the unit more stable if we are walking in it. We are on flat, level concrete (building was built to store the TT) and don't even require chocks. We haven't had problems with moisture, but, occasionally a rodent slips in, even with the traps, rodent bait, and seals on the outside and Bounce spread inside the trailer, although that problem has been getting less with the new unit (only 1 got in in 3 years). As far as a dehumidifier goes, I had one with a hose attachment to the drain and wonder if you could put the hose in the bathroom shower and let it drain into the holding tank assuming it doesn't freeze much in your area. An overflowing dehumidifier in the RV could be really messy unless you can be there often enough to empty it.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by conceptumator

We keep ours stored in our driveway, slides in, leveled (as close as we can get on the sloped drive - pretty close) and plugged in, AC on and fridge running. Sure it runs up the power bill a bit but it sure is nice not to have to worry about cleaning out the fridge and cooling down the interior every time. Plus, with the Florida weather, I just like to keep it conditioned instead of humidity and heat building up inside of it constantly. Simply my preference on most of this, but I would say to keep the slides in while stored.

We do pretty much the same slides in, but it is parked under a cover on the side of my shop building.

We do turn the refrigerator off and empty it out when we get home so it is only a light dusting next time we go camping inside. Yesterday I turned it on at 7AM, temp inside was 85 Freezer and Reefer. Checked it at 5PM, temps were 5 in Freezer and 34 in reefer. We only put cooled items into the reefer and freezer so as not to cause the entire thing to warm up again.

The A/C we set at 90 and leave it run to keep the humidity down inside. This keeps the mold and mildew out.

[ScottW713]

We have a camp site in Galveston and the camper spends 95% of it's time on a concrete slab with a shingled overhang. Other people leave their slide-outs, out, and eventually they start sagging and stop working. I pull mine in every time I leave. It's metal and I don't believe they are designed to leave out. They do make stabilizers for slide-outs, but to me it's much easier to pull in. And I think in a storm, they are sealed up much better in than out.

If you have a large slide-out like I do, that means it will not be level one way or another as that weight pulls the camper to the side. The down fall is that when you push out, that volume of air, and it is a lot, come directly into the camper, either past the seal or through the door if it's opened. Which means moisture and bugs are pulled into the camper. The more you do it, the more moisture and critters get pulled in. For some reason, they love to sit on the top of the slide-out.

Humidifier, in Galveston it's stiffing so we bought a humidifier with a hose and leave it in the shower and make sure all the doors are open a bit. Without it, it would start to smell musty as out last camper did, plus it so much better sleeping with no moisture in the sheets. We leave the temp at 85. Keep in mind a dehumidifier uses a lot of electricity, while not AC, it works somewhat like one and pulls a decent amount of juice.

For us, we have overhang and a shed with an outdoor shower so the one in the camper is rarely used. We also have an exterminator come and and spray inside and outside just like a home. No bug or other critter issues. It's actually surprising how many people don't use an exterminator on their campers, people who use them at home. It works, just like ti works at home.