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Old 12-09-2020, 04:24 PM   #1
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Winter outside storage

I did search and found the thread... from 2016 , with no consensus. Should you store your aframe up or down ? Wisconsin winters...Any other info appreciated !
New to this stuff !
Babs
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Old 12-09-2020, 06:25 PM   #2
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I did search and found the thread... from 2016 , with no consensus. Should you store your aframe up or down ? Wisconsin winters...Any other info appreciated !
New to this stuff !
Babs
Our A-frame stores in the garage, but we do use it during weather windows in the winter. We have gotten snowed, hailed, and rained on.

If you are not going to cover the A-frame, I would store in the raised position for the following reasons:
  • water/snow/ice can't puddle on the roof and sneak under the seal between the front and back roof.
  • heavy snow is unlikely to collect nearly as much on the sloped roof. The weight of heavy snow (we generally don't get heavy snow in Colorado, but I've seen it elsewhere) could distort the roof, especially around the bubble windows and cause leaks.
  • hail is more likely to damage the bubble windows when hitting them straight on. The angle hits in the raised position are not nearly as damaging.
I strongly recommend covered storage under a roof of some kind to lengthen the life of the caulking and seals. I keep my least valuable car outside to put the A-frame in the garage. Our current garage is barely tall enough to raise the roof. But in our previous garage that wasn't tall enough I released the latches to ease the pressure on the seals.

just our thoughts and experiences
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Old 12-09-2020, 09:38 PM   #3
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Should we cover it, vs leaving it up. would it be best to release the latches while covered? I understand not to have tarp brushing window covers.. thank you for your help. We are unable to put it inside.
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Old 12-10-2020, 11:45 AM   #4
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I like releasing the latches to avoid stress on hinges and seals. But that's me.

Fred W
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Old 12-12-2020, 04:28 PM   #5
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Should we cover it, vs leaving it up. would it be best to release the latches while covered? I understand not to have tarp brushing window covers.. thank you for your help. We are unable to put it inside.
I live in California and do not have to deal with snow or bad freezing so I just leave it close and cover it, but If I do leave it open for any length of time I still put a tarp on it to cover all the windows and most of the top due to sun damage as UV is the enemy of these trailers and with them open the sun's UV will eat away at the bungee top cords and weaken all the plastic windows and chalking. My 2014 Trailer looks great but I still have to deal with leaks and replacing the bungee cords on the top. We use our trailer around 100 days a year and that is a lot of UP and Downs for the trailer and this year I had to do a wall support and piano hinges. I do release the latches while down and covered.
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Old 12-14-2020, 12:51 PM   #6
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this was my exact question i came today to look into. we got our 2013 flagstaff late summer. so this is our first winter w it. we have the cover for it and the prev owner gave us a new tarp to cover over that. we are in the NE and snow expected this week. i plan on using the cover and the tarp, any reason i shouldnt?
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Old 12-14-2020, 01:33 PM   #7
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this was my exact question i came today to look into. we got our 2013 flagstaff late summer. so this is our first winter w it. we have the cover for it and the prev owner gave us a new tarp to cover over that. we are in the NE and snow expected this week. i plan on using the cover and the tarp, any reason i shouldnt?
jordan
Not sure I'd put the tarp over the cover?
Tarps don't breathe like covers do. They trap moisture.

Oh... and Welcome to the forum. I see it is your 1st post.
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Old 12-14-2020, 01:51 PM   #8
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thanks, i was kind of thinking the same, the tarp wouldnt allow it to breathe. the cover we have is similar to a car cover i have. its a gray mesh looking material.
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Old 12-17-2020, 09:31 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by pgandw View Post
  • water/snow/ice can't puddle on the roof and sneak under the seal between the front and back roof.
  • heavy snow is unlikely to collect nearly as much on the sloped roof. The weight of heavy snow (we generally don't get heavy snow in Colorado, but I've seen it elsewhere) could distort the roof, especially around the bubble windows and cause leaks.
  • hail is more likely to damage the bubble windows when hitting them straight on. The angle hits in the raised position are not nearly as damaging.
To these reasons, I will add that by leaving it raised, you will have better access to regularly check inside as to whether any leaks have developed. I know someone else who had an A-frame, and he opened it up to find a disaster in the spring. Things so moldy he actually traded it in for something else. No idea what kind of credit he got for it, but it can't have been much.

Since purchase, I have stored mine in winter inside a county fairgrounds barn, mainly because we get tremendous amounts of snow. But now that it is becoming well-aged and is paid off, I might forego storage for the first time next season.

Good luck.
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Old 12-17-2020, 10:38 PM   #10
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Thanks, still not sure what the protocol is. right now it’s down, DH says he will leave it down and tarp it ... cover the glass before tarp on top....thanks for the info !
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Old 12-22-2020, 12:45 PM   #11
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California Yoga Ball Dreaming....

I use a cover, but someone on this forum gave me a good idea which has helped tremendously. Yoga Balls. Yep, the large balls you inflate and stretch on, etc. You can purchase literally anywhere pretty cheap, I got mine at BIG 5 with coupons. Yard sales have them also, keep an eye out. They inflate about 2-3 feet and help repel water off the cover to eliminate pooling. I use three under the cover centered down the middle, to the back. They stay in place with some solid pieces of foam packing material or other flat items with a hole for the balls to rest on the top of the A-Frame. My wife had some old work out rubber rings about 10 inches in diameter, one inch thick that we also use to secure the inflated balls. It takes a few more minutes to secure your breathable cover evenly over your rig but it helps when we get rain in California. Yes, the three humps look like the famous Nessie Loch Ness photo in Scotland but leaves, debris, and water roll right off the tarp with this solution. Happy Camping all.
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Old 12-23-2020, 09:26 AM   #12
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Down or up ? I take it you put it down.. thanks
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Old 12-23-2020, 09:40 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by FremontBob View Post
I use a cover, but someone on this forum gave me a good idea which has helped tremendously. Yoga Balls. Yep, the large balls you inflate and stretch on, etc. You can purchase literally anywhere pretty cheap, I got mine at BIG 5 with coupons. Yard sales have them also, keep an eye out. They inflate about 2-3 feet and help repel water off the cover to eliminate pooling. I use three under the cover centered down the middle, to the back. They stay in place with some solid pieces of foam packing material or other flat items with a hole for the balls to rest on the top of the A-Frame. My wife had some old work out rubber rings about 10 inches in diameter, one inch thick that we also use to secure the inflated balls. It takes a few more minutes to secure your breathable cover evenly over your rig but it helps when we get rain in California. Yes, the three humps look like the famous Nessie Loch Ness photo in Scotland but leaves, debris, and water roll right off the tarp with this solution. Happy Camping all.
C'mon, I'v e got to see a picture of that?!
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Old 01-11-2021, 08:37 PM   #14
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Up or down

I’ve had my roof up for a little over a year and a half. I am now living in the camper while I build a house.
The first time we came to visit after a snow it was almost impossible to raise the roof. I shoveled off all the snow but the roof actuator was frozen solid. I put a heater next to it for about 30min and with the help of a convenient 2x4 was able to help the actuator lift the roof into the open position.

I have no idea if the actuator works anymore or not. I guess I’ll find out after I get heat in the house and can move in. Hopefully before Valentine’s Day.

I guess if you get much snow and you have the camper outside I would recommend leaving the roof up. If only so the snow will slide off. Mostly.
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Old 01-11-2021, 10:56 PM   #15
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Thanks ! My husband has it up , he built a framed shelter around it so it’s under a tarp frame. . I hope you have no more issues. I think I will look on Facebook marketplace for next year for a heavier material.
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Old 02-18-2021, 09:53 PM   #16
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Hi, Can you post a photo of your framed cover. That sounds like a good idea
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Old 02-27-2021, 01:29 PM   #17
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Cover question

We have a "new to us" Flagstaff 2016 A-frame. It came with the major mess (big holes) of a cover, so it's been covered in some form, and under a roof part of the time (top decals are loose around edges, so some sun exposure I'm sure).

Cover or not, up or down? There doesn't appear to be any mold, etc. inside - very clearn

Anyway, this is what we are thinking to do about covering with a heavy duty reflective tarp from Harbor Freight:
We have two really soft blankets we can cover the top with to protect the windows.
We'll put something like a laundry basket in the center on top of the blankets for runoff
Beanbags, etc. at the edges to keep the tarp up for some airflow.

The other thought is to keep it up and uncovered for the winter. Our snow season goes far into spring camper set-up months.

Open for and thoughts or ideas

Thanks
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Old 06-05-2021, 05:30 PM   #18
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Hi- Can you post a photo of your the frame you use to cover your trailer. We are thinking along these lines, but I’d like to use a tested plan. Thanks
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Old 04-21-2022, 03:28 PM   #19
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Thanks, still not sure what the protocol is. right now it’s down, DH says he will leave it down and tarp it ... cover the glass before tarp on top....thanks for the info !


After my cover tore during the winter wind I bought a temporary garage at Harbor Freight for about $200. So far it’s been fine for two years summer and winter.
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Old 04-21-2022, 04:39 PM   #20
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Word of warning...

I left mine popped up all winter in the U.P. of Michigan, uncovered. We had a long winter, with few if any significant thaws from about mid-December to mid-March, so the snow didn't slide off much and I wasn't good about cleaning it off. At one point I thought the back panel had bowed in a little, but now that it's fully cleared off, I don't think that was the case. HOWEVER, what did happen was the foam strip on the back panel ripped off. I had just installed a new one last spring. Now I will need to do so again, but thankfully I still have enough left over from the roll I ordered last year.

There's probably a way to avoid that happening again, but this year I think I am going to look for a winter storage space again as I had in previous years. I moved away from the one I used to use. I have a feeling it will be even harder to find a spot now, with more people owning "toys" since 2020!
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