To cover or not to cover my motorhome

[campingPhil]

I have spoken to so many campers and dealers regarding covering the MH for the winter. I live in New Jersey. I have a rubber roof not the fiberglass. Some say that it traps moisture which will damage the roof. Where I store my MH, some people cover, but most don't. I would like to protect all the plastic vents from snow. I will appreciate any input. Thanks, campingPhil

[john5646]

Lancaster pa here. Going into secound season. Last year I did not cover. This year I am. Bought adco cover.
I think if you cover. Do not use something that does not breath.

[poppytoymaker]

I didn't cover for the first year and a half. At the time we would go out every month for 4 days but we now go out for 2 weeks every 3 months so I decided to use the Adco designer cover that purchased just before I got delivery of the RV. My problem here is the sun not snow. I got 3 uses out of the Adco, I found it to be a real piece of crap. First damage was the covers they give you for the drains do nothing, 3 of them covered went right through. I patched them and learned about using tennis balls, they work. Then the straps in the front and rear just separated from the fabric so I held them together with bungee cords, then came the hurricane and that was the end of it. I recently purchased the Elements premium from CW. It seems to be a much better fabric and lighter to handle, time will tell. It's a good time to buy because it's a hundred dollars cheaper than I paid for it and that's the reason I'm done with CW, because I missed the sale probably by a week or they won't refund me. I've spent a lot of money there in the last 3 years even bought the Adco from them. Most major dept stores will refund close to a sale and as big as CW is getting with it's acquisitions there still cheap turds

[doc73]

I had a cover, adco, it was used one season then became to much of a hassle to cover and uncover. Trailer will sit 4 months until it gets used again. The other 8 months used all the time.

[KMP44]

I'm a firm believer in covering. If you use a true RV cover and not a tarp you will have no problems with moisture. I wash the camper before I put it away and with the cover it comes out looking good in the spring. I like the cover for protecting the rv from UV damage. You need to take care to cover sharp edges and keep the cover nice and tight so it isn't flapping in the wind.


To me, the real argument against covering it is the cover really increases the chance of mice getting in. That cover gives them a lot of potential ways to find their way in.

[poppytoymaker]

The only mice i had was last winter a mouse started a family in my engine compartment and used pieces of my cover for nesting. A bag of Fresh Cab sitting on the battery seemed to have solved the problem.

[hkreck]

I've had my MH for 6 years and have covered it every Winter. I got a ADCO cover for it the first year and have had the same cover every since, It's covered right now. I go into it every couple of weeks or less to make sure there's nothing happening (Mice and so forth) but other wise I let it go. They do say to use tire covers also.

[Granny K]

We debated at length about what to do for winter. First we wondered what kind of cover? Then, because our MH doesn't have a ladder (and I don't want to crawl on the roof at my age) how to put it on? Finally we found indoor unheated storage (there's plenty available) at about $375USD for the winter. Considering what we paid for the darned thing, and the potential damage from a cover (or me falling off the roof) indoor storage was the easy choice.

[D W]

I don't think covering or not covering makes any difference. Some folks will say they will cover to prevent UV damage, yet in the summer months when UV rays are most intense nobody has their RV covered. I've use an ADCO cover before and because it breathes and has vents, dirt still accumulates underneath it. As stated by other posters, as you get older you dread getting up on the ladder to haul the cover up to the top. For some folks it's just not worth the risk of personal injury. I myself am not 25 years old anymore, and I've found out that the older you get the slower you heal. There are some RV storage lots that will cover it for you for a small fee if that's your desire.

Everyone be safe out there!

[john5646]

Well just installed an adco on two year old unit. First year no cover.
I added 1 3/4” nylon strapping 4 times around unit. To help with wind blowing. Time will tell if that is worth doing. Other than that, let the next 3 months become history and yank that damn thing off and go camping.