Trailer Cover Experience?

KandJBm · August 16, 2016

We may pay to store our trailer outside in New Mexico (we live in Michigan) for ten months of the year and use it two months in Jan and Feb. It is only 8 years old and in very good shape. It is white aluminum with aluminum roof. We are wondering if we should buy a cover for it to protect it from sun and wind/sand damage? If you have good or bad experiences with a cover, please give us your experience.

K & J

bobsallyh · August 16, 2016

Having been in Yuma,AZ. for 13 years as a snowbird, forget the cover. We don't let our rig there but have watched others buy high end to below covers. The wind will get to them, then you have the sandpaper effect on your aluminum siding. No matter how tight they are tied they still pull loose. Then they wrap around anything and still do more damage. If you don't have covers for your roof vents, shower dome, etc. build some boxes and place over them and put a concrete patio block on top of each one. This way if somehow the vent cover etc. gets damaged you will still be protected.

Mr. Camper · August 16, 2016

Try a custom fit cover from Adco. Have exact measurements ready along with vent locations, door(s) and ladder (if you have one) because they will ask you so you get a snug fit all around. After you pull the straps tight put a regular knot in the strap right behind the buckle to keep the straps tight and prevent even minimal flapping. Good luck..

Ray,IN · August 17, 2016

Without protective measures your trailer will deteriorate quickly from the sun. We once looked at a last years model 5er on a dealers lot in Tampa, FL. The drapes, sofa, carpet, anything fabric was severely faded and rotted from sunlight. The oak kitchen table was split down the middle, doors warped and stuck shut, plastic trim warped, etc. Needless to say, we declined to consider their really low price on that trailer.

Listen to bobsallyh, and others who have personal experience in that area, and do what is recommended to protect your money/trailer.

bobsallyh · August 17, 2016

Nothing against Mr. Camper but Adco was the cover that was over a Montana fiver in the park beside us. Sure looked good when the owner left, but the next October was a different story. A tie down, rope or something let go, cut it's self and then became history. A screw head, anything will start the shredding. Looking at protecting the inside from the sun, put the foil paper over windows, stuff in skylights, put water jugs left open at different locations on the floor. Please don't use the plastic milk jugs or facsimile because the bottoms eat out on them. Use buckets from Home Depot etc. with about a 2 inch hole drilled in the lid. Put cheap plastic drop clothes over the furniture, bed etc. RV antifreeze, or water with vegetable oil on top in the pottie. Put Saran Wrap over pottie. It is really easy to do and when getting back you will be surprised at how good things are.

KandJBm · August 19, 2016

Nothing against Mr. Camper but Adco was the cover that was over a Montana fiver in the park beside us. Sure looked good when the owner left, but the next October was a different story. A tie down, rope or something let go, cut it's self and then became history. A screw head, anything will start the shredding. Looking at protecting the inside from the sun, put the foil paper over windows, stuff in skylights, put water jugs left open at different locations on the floor. Please don't use the plastic milk jugs or facsimile because the bottoms eat out on them. Use buckets from Home Depot etc. with about a 2 inch hole drilled in the lid. Put cheap plastic drop clothes over the furniture, bed etc. RV antifreeze, or water with vegetable oil on top in the pottie. Put Saran Wrap over pottie. It is really easy to do and when getting back you will be surprised at how good things are.

Alright, with all that good info, surely we owe you something! How about a really big THANK YOU!?

What do you mean by "stuff" (aluminum foil?) in the skylight? Is this to block the sunlight or some other purpose?

Not sure what these roof vent covers are? When I google that term all i get are the regular covers. Can you give a link to them?

57becky · August 20, 2016

Don't know where in NM you are intending to store your rig, but if you want full protection, you might investigate a storage facility that has fully covered storage. I have seen a number of them in different areas that have them, just pull the rig inside and close the doors and put your lock on it.

bobsallyh · August 20, 2016

KandJBm, stuff. Sorry I sure wasn't clear! What I meant was to "stuff" the foil bubble material up into the roof vent's plastic frame. This will keep the bright light coming in the RV. The covers that I talked about are made to go over roof vents, not only to protect them, but you can also raise the lid on the roof vent and not have rain come in. If we can be of anymore help just please post and all of us will try to help. I'm not great at conveying my thoughts or ideas using this stupid keyboard.

KandJBm · August 20, 2016

KandJBm, stuff. Sorry I sure wasn't clear! What I meant was to "stuff" the foil bubble material up into the roof vent's plastic frame. This will keep the bright light coming in the RV. The covers that I talked about are made to go over roof vents, not only to protect them, but you can also raise the lid on the roof vent and not have rain come in. If we can be of anymore help just please post and all of us will try to help. I'm not great at conveying my thoughts or ideas using this stupid keyboard.

Thanks, I get it now about the vent covers going over the vent lids. Good idea to have the second layer of protection with the covers and the benefits of covers when the trailer is in use, so I've ordered them.

Again, about the "foil bubble material," I don't really understand the purpose of it, so I'm not sure how best to stuff or attach it to the vent frame. If this material is aluminum foil how is it possible that, "This will keep the bright light coming in the RV?" Or did you mean "This will keep the bright light from coming in the RV?" Or is the purpose of the foil to provide insulation to keep heat and or cold out? Or air? Or what? I am confused!

Thanks K and J

bobsallyh · August 21, 2016

The foil bubble material will keep the sunlight out. Some folks put it between the window glass and the blind. In other words, hold up the foil and let the blind down. Other people tape the foil material to the metal frame, not the wall, using aluminum foil tape. If you do it this way be ready to clean left over adhesive off the frames. Out west, quite a few people use the foil material 24/7 in their RV windows for some reason. Not us, it would be like a dungen (sp) in there, we need daylight.

KandJBm · August 23, 2016

The foil bubble material will keep the sunlight out. Some folks put it between the window glass and the blind. In other words, hold up the foil and let the blind down. Other people tape the foil material to the metal frame, not the wall, using aluminum foil tape. If you do it this way be ready to clean left over adhesive off the frames. Out west, quite a few people use the foil material 24/7 in their RV windows for some reason. Not us, it would be like a dungen (sp) in there, we need daylight.

Got it!

Thanks for all your help.

K and J

mysticmd · August 23, 2016

Re : Foil on windows: (excerpt) Out west, quite a few people use the foil material 24/7 in their RV windows for some reason. Not us, it would be like a dungen (sp) in there, we need daylight.

Have you considered mylar emergency blankets. I use them on windows, the sun and heat is greatly reflected, but you can actually see out of them a bit and all the light is not blocked, so no dungeon effect. And they are cheap, a 12 pack via Amazon was around $7.