Protecting The Roof & Roof Vent Covers , AC, This Winter ???? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 12-07-2012, 08:20 PM   #1
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Name: John
Trailer: 2015 Oliver Legacy Elite II 23' 6"
New York
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Protecting The Roof & Roof Vent Covers , AC, This Winter ????

Hi all , I need some advise on what protection I will have to take when my new 17" Casita arrives in a few days. I planned on building some kind of shelter with a roof to keep the ice & snow off but due to the frost setting in now I ran out of time. I now have to wait til the spring. Here in the adirondack mts of NY we can get many feet of snow that stays on the ground til the end of april, not too mention the thick layers of ice. Would it be ok just to jack up the trailer to take the stress of the axle or does it need some type of covering also. I have seen other trailers with tarps covering the roof ? Thanks ..... John & Gwen
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Old 12-07-2012, 09:37 PM   #2
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There have been a few posts here by people with trailers that have had a roof colapse caused by the weight of snow and ice. If this is a concern, you can build a temporary wood support and install it inside your trailer.

A tarp will provide a little protection, but if you are in a windy location you can get chafing.

If you want shelter, you could consider one of those tent garages. You should be able to put it up in a few hours and you'll have protection for your trailer. I personally like this approach best. Your trailer is listed as a 2013, and its worth protecting your investment.

Harbor freight has these tents on sale now. Check your measurements to make sure your trailer will fit. You can get a little bit of extra height clearance by not putting in the front wall panel.

http://www.harborfreight.com/10-ft-x...age-69039.html
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Old 12-07-2012, 09:50 PM   #3
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John, how much frost have you got already. Could you break through it, get some poles in, and do a pole building thing, a roof at least. Nice steep pitch with metal roofing would be the best. If nothing else, keep the snow swept off. I've discovered that with a light powdery snow I can get it off vehicles with a leaf blower. I also have a push broom with soft bristles that works good.
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Old 12-07-2012, 11:01 PM   #4
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I dont think I would trust a HF portable garage upstate new york with the winte's they could get. Did you order a cover for your new Casita? A cover is a good place to start. over the cover put a tarp over it and half fill 2 liter or gallon milk jugs, hang it on strings off the tarp as opposed to tying the tarp down. You could get the heat shrink material they cover boats in for the winter to protect it.

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Old 12-07-2012, 11:28 PM   #5
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The attitude of the trailer is adjustable by tongue jack. Retract the foot to get max slope to front. I have the added advantage of a sloping driveway. I also have a small radiant heater and a propane furnace either which will take the inside temperature to 75F in a jif. I'm more worried about snow load on my low pitched house roof with a cold attic.

I realize that your annual snowfall combined with longer periods of sub-freezing weather than we experience in DE may demand storage undercover or internal shoring.
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Old 12-08-2012, 12:08 AM   #6
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I dont think I would trust a HF portable garage upstate new york with the winte's they could get. Did you order a cover for your new Casita? A cover is a good place to start. over the cover put a tarp over it and half fill 2 liter or gallon milk jugs, hang it on strings off the tarp as opposed to tying the tarp down. You could get the heat shrink material they cover boats in for the winter to protect it.

deryk
Deryk,
Tarps and trailers don't play well together. Tarps will chafe the finish, possibly through the gel-coat. I would not be a happy camper come spring and find the outside ruined on my brand new trailer.
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Old 12-08-2012, 12:17 AM   #7
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John,
Snow load can be a problem if it consolidates and is thick. A small electric heater inside will keep the inside above freezing and should melt off the snow. Dri-Z-Air would be a good idea to the keep the moisture down You should have a small window or two that open outwards, it's a good idea to keep at least one open a crack.

I don't live in snow country, but in very wet country that does on occasion freeze. I've always kept a heater in the trailer when it's in it's nest, a window open a bit, heater set to keep the inside at about 55°, and Dri-Z-Air in the sink. After seven years there's been no problem with mold, mildew, etc. I also go inside and check it out at least once a month.
The past 3 years come January the trailer heads south for the rest of the winter. Of course, if it goes south, so do we.
Tarps against the outside are NOT a good thing.
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Old 12-08-2012, 12:48 AM   #8
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Hi: All... I know it's not possible for everyone to build a Coverall Building but it sure makes a nice place to store a trailer for the "Fibernation" period. It also helps to have a bro-n-law with one in his back yard.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
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Old 12-08-2012, 07:51 AM   #9
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Now Byron, what about the cover that Scamp sells?

I might be willing to consider the heat shrink material since I can tow it to a marina have it put on then go to my storage spot since its not inside and I dont think I can convince my mom to let me keep it in their garage and her car in the driveway lol

I dont think the chafeing would be an issue, I know people who bought new boats and shrink wrap it every year and there boat looks great.

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Old 12-08-2012, 08:02 AM   #10
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Now Byron, what about the cover that Scamp sells?

I might be willing to consider the heat shrink material since I can tow it to a marina have it put on then go to my storage spot since its not inside and I dont think I can convince my mom to let me keep it in their garage and her car in the driveway lol

I dont think the chafeing would be an issue, I know people who bought new boats and shrink wrap it every year and there boat looks great.

deryk
The shrink wrap stuff will seal the weather out, but will it seal the mold in? The use of this shrink wrap stuff is common at marinas here too. Since many of the boats are fiberglass too, the mold issues should be similar. If you unplug your fridge and leave the door closed, it will get green and furry inside. What is the common wisdom here?
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Old 12-08-2012, 08:11 AM   #11
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Well, yeah you would want to leave your fridge open as well as all the cabinets... they usually put in a few vents and a zipper door although I dont think it would work since the scamp door opens outward.

I figured the cover would be a good plan, I might be useing mine in the winter if its not too snowy.

So I guess if you dont have a building to park it under/inside it has to sit outside then and use the cover the other months of the year to lessen the uv's.
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Old 12-08-2012, 08:26 AM   #12
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John, I would be concerned about moisture trapped in a shrink wrapped or covered trailer because of temperature changes during the winter in our part of the country. Also check out the recent thread about preventing mouse damage. A RV dealer near us told me about how they prevent mouse damage by using poison under all their campers. I do that plus traps inside and Fresh Cab repellant. I think it's best to have the trailer where you can get in it and check things throughout the winter.
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Old 12-08-2012, 08:29 AM   #13
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Any cover or tarp that MOVES can chafe. Your trailer must be stellar clean before putting that type of cover on, anything on the trailer gets embedded in the cover.. even plastic tarps get gritty. Two things never touch my trailer: cover/tarp or silicone YMMV
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Old 12-08-2012, 08:49 AM   #14
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John
You might want to get hold of Alf's B/L on north shore of L/Erie , looks like he'e got lots of room.
Could make a bundle $$$ with storage like that for trailers.
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Old 12-08-2012, 11:04 AM   #15
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I have seen the posts where the top of the trailer is crushed into the living area. My BigFoot had mold covering the top all over, it was covered with a tarp, when we bought it. Every time it snows I push off the heavy snow with an 18" wide push broom. I also have a 2x4 support inside from floor to the ceiling. My sisters Boler has a 2x4 inside, but it can impress into the soft ceiling insulation: It can be made resilient, by use of a hair drier; a piece of plywood 12"s square with the corners rounded into the face of the surface, and edges rounded will make a better contact, against the ceiling; Not too much upward pressure; clean snow off with regularity!!!

Later Kenny
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Old 12-08-2012, 01:53 PM   #16
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Well mine will be stored at my parents house, so I guess when I go there to do their driveway/walkways I will be clearin off the trailer.
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Old 12-09-2012, 07:57 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by mary and bob View Post
John, how much frost have you got already. Could you break through it, get some poles in, and do a pole building thing, a roof at least. Nice steep pitch with metal roofing would be the best. If nothing else, keep the snow swept off. I've discovered that with a light powdery snow I can get it off vehicles with a leaf blower. I also have a push broom with soft bristles that works good.
Hi All..... Sorry I did not respond earlier, been away. I decided to build a pole barn type shelter(just poles & roof). Frost about 4", not too bad but overall between picking up the lumber , 10 bags of Quick setting cement , driving 80 miles round trip(made
two trips) unloading, digging the holes in ground( I need 6) , poring the cement with 2 more holes to do before I can even attempt to put up the frame & roof. Iam beat ! Iam not a big guy, never did manual labor for a living but was always willing to tackle a small job. Having said all this I will be glad just to get the frame done, finish the roof in the spring. Iam now 62 years old & would have gladly paid a local to do this but being 50 miles to a big city with no local help for at least 2 month's I will see what I can get finished before it gets to cold to work. Just finished digging the forth hole in ground I call dirt from hell, all rocks. Just to give you a idea how the rest of the day went .... my casita trailer arrived , good news it looks undamaged ... bad news the electronic jack crapped out( blows the fuses), no manual jackcame with trailer . Now I can't raise or lower the hitch to move the trailer. The people at casita aren't going be to happy when I call on Mon. Now on to a hot bath, 4 shots of whiskey & hopefully in the am I can move to dig that last hole .... John & Gwen
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Old 12-09-2012, 08:04 PM   #18
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Well relax and enjoy the new trailer... 4 down 2 to go!

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Old 12-09-2012, 08:15 PM   #19
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Well relax and enjoy the new trailer... 4 down 2 to go!

deryk
I will try & hopefully I won't have any more problems .... John & Gwen
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Old 12-10-2012, 07:19 AM   #20
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Hi John, congratulations on the new Casita. December delivery. Wow. I'm due east of you on the eastern side of the Green Mountains. I thought about a pole barn but the cost with taxes made me think twice. The trailer gets a good coat of wax. Like Kenny, I use a push broom. I brush when I do the vehicles. This time of year when we can get 6" of snow and then heavy rain is the worst. I get the snow off before it rains. Once it gets colder, a foot of fluff is nothing to worry about. Still I don't let it sit there.

To get the trailer ready we drain the water system and add RV antifreeze. I put a piece of aluminum screen in the refridgerator access. We remove just about every thing from the trailer including all the cushions and leave the fridge door open. I pull the battery and the propane tank. We leave the trailer level side to side and slightly elevated in the front. I stick my head in once in a while, just to check on things.

Keep it brushed and you'll be fine. Your biggest problem will be having to look at it and not be able to use it. Raz
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