If you’re the proud owner of a motorhome or camper, you know that an RV is more than just a vehicle – it’s really a whole new way of experiencing travel and vacations. No more fooling with having to book a room someplace – your lodging is already taken care of! You can also rest a little easier knowing that the bed you’re sleeping in hasn’t been occupied by hundreds (or even thousands) of strangers! You get to enjoy the luxury of staying in your own private bed, inside your own private, personal space. Plus, with an RV your coast-to-coast vacation options are almost limitless. If you can drive there, you can stay there!
But when the days get shorter and the air turns colder, most RVers need to park their ride for a while. If this winter will be your first as an RV owner, it’s time for you to make some plans about how to care for your motorhome or camper during the off-season.
What Are Some Risks of Leaving Your RV Exposed and Unprepared for Winter?
Leaving your RV uncovered and unprepared for winter is a risk you really don’t want to take with your precious investment. There are the obvious external threats of damage from accumulated snow, ice, and fallen debris, but there are also some unseen issues that can be even more costly. Water left in the plumbing system can freeze, resulting in broken fittings and lines. Moisture can also infiltrate into the interior of an uncovered RV, leading to mold and mildew damage. There are also potential threats from rodents and pests who are looking for someplace warm and dry to get out of the weather. And this is just a short list; there are other concerns that may arise with an unprotected RV, too!
What Should I Do to Winterize My RV?
Here are a few things to keep on your checklist when preparing your RV for a long winter’s nap:
- Give it a good inside-and-out cleaning before putting it away for the season
- Clear out the interior of anything that might attract pests
- Use caulk or silicone to fill any gaps or holes in the exterior
- Drain the water/plumbing system
- Service the engine and all of its fluids
- Take out any batteries and put them in dry storage
- Place your RV under cover
You Need to Cover Your RV … But Not All Covers Are Equal
After winterizing your motorhome or camper, the best way to protect your RV is to keep it under cover. But what kind of cover is best? Some RV owners are content to just toss a vinyl tarp over their vehicle, but that’s really not your best option. A tarp really doesn’t provide much in the way of protection, and can actually result in unforeseen damages. Vinyl tarps trap damage-causing moisture underneath, and when the wind picks up they can flap around and scratch the RV’s exterior. A fitted, breathable cover is a better option, but it also comes with its own liabilities. Snow and ice can still accumulate on top, and a fabric cover provides little protection from falling debris or from pests who are determined to infiltrate. And neither a tarp nor a fabric cover will do anything to protect your RV from the negative effects of subfreezing temperatures.
The Best Protection for Your RV is a Metal RV Cover or Garage
Placing your RV under hard shelter is really the best way to protect, maintain, and secure your ride. Some RVers choose to pay for offsite storage, but those costs can really add up over time. Utilizing offsite storage also requires you to make a special trip every time you want to check on your ride. Fortunately, there is a better option!
The absolute best place to store your RV during the off-season is under a metal RV cover or inside a metal RV garage on your own property. Having your own personal RV cover or garage provides several unique advantages, including the following:
- Unparalleled Protection from the Elements
- Convenient Location Right on Your Own Property
- Cost-Effective Over Time
- Steel Structures Are Easy to Maintain
Owning an RV is a significant investment, and it’s an investment worth protecting with a shelter that’s both rugged and dependable. Any vehicle that’s left unsheltered for long periods of time is prone to damage from UV radiation, rain, snow, and sleet over the course of winter. And let’s not forget the havoc that hail can wreak during the other three seasons of the year! You can avoid all of those threats by investing in a metal RV cover or enclosed structure.
Why have to drive offsite to check on your RV, when you can securely store it right in your own backyard?
With your own RV cover, you can save money on paying storage unit rental fees, and you can save on the costs of transporting your RV and having to drive back-and-forth to check on it. Once you make the initial investment of purchasing your own RV cover or garage, it will pay for itself over time.
Unlike a wood shed, carport, or garage, a steel structure is much easier to clean and requires much less maintenance. These structures are built to last, and you can simply hose them off and hose them out. They never need painting or repainting, either!
Ready to Get THE BEST Cover for Your RV? Contact Metal Garage Central!
It’s important that you store your RV properly over the winter (and during any other off-season, too), so it will be ready to go when you are. And when it comes to taking care of your RV investment, nobody takes better of you than the specialists at Metal Garage Central! We serve nearly all of the continental United States, we partner with only the best local manufacturers and installers, and nobody else beats our attention to detail and personalized customer service! Click or give us a call at (980) 321-9898 today, and let’s get started on helping you get the custom RV cover or RV garage of your dreams!