Question regarding storeing our 2005 Titanium 5th wheeler, 29E34RL for the winter, outside. We live in Vermont and will leave our Titanium here next winter without supervision. We decided against a complete cover.
However, a neighbor just told me a horror story about leaving his camper out for the winter and in the spring the snow ( and rain) load had gotten so heavy that it crushed the roof of the camper. (This was NOT a Titanium). We had so far not worried about it. Does anyone have any experience with this? We will be away for the whole winter and not be able to remove snow or check on our unit. We get about 40lb per square foot of snow in our area.
And my 2nd question is, how do you keep the mice form moving in? Bounce?
Any input would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps I'm worrying to much???
I had calculated the snow load on a RV before, but did not consider what would happen if it was warmed up to 32 - 36 and there was snow on the roof when you got rain.
I was told that you can melt 1 foot of snow and end up with 1" of water.
12" of water = about 64 pounds per square foot. So if you have 12" of snow on the roof of your RV, and all of it becomes soaked with water (with none sliding off the side) then the highest possible water load is only 64 pounds per square foot. Being 8' wide, then you could have 400 pounds per running foot of vehicle length.
But somehow I think that the snow will start to fall off the RV before it gets 1 foot deep, and when it rains usually is will start to come off in large bunches. Especially if your roof is not flat.
One problem that can occur is the water can soak into the frozen snow, then work it's way under the roof vents. I have Maxx air covers, and that would inhibit water and snow from getting to close to the vents, thus preventing this type of problem.
I think that if you leave the RV parked a little nose high, that will help the snow fall off the roof. If you are really worried, then consider having a neighbor brush off some of the snow if it gets really deep and starts to rain.
You can also call the factory, located in Canada, where they get a lot of snow, and ask how their units do when it snows and then you get freezing rain.
So are you really expeting to get 12" of rain within a few days? (I mean do you have storms where you can get 12" of freezing rain within a week?) I usually only hear of warm storms that have such large amounts of rain.
Fred.
Money can't buy happiness but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche or Country Coach!
I think your worried about nothing. We had a 2 foot snow storm last year, zero problems. Have parked out campers outside in the snow since 1987 never a problem.
2003 Jayco 308fbs eagle 33' tt, towed by a 2003 Ram 3500 slt, quad cab dually, cummins diesel ho, trailer towing package, with 6 speed manual. Hauls better 1/2, 3 kids, myself, and a 2003 ez go clays car.. I have added so far, neon lights, clearance lights, back up lights, black light, lift kit, mud tires, and everything necessary to make the golf cart street legal. It's now ready to spend the winter in the garage for more mods. More neon, strobe lights, alarm, a pa system, maintance, and whatever else that comes along. This golf cart does wheelies and travels thru 7 inches of mud when need be. Two honda eu2000i gens twinned to supply the electrical power. Latest addition an 04 Honda Goldwing. [url]http://www.hometown.aol.com/rvnagain/myhomepage/profile.html[url]
Our's as well as just about everyone else's up here in snow country just sits out all winter without any problems at all. No one in our storage lot covers their rv's or removes snow off them throughout the winter. The first year we had our 5th wheel, I went out after the first big snowstorm to clear the roof off and I found it so slippery up there that I never did it again; no one else had cleared their's off either.
Actually snow really doesn't seem to accumulate all that much on the roofs and it melts rather quickly on the sunny days.
Eric
2009 Holiday Rambler Admiral 33SFS
Good Sam's - FQCC/Camping Quebec My Photos
FWIW: Many 5ers have a somewhat-sloped roof v. TTs which are usually flat tops......the sloped 5er will drain better....jacking the TT front end a bit higher will help drain the melt down, so water doesn't re-freeze and possibly damage roof vents and such....
There's no two ways about it though---typical VT and N NY wet snows can easily accumulate 24"-36"----well over a ton of snow---30-footers could easily be two ton or more---that heavy, wet snow does not just "fall off" either roof!
I get three heavy appliance cardboard boxes to put on the roof----set 2 X 4s between them, and tie down a silver tarp making a tent-cover----THEN, all but the worst wet stuff falls off, and that comes off easily with a snow-rake....
How do I keep the tarp from flapping against the TT sides? 4 each 10'L X 1" galvanized conduit under the frame, and bungy the tarp to them.....been doing it that way for over ten years without damage or any moisture on the roof. And it's easy to pop loose a couple of bungies for access.
Cost for doing this with a 26-footer? Under $50.
J
I live in Detroit Michigan area. Never had a problem with any of my campers and snow load
What can happen is this.. Your roof develops a slow leak, Since you don't inspect the roof semi-annually the leak eats away at the wood below the roof.
Now the roof is "Soft" and can no longer support it's load.. CRASH
Moral.. Every year, spring and fall, get up there with Spic & Span, a mop, a bucket, a charged water hose (With cut off valve) (Charged means there is water under pressure in the hose, in short "Turned on at faucet") and clean your roof, inspect for any sign of damage or leaks, cracked caulk, dry caulk, cuts, tears, holes, and make it nice and shiny while you are at it.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
it would depend on how bad the winter is and how much snow ,freezeing rain and ice we get, we had a lot last winter you would be taking a big chance not cleaning it off cleaned mine off 3 or 4 times no way would it hold up to what we got last year with out some kind of damage.i cleaned it off every couple of ft of snow and it still had several inches of ice left on the roof.
1985 Class A Holiday Rambler Imperial 33 +1979 Class C Holiday Rambler Statesman 1000 = 24 ft
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