mwebber78
New England
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Joined: 08/07/2005
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Chuck_S wrote:Fresh snow weighs about 1 pound per inch per square foot. A cubic foot is about 12 pounds. A trailer 8' x 20' winn have 160 square feet of roof. A foot of snow up there will be darn near a ton! Packed snow can be a lot heavier.
Melting the snow makes it into liquid which will run into any crevice. Best to just keep it from contacting the roof with a good cover like the ADCO. You still need to get rid of the weight, but you're protected from the moisture freeze-thaw-freeze cycle.
We're in the snow belt and bet 12 to 16 feet of snow annually. I put our trailer in a barn at the fairgrounds every November.
-- Chuck
This is what I would give for advice. Cover, tilt, use a soft snow broom/wedge to remove snow buildup over 6".
Michael 
2 DD's and my DW 
6 Acre's of Maine
2009 Crossroads Cruiser CF31SB
2008 Chevy 2500HD Ext. Cab LT 4X4
Champion lil' yellow Chinese genset, 4000W
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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check your local RV dealerships and make a not of the number of them you see removing snow from their inventory roofs.
2004 F-150 HD 3,050 lb. payload
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
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DutchmenSport
Indiana
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Joined: 10/10/2006
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To the OP: You're from Bloomington, IL. You probably get about as much snow as we do around Indianapolis. (I live a little North of Indy). I'm on my 2nd trailer in 5 years now, and a pup before that. Never had a problem with the snow and weight on my trailers and I've never shoveled the snow off the top.
Big tip though: do use a cover. When the snow begins to melt, it will prevent ice from cutting the rubber roof.
Unless we have a very, very heavy snowy winter, you'll probably be just fine. If you do have to remove the snow, use a broom. Don't use a shove. The risk of hitting the roof is too great!
DutchmenSport
2005 Chevy Silverado 3500 Dually Duramax 6.6L V8 Turbo
Century Truck Cap Commercial /Toolboxes
Northeast Outfitters Canoe
2006 Keystone Springdale Model 263DBL
Weight 4985, Carrying Capacity 2575, Hitch 560, Length 30'
Width 8', Height 10' 6"
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mwebber78
New England
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Joined: 08/07/2005
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As mentioned, if your in a snow area then buy a snow wedge, it's a foam rectangle on a stick that can "pull" snow off roofs. It's soft, bends and won't hurt anything on the roof.
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wing_zealot
East of the Mississippi
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Joined: 12/31/2007
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I have stored my HTT outside for the last 5 years (and I store it a lot farther north then you do). And guess what, there are a whole lot of other similarily situated RV's. I don't do anything except for the normal winterization then I lock the door and forget about it until spring. I don't cover it, leave heat on, or anything else. I have never worried about it and never will and I don't see a bunch of RV lined up at the repair facilities in the spring getting roofs repaired. Matter of fact, I've never even heard of one with snow or ice damage. And if for some reson it did come to pass, that's why I have insurance.
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Baidy
Walkerton On
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Joined: 07/29/2005
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Think about this folks. Did you ever see a dealer shoveling off the 25 or 30 that are sitting on his lot? You'll do more damage by trying to shovel than if you left it alone. Never seen one cave in yet unless it was a real old trailer.
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Jack_Diane_Freedom
Lindsay Ont, and Gulf Coast Florida
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Joined: 05/11/2005
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I have never observed a dealer anywhere in Ontario Canada removing snow from the roof of their inventory. You would do more harm up there removing it and it is dangerous. Your trailer will survive a winter. Thousands of trailers are in storage with lots of snow on them.
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mwebber78
New England
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Joined: 08/07/2005
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That's becuase they are under warranty - so what if a axle hanger bows or the axle tube gets the bend taken out of it...It's under warranty!!!
Do the math as Chuck has, the choice (we had 125" of snow last year) is pretty clear. You don't need to climb the roof to take it off with a snow wedge or the light weight roof rakes.
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druk62
bloomington illinois
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Joined: 07/03/2008
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Thanks to everyone you all have good points, if I do have to leave it out I will tilt, and use a wedge or broom never a shovel. I will not leave heat on, I have heard of people that have had paint damage from covers.
Mike & Bernette
2007 mitsubishi raider
2006 kodiak 17 fl
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Padlin
W. Ma.
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Joined: 06/15/2006
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I cover it, tilt it, and use a roof rake if I get worried about it. Used the rake maybe once a year, you do have to be carefull as it will catch on everything, like antennas and such. I only get the top off and try not to dig it in too deep. Have yet to use a ladder as the snow would be too deep to make it practical.
Bob & Deb
W Ma.
04 GMC 1500 4X4, 5.3L
06 Starcraft 18SB
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