Top RV Storage Options

There are many options to protect your trailer or motorhome during the winter – from tough tarps to car ports and garage-style enclosures. Here are a series of them to consider this year.

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Words by Perry Mack

It’s an unusual year as many Snowbirds are staying home to weather a Canadian winter, often for the first time in decades. Instead of basking in the warmth of a southern sun, your RV is about to experience the long, cold, wet and often windy Canadian winter. Let’s look at the best storage option for you and your RV.

Option one, do nothing, except find a place to park it, properly winterize it and lock the doors. This is the cheapest option especially if you have land or driveway space to store it. As long as all exterior seams are well weatherproofed this is a viable option. The challenges are sun damage, filth and serious snow loads that can impact the integrity of the roof.

You may be physically fit and nimble enough to climb on top and enjoy shoveling the snow but for the rest of us, it’s not an appealing option. Some RV roofs, including our BlackRock by Outdoors RV won’t support an energetic individual without a minimum 4x4 sheet of ply for weight distribution. We can’t imagine how this would easily and safely work on a snow-covered roof. Time for the next options.

Tarps and Covers

Tarps and covers work especially well if you plan to rent outdoor storage space. You probably won’t be allowed (or want) to install a proper shelter, but a tarp or cover is an option and naturally, this will also work on your own property (or that of a close and understanding friend).

You can use an inexpensive tarp, however, in our experience, these waterproof tarps trap moisture against and in the RV, resulting in mold and mildew damage. They also aren’t sturdy enough to handle cold, sun and wind for a sustained period, which means the grommets and fabric will tear, flapping against your RV damaging the exterior while still allowing snow and moisture to accumulate on the roof. If you are renting outdoor storage space you won’t know when it fails and your RV will take a beating until someone notices and calls you.

The next option is from Navigloo. This is a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) tarp and frame specifically designed to limit snow and ice accumulation. They come in a variety of sizes for not only RV’s but also boats. Easy to assemble and tough, they are a good choice to protect your roof. The design doesn’t completely enclose your RV, which is good as it helps dissipate moisture, but it also doesn’t protect the exposed portions of your vehicle.

Companies such as Classic Accessories and ADCO build fitted covers to completely enclose your RV. More than a plastic tarp, the Classic Accessories PolyPro3 uses a triple layered, vented waterproof top to protect the roof with a single layer of breathable fabric on the sides and ends. Integrated under-carriage straps and elasticized corners keep the cover securely attached to your RV protecting it from rain, snow, dirt, bird droppings and scratches throughout the winter. Some covers have zippered panels to access storage and doors, allowing you to get inside if required.

Classicaccessories.com

ADCO produces universal fit covers similar to Classic Accessories but its top of the line covers are custom fit made from Sunbrella or DuPont Tyvek fabrics. You provide the measurements specific to your RV and they will build to it to fit. ADCO offers longer warranties (up to four years) for custom fit covers and you can request one or more zippered access panels – for a price.

Adcoprod.com

Portable Shelters

Indoor storage provides the most protection for your RV, which not only translates into less exterior maintenance but also a higher resale value as it will maintain its luster as well as suffer less damage. You can rent interior storage space if you can find some available, but it comes at a high price.

Portable shelters are own-your-own interior storage and are a step up from covers as the snow load is taken by the roof of the shelter not your RV. They also provide good airflow around the RV keeping the nasty effects of moisture (mold and mildew) at bay. It’s unlikely that you will want to erect one in a rental space, but on your own property they are ideal. Quality shelters cost more than tarps and covers but you can enjoy them for other uses where the RV cover has just one purpose and use.

Companies like ShelterLogic offer fabric shelters 4 m (12 ft) wide and up to 30 m (100 ft) long. You can choose the weight of the fabric, which determines the durability, warranty and naturally, the price. Touting wind speed ratings of 129 kph (80 mph) and snow/ground load ratings of 43 psf suggests they are durable structures when properly anchored. The front and back of the shelters conveniently zip open for drive-through access and egress.

Shelterlogic.ca

Metal shelters appeal to us for their strength and durability, and because you can get a wider area to enclose both your RV and boat or truck, or just have some extra space around your RV to winterize, repair or prepare it for spring. Typically, you will pay more but it makes a better long-term investment as it will require less maintenance and will save you money over purchasing two separate shelters.

Jaw Portable buildings is a Western Canadian company using 14-gauge galvanized steel tubing to construct a frame and 29-gauge sheet panel cladding for the roof. It creates a mobile garage you can install on any ground surface and add canopy panels to fully protect your RV from Canadian winters. Metal roofs are appealing to us not only for their strength and ability, but also for their ability to shed snow and rain.

Jawportablebuildings.com

Easy Build Structures offers virtually every size and option in metal structures from carports and RV shelters to fully enclosed steel buildings for commercial and farm use. RV shelters can be 3 x 9 m (10 to 30 ft) wide in 1 m (4 ft) increments, by any length, with sidewall heights from 2 x 4 m

(8 to 13 ft) in .3 m (1 ft) increments. Their kits come with all the hardware and caulking for assembly. They are less expensive than building a typical garage and can be disassembled if you decide to move it, either in your yard or to a new home. Build yours as a carport or full on garage with overhead door. If you have the space, this is the top choice to protect your investment and RV experience.

Easybuildstructures.ca