A shelter for your RV, whether a permanent garage or less permanent structure, can help prolong the life of your RV for many years. I live in the rainy Northwest. Winters are long and soggy. Drive around any neighborhood with RVs stored outside and unprotected and you will see a lot of green -- not as in "money" but as in "moss." In the Southwest, where sun damage from UV rays can be brutal, a shelter of just about any type that shades the sunlight will prolong the life of the RV.
Rain can be a terrible thing for an RV. One leak can cause costly structural damage. Leaks over the beds of Class C motorhomes are common in RVs left to the elements. One leak can lead to rot in the wooden frame, costing thousands of dollars to repair.
So what does an RVer do? Keeping their RV sheltered is the answer.
If your home includes a big garage or a carport with a high roof, you are home free -- just park your RV there and it'll look like new for a lot longer than if exposed to the elements.
It's not expensive to shelter an RV, but it's not always easy. A cover can cost as little as $200 to $400 for a large motorhome or fifth wheel trailer. Covers from pop up campers run as little as $50. Some frugal RVers drape a cheap plastic tarp over their RVs, but it's not a good idea. Wind can blow the tarp and rub off paint or otherwise damage the vehicle.
In some communities, storing an RV at its owner's home is illegal, whether in the street or the driveway. In that situation, simply covering an RV with a commercial RV cover is not an option. If you live in such a community, you may find it challenging to find a place on your property to store your RV. Sometimes storing an RV in a back yard is okay, but that's not always convenient or even possible. A commercial storage facility may be the only solution. But that will likely cost $200 or more a month, often well more -- and definitely more for a covered space (if one can be found at all -- RV storage spaces get booked up). In a survey at RVtravel.com about RV-related crime, 15 percent of the 2,400 respondents said they had been a victim. Many who left a comment reported the theft or vandalism occurred at a commercial storage facility.
Perhaps a friend of family member has a space for your RV on their property. If so, offer to pay "rent" if they are will to provide you with space.
The least expensive way to cover an RV is with a fabric cover. RVtoyOutlet.com sells a 28-30-foot Polypropylene RV cover for about $230. Covers for shorter motorhomes or other RVs cost less. Many covers unzip near the door for easy entry. RV covers constructed from polypropylene fabric are weather resistant and water repellent, yet breathe to reduce mold and mildew. The polypropylene fabric is also UV resistant adding additional protection to your RV from the sun. It's important that a cover "breathe" to avoid mold and mildew buildup.
More permanent RV garages or tent-type structures are a great solution if space on an RVer's property is available. But they are not cheap. A tent-type shelter or "carport" may cost $1,000 to $3,000. These will do a great job, but not in areas with high winds or heavy snow. A permanent metal shed is much better suited for such places, but they typically cost $12,000 or more. But these heavy duty structural steel frames provide commercial grade strength to withstand high winds, heavy rains and accumulated snowfall. Many of these shelters come as do-it-yourself projects.
For RVers with an expensive motorhome or towable RV, the cost of shelter in all but the tamest environments is well worth the expense to help maintain their rig's appearance, structural integrity and resale value.
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A shelter for your RV, whether a permanent garage or less permanent structure, can help prolong the life of your RV for many years. I live in the rainy Northwest. Winters are long and soggy. Drive around any neighborhood with RVs stored outside and unprotected and you will see a lot of green -- not as in "money" but as in "moss." In the Southwest, where sun damage from UV rays can be brutal, a shelter of just about any type that shades the sunlight will prolong the life of the RV.
It's not expensive to shelter an RV, but it's not always easy. A cover can cost as little as $200 to $400 for a large motorhome or fifth wheel trailer. Covers from pop up campers run as little as $50. Some frugal RVers drape a cheap plastic tarp over their RVs, but it's not a good idea. Wind can blow the tarp and rub off paint or otherwise damage the vehicle.
More permanent RV garages or tent-type structures are a great solution if space on an RVer's property is available. But they are not cheap. A tent-type shelter or "carport" may cost $1,000 to $3,000. These will do a great job, but not in areas with high winds or heavy snow. A permanent metal shed is much better suited for such places, but they typically cost $12,000 or more. But these heavy duty structural steel frames provide commercial grade strength to withstand high winds, heavy rains and accumulated snowfall. Many of these shelters come as do-it-yourself projects.
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