Tarping For Winter

[Tomterrific]

My little camper will spend winter outside in Ohio. Man, that's tough. I tarped the roof last year with two tarps thinking that if one leaked the next would catch the water. It worked but moisture must have got in because the top of my new metal vent rusted because the tarp layed on it. I've tarped the trailer this summer during heavy rain and noticed how water pools on the tarp. Lots of ideas for making complicated frameworks but then it hit me, a basket ball has a small footprint and just the size and shape for the tarp to shed water. I threw a basket ball under the tarp and used bungees to hold the tarp. Perfect.

How do you guys tarp your camper for a winter outside?


Tom

[Mary C]

Tom, what a wonderful idea. I was going to use one of those plastic "coke" leiter crates or a milk crate or make a wood something to hold up the tarp. I did learn that you need to replace the cheap tarpsThe sun will make them brittle and they will split and get holes so check them often for dry and brittleness.

Mary C.

[Graniterich]

I use a $40 car cover from Walmart, it is very nice. Having said that, I also had a bunch of left over aluminum 4x4 pieces, made a simple frame out of 2x3, attached to a side fence, ready for El Nino

[gudmund]

I use the small car cover from 'COSTCO' that fits my 4 x 8 just right and being I have a 'MaxAir II' cover mounted over my Fantastic brand roof vent I am able to leave my roof vent open for ventilation along with the cover being lifted like a basketball would do in the center for rain/water drain off. I also use the chemical moisture air dryer's inside to draw moisture from the air along with a 'Davis' air dryer heater inside to keep it from drawing more moisture. 'Davis' makes two versions now of their air dryers - a 130watt,1000 square foot one and a 70 watt, 500 square foot one which is what I am using, maybe a little too overkill, but it works. I also have 'Acu-rite' indoor/outdoor - temperature/humidity gauge from W-M inside the trailer with the read out monitor in the my house so I can keep tabs on the inside temp and air humidity.

[gudmund]

a side note about the 'Max Air II' roof vent cover - it works great when camping being I can leave the vent open in the rain or driving down the road for venting, but I did find that when moving down the road and it was raining I have had bad water door leaks which I am now thinking was from the open roof vent creating a vacuum sucking water past the door seals when traveling down the road at hiway speeds. Since I have kept the vent closed when raining along with installing door gutters along the front door edge/hinge area with them looping up along the top edge along with mud flaps on the truck and when moving down the road now in the rain, have yet to have had anymore leaks.

[Vedette]

Tom, what a wonderful idea. I was going to use one of those plastic "coke" leiter crates or a milk crate or make a wood something to hold up the tarp. I did learn that you need to replace the cheap tarpsThe sun will make them brittle and they will split and get holes so check them often for dry and brittleness.

Mary C.

Yes, when buying a tarp......don't be so cheap! For a few $ more you can get a better weave count.
Your tarp will last much longer (even though tarps are disposable anyway), and your yard won't be covered with shredded tarp in the spring.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[TimC]

My little camper will spend winter outside in Ohio. Man, that's tough. I tarped the roof last year with two tarps thinking that if one leaked the next would catch the water. It worked but moisture must have got in because the top of my new metal vent rusted because the tarp layed on it. I've tarped the trailer this summer during heavy rain and noticed how water pools on the tarp. Lots of ideas for making complicated frameworks but then it hit me, a basket ball has a small footprint and just the size and shape for the tarp to shed water. I threw a basket ball under the tarp and used bungees to hold the tarp. Perfect.

How do you guys tarp your camper for a winter outside?


Tom

I think ventilation is very important. A small amount of ventilation between a tarp and the Tear will help keep condensation under control. You'd be surprised how much condensation is created with temperature fluctuations, even without a leaking tarp. The basketball is a great idea. Maybe to add to that some swim noodles in strategic spots to allow some air movement.

[Kaz]

I feel your pain, which is why my truck goes outside and TD in the garage. If I had to put it outside I would make sure I had ventilation between TD and cover. I use an old rv cover from my old popup inside for dust control. pool noodles sandwiched between the TD and a heat shrink winter cover should work well, a small price to pay to protect your hard work. A small storage unit can't be much for the winter months either.

[NHteardrop]

I was thinking using the heat shrink material you see on stored boats, would the create too much of a condensation issue.