By Dave Solberg
Every year hundreds of thousands of RV owners all across the country need to store their RVs. Whether it is due to harsh winter conditions or because work and school activities limit the time they can “recreate,” RVers must find the best method to put their unit into hibernation. Trying to find a nice, heated, indoor facility can be difficult and very expensive. So most of them are forced to store their RVs outside, which is not always a good idea and can create some very expensive issues.
Why storing your RV outside could be bad
Leaving your RV outside means that it will not be climate-controlled and can be exposed to blistering heat in the summertime and below zero in the winter. When the temperature changes on a normal day, materials expand and contract. Mornings that start out at 35 degrees and get up into the 60s or 70s will see the “movement” of sealants, rubber membranes, and even fiberglass.
One of the biggest challenges for RV engineers is designing and manufacturing units that will expand and contract. Eventually, doing so will create leaks.
Take, for example, the front cap to the roof seam. During tests at Winnebago, we encountered an expansion of almost 3” of the hard fiberglass front cap to the roof structure. A “J” channel was designed that had enough coverage to allow for the expansion. However, the sealant needed to be the main component that moved with the material and sealed the seam from leaking.
What can you do?
Frankly, nothing, as you will not be able to control the temperature and there is no cover or magic product that will help this. What you must do is visually inspect the seam periodically, especially in the spring. A cover will help keep moisture out, but this is not always a good idea either. More on that later.
Ultraviolet (UV) degradation
Another issue with leaving your rig outside is the harsh UV rays. They will deteriorate the fiberglass, rubber membrane, decals, and sealants. You can see how the sun has hardened the sealant in the above photo and turned the fiberglass cap into a chalky mess that runs down the windshield and sidewalls when it rains or in the morning with dew.
What to do about UV degradation
In this case, there are things you can do to reduce or even eliminate the fading and deterioration. You can try to store your unit in a spot that has minimal exposure to the sun during the heat of the day. Find someplace by the east side of a building so the harsh sun at 3:00 is blocked by the building. It’s not a good idea to store your rig by a tree as there could be damage from wind and extreme weather.
You can also apply a recommended wax such as Meguiar’s #58. It has UV protection for both the front cap and sidewall material. If your rig has full body paint, get a recommendation from the manufacturer, as a good automotive wax with UV protection will help keep it from getting cloudy and faded.
Decals are a totally different issue as the manufacturer does not recommend waxing, which actually enhances the fading, cracking, and peeling. I talked with Sharpline, which is the major supplier of decals. They recommend just washing with a mild detergent like Dawn Dish Soap (Blue) and drying. However, one of their engineers who supplies Winnebago told me they have been testing decals out in an open field for years using several different products. They found that 303 Protectant applied to decals lasted longer. Also, a product called RejeX actually doubled the life. You can purchase it in 16 oz. bottles or in gallon jugs on Amazon here.
What about a cover?
Covers can help to reduce UV degradation and even prevent moisture penetration. However, if the cover is not customized and doesn’t fit like a glove, the wind will whip it around and can cause some severe damage such as scratches, gouges, and even broken items. This owner is asking for some bodywork and painting next spring!
A good cover, such as the ones from ADCO, are customized to specific body styles but still needs to have some tweaks here and there. Some areas that seem to get quite a bit of rubbing and damage are the roof air conditioners, vents, and skylights.
This unit is customized; however, the owner installs large foam pads around the roof air units as well as swim noodles in areas he has found that rub heavily. Last year when he brought the unit out of storage and fired up the roof air, it “snowed” inside the rig. A squirrel had made its way under the cover and into the air conditioner, eating up all the Styrofoam insulation around the fan and motor. Ironically, we have called it a squirrel cage for years!
Condensation can develop with temperature changes, and it is a good idea to install some type of manual dehumidifying product like DampRid, which you can get on Amazon here.
One last issue. If you do store your rig outside in below-freezing temperatures, try not to move it as the materials become brittle and the slightest bounce or thump can crack fiberglass, glass, plastic, and other components. It is easy to do as your tow vehicle is warm when you hook up the trailer, or you let the motorhome run long enough for it to be comfortable in the driver/passenger area, but unless you start up the onboard furnace, the rest of the unit is still frigid.
Read more from Dave here.
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We have found that during storage leaving window blinds/shades open so UVs can get into the rig helps control mold.
We originally stored ours inside a building about fifteen miles from our house. We eventually built a barn at home for storing it. One benefit not mentioned is being able to walk across the driveway for cleaning and maintenance. And gee, the barn only cost us about three times what we paid for the RV. True fiscal responsibility. Actually, the barn was planned when we bought the property.
The barn added initial value to the property and appreciates as well. Great financial investment as well as keeping the RV safe. 👍
Going into 9th year winter in Texas. The TT stays in the Texas sun year round. We use it all winter. I spend 20-30 hours over the 6 months we are in residence to painstakingly inspect, correct and condition all seals, plastic and rubber components. Commercially washed/waxed and roof UV treated at least annually. (park does not allow their water to be used for washing RVs). The biggest expense is commercial washing, but I likely average another $100+ a year on supplies and periodically replacing trim inserts or rubber seals that crack despite my best efforts. Those that most complain about how shoddy these rigs are made are the ones who don’t do or have done the required maintenance.
We built an RV garage to protect our investment. It is certainly a luxury having a dedicated space on my property next to the house with a 50A hookup. However, combine the cost of the diesel truck, RV, custom garage and 125′ concrete driveway…and my cost per night may never get below private island resort!
We live in the “snowbelt” of Michigan’s lower peninsula (and got hit really hard by the ice storm at the end of March 2025). Our camper is parked in our driveway and will be there over the winter, as we can’t shell out the money for 6 months of indoor storage. We WILL, however, be getting the best cover that we can afford for it to keep the snow from direct contact, UV exposure, and the occasional falling tree branch (thankfully, the biggest ones came down already in the ice storm…). If it snows enough, I may have to get out a ladder and the roof rake and gently remove as much snow from the top as I can just to avoid excess weight and ice accumulation,
Thank you for the tips and discussion, Dave! Have a great week and safe travels!