Unless you are a full-time RVer, you probably use your RV primarily in the warm seasons. Many RVers ask, “Should I cover my RV in the winter?” The answer is unequivocally yes, but many experienced RVers cover their RV throughout the year as well. In fact, it’s smart to use an RV cover whenever you won’t be using your camper for two or more weeks.
When camping season winds down, covering your RV and protecting your investment should be a priority. Let’s investigate the important benefits of covering your RV for protected storage.
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Uncovered, UV rays beat down on your RV, causing heat to build up on the surface. This can result in UV damage to paint, decals, seals, and other RV components. Furthermore, this heat can bring the interior temperatures up to dangerous levels that can harm decor, appliances, and other interior components.
In the winter and spring, snow, sleet, and rain can leave an unprotected RV vulnerable to leaks. If heavy snow builds up on your RV and melts as warmer weather approaches, water will be left on top of the roof. Pooling water stresses your RV’s structure and, if left unattended, can require a complete roof repair.
Left exposed, an RV’s paint, graphics, and trim will fade, crack, and deteriorate. Dirt and debris collect on your roof, leaving black streaks when rain falls. Plus, using an RV cover is one answer to the question, “how to keep mice out of my RV?”
How Does a Cover Protect Your RV?
In the long term, RV covers protect your RV from many issues requiring expensive repairs. They also minimize the need to wash your RV when you’re ready to camp again.
Here’s how an RV or trailer cover can extend the life of your RV:
- Repels UV rays, minimizing the potential for UV damage
- Keeps interior temperatures at or below 81° F. Deflected sunlight means lower interior and exterior temperatures
- Protects your RV from rain, sleet, snow, and ice, which reduces the risk of leaks
- Guards exterior paint, graphics, and trim to minimize fading and cracking
- Reduces the build-up of dirt and debris, leaving your RV without any black streaks
- Reduces the need for RV washings, waxing, and roof treatments
- Protects your investment and preserves your RV’s resale value
Let’s discuss how RV covers protect your camper from sun, moisture, dirt, and flying debris.
Reducing Ultraviolet (UV) Light Exposure
When your RV sits in the driveway, the sun’s UV rays fade the paint, degrade the decals, create cracks in the roof, and damage the entire coach.
If you leave your camper in the sun without an RV cover, interior and exterior temperatures will rise dangerously. If your coach heats up too much, it can damage critical, heat-sensitive components. An RV cover installation reduces the interior temperature by deflecting direct sunlight.
Over time, UV exposure can even degrade a high-quality RV cover, but covers are much less expensive to replace than repainting your whole RV. The best way to avoid UV degradation is to park your RV in a covered storage area, and the second-best way is to use an RV cover.
Minimizing Moisture
Water is perhaps an RV’s greatest enemy, especially when trapped under a tarp. If condensation gets caught between your RV and a tarp, it provides a breeding ground for mold and mildew. In places that experience extremely cold temperatures, it can lead to freezing and cracking around the roof.
Most good RV covers are waterproof and breathable. Tiny pores in the fabric allow moisture to escape without preventing water droplets from getting in. If you choose a cover made specifically for RVs, you shouldn’t have to worry about moisture getting trapped underneath.
If you do find moisture on the exterior walls of your RV when it’s covered, consider running a portable fan to promote better airflow under the cover. Run your fan for 2-3 hours at least once a week to minimize the build-up of moisture and condensation under your RV cover.
When in long-term RV storage, you can also periodically remove and clean your cover. Wait for a stretch of 3-4 days with warm temperatures (above freezing) and no chance of precipitation. Remove the cover and clean any obvious spots of mold growth with a sponge and a mild soap before letting the fabric dry completely and replacing it.
Whether related to your RV cover or window treatments, here are some more tips for managing moisture and condensation in your RV.
Protecting Against Flying Debris and Wind
The wind blows leaves, pine cones, pollen, and almost any other airborne debris onto your RV. If it’s not covered, your RV can sustain damage from flying particulates when a big wind storm comes through.
Breezy conditions can even catch tarps and covers, causing them to billow out. This leads to strain on any straps, bungee cords, or ropes holding them in place. If that strain is too great, it can rip the fabric, tear the restraints, or cause loose straps to smack dangerously against your RV. This is why higher-quality RV and toy hauler covers come with vents to reduce billowing.
Decreasing Dirt Accumulation
Unless you enjoy washing your RV weekly, a good cover is the easiest way to protect it from dirt and dust. Sediments cause wear and tear to parts, components, and your RV’s exterior over time. Leaving your RV uncovered exposes it to anything and everything in the environment. With a cover, you won’t have to worry about bird droppings, stuck-on leaves, and other general muck when it comes time for your RV spring cleaning before you hit the road.
Anatomy of an RV Cover Design
Not all RV covers perform equally, and this image is specific to most ADCO RV covers. But it will help you identify some of the main components referred to in the installation and removal instructions below.
Here are a few other important points you should know about RV covers:
Can RV Covers Cause Mold?
Ventilation is important when covering your RV. Using a tarp or a cover not designed for RVs can trap moisture and increase the chances of mold or mildew growth. That’s why good RV covers have vents that allow airflow to reduce condensation. Their breathable fabrics are designed to prevent mold, but it’s still a good idea to check your cover at least once a month so you can find and deal with mold if it does occur.
Can RV Covers Withstand High Winds?
RV covers are built with straps that allow you to tighten them to your camper. This reduces the amount of loose material that can catch the wind. The main danger to your RV cover’s health is improper usage.
If you fail to tighten your cover, high winds can indeed cause tears. If the forecast in your area calls for high winds, re-tighten the straps on your RV cover, especially if it’s been a few weeks since you put it on.
Are RV Covers Only for the Roof?
Do RV covers only protect your roof? Not at all! RV covers protect the top and sides of your camper, as well as your tires. While you can also install tire covers for RV while in storage, RV covers will protect your roof, tires, and all four sides of your camper from sunlight, moisture, and other airborne debris. Shop RV tire covers here.
Is an RV Cover Worth It?
Many new campers shy away from buying an RV cover due to their cost. However, that cost often pales in comparison to the price of repairing fiberglass damage, replacing roof vents, installing a new air conditioner shroud, and the many other potential fixes that can be caused by improper RV storage.
Beyond paying for covered RV storage, using a fabric RV cover for storage in the winter (or whenever you won’t be using your camper for more than two weeks) is the best way to protect your recreational vehicle investment. It’s also much more affordable to replace a worn RV cover after a few years than it would be to replace an entire RV roof. So, in short, buying a camper cover is absolutely worth it for the added protection and peace of mind it brings.
From pop up camper covers to travel trailer covers to Class A motorhome covers, there are many options to keep your RV in good condition when you’re not using it. When camping season rolls around again, you can simply remove the cover, and you’re ready to hit the road again.
Now that you know the importance of covering your RV for storage, learn more about selecting the right cover and installing it:
- Choosing the Perfect RV Cover For Your Camper
- How To Install an RV Cover
- Why You Need an RV Windshield Cover
What other questions do you have about why RV covers are important? Let us know in the comments below.
My TT is parked in our driveway and there is a large Ash tree in our yard, even though the tree does not directly overhang the camper we did experience a damaged roof this spring from our windstorms and found a hole in our roof we think was from that tree. Will an RV cover help protect the roof for potential tree damage other than of course a limb fully falling on it?
Hi Brian!
An RV cover can help to protect your roof from smaller falling debris like leaves, cones, needles, and sap. It’ll sure make cleaning your RV’s roof easier on an annual basis. However, as you mention it may not provide complete protection against falling limbs or if the entire tree itself uprooted and fell. You may consider protecting your RV with a cover and finding a more open storage location with less potential for falling limbs to create damage.
Hope that helps!
Rv covers don’t last in the deserts of the southwest. I have tried many cover brands and none last in the sun, temperatures and winds. The last one was put 9n in beginning of May 2023 and storm in August 2023 destroyed it and ripped it to pieces. Another 500 dollars down the drain. Save your money if you live in any windy areas because they won’t last
Hi Garry!
From my experience, finding a covered RV storage area is a good alternative if you don’t want to cover your RV. You are correct in that there are always going to be weather events that can damage these covers, especially when we’re talking about high winds. When I was a teenager, I burnt holes in my parent’s RV cover by pushing the snowblower far too close to it (that exhaust it hot!). Dad wasn’t happy!
Just curious, though, would you be willing to share which cover brands you’ve used in the past? So your fellow readers can benefit further from your experience?
Thanks so much!
Great article for people who don’t have covers! We bought one, and I read the article hoping it would offer tips on getting the thing on without a crew of people and ladders. We have a 29′ trailer, and in a slight wind, two people and two ladders were inadequate to succeed Our trailer is not designed for people to be on top so that makes it more challenging. Our storage yard is in an area that’s prone to wind all the time (no trees around) so we’ll have to deal with that. I guess we will just need more people and ladders, which will make it less likely we’ll get the thing put on soon…
Dont give up. You just need practice. I can install my rv cover on my 30′ travel trailer in under 1 hour all by myself.
Hi there!
I’d like to invite you to check out our tutorial on installing an RV cover:
https://blog.campingworld.com/learn-to-rv/how-to-install-a-new-adco-rv-cover/
Hope this helps, but let us know if you have any follow up questions!
We have a 22 ‘ Winnebago trailer with a solar panel that keeps special all-time batteries (2) charged. We live in California. How important it is to have covers? How about the solar panel and, I think, batteries that must be charged full time?
Hi Arturo!
If you store your RV for any length of time longer than about 30 days, a cover can significantly decrease wear and tear on the exterior.
In your case, a cover can also protect your solar panels from damage and degradation resulting from hail, bird droppings, falling pine cones, or anything else that can compromise their effectiveness. If you do install a cover, you’d most likely need to remove your batteries, store them in a cool, dry place like your garage, and keep them charged on a monthly basis before re-installing when you remove the cover for your next trip!
how do I find a cover for a WIND JAMMER camper. ordinary styles do not fit well.
Hi Gil,
I’d recommend contacting your local Camping World to speak with a retail specialist on the cover options available for your camper. Here’s a link where you can find the location nearest you: https://rv.campingworld.com/locations
Hope that helps!
Can I still sleep in my Travel Trailer ocassionally, if it has a full cover on it? Is it safe?
I have a 32 foot Jayco travel trailer in Truckee ca. Should I put a snow roof on it?
Can I leave my travel trailer cover up year round
what if the trailer already has snow on it?
If covering an RV/Trailer is so important why doesn’t Camping World cover the RV/Trailers they sell? The lots are filled with them year round and they are not covered.
When covering your travel trailer and having a heavy wet snow with the way the cover lays on the ac unit does it put more pressure on the roof
Reviews on numerous covers suggest they last only one to two years. In theory, a cover will offer protection from UV and the elements. Having said this, full-time RVers do not cover their rigs…are they more vulnerable or more likely to be damaged? Would like to hear from owners rather than sales folks.
I have an rv with a wooden deck and I am considering putting a permanent awning over the deck. Is there any kind of cover that I can use to cover it through the winter especially since the cover will no longer be able to come down over the door side of the camper? I also read in your blog why you should not use a blue tarp. Thank you for that information and hopefully some new idea for a cover after I put up the permanent awning.
As you said here, not covering your RV can lead to numerous and costly repairs. I don’t have a cover for mine so it might be a good idea to invest in one. Before I do, I should also get it looked at just to be sure that it’s mechanically safe to use.
Hi Janet,
We strongly advise against sleeping in a travel trailer with a full cover on and you should never operate any of your RV’s propane appliances with a cover on, as they will not be properly vented and will become a significant fire hazard.
Hi Chris, the RVs on the lots are there to sell. It’s hard to show them to prospective customers if they’re fully covered. Out models don’t sit on the lot very long generally, so it doesn’t make sense for us to have them covered.