Purchasing an RV is a significant investment. Depending on what size and type of RV you buy, it’s easy to spend in excess of six figures on your new rig. Of course, you get a lot for your money regarding experiences and enjoyment, but there is no downplaying the high costs of owning an RV.
Given those costs, it’s essential to protect an RV as much as possible, both while it is in use and storage. When in storage, you can cover the RV to keep it protected from the elements. But is it really a good idea to cover your RV? Let’s dive into that question in the article below.
The Short Answer: Yes
To cut right to the chase, it’s a good idea to cover your RV whenever possible. Even if you live in a relatively mild climate, the damage that local weather conditions can do to your RV will be significant. You may discover that you need to look into repairs sooner rather than later just because of what happened while your RV was sitting still. The potential threats are many, including the following:
UV rays
The sun beating down on your RV can dry out essential parts like seals and gaskets. It will also quickly fade the appearance of your RV’s exterior, causing it to age prematurely.
Rain and snow
While your RV is designed to keep water out, you don’t want to force it to do that work any more often than is necessary. By covering the RV, you won’t put it under undue stress while parked, and you can let it work hard when you are traveling, and it needs to be out in the open.
Falling debris
If you live on a property with plenty of trees, you need to consider things like falling leaves and branches. Even if it’s only a pile of leaves that builds up on your RV’s roof, that pile could become a home for pests, and soon you’ll have an unwanted problem.
Temperature control
It should also be mentioned that covering your RV will help moderate the temperature inside of the rig while parked. During the summer, an uncovered RV can get extremely hot inside, and that heat can damage various parts and systems. So no matter how you look at it, covering your RV is a wise move.
Two Unique Options
Once you decide that you would like to cover your carport, the next step will be to determine how you will make that happen. Two standard options are buying a cover or creating a covered parking spot.
Buying a cover for your RV is cost-effective, but it doesn’t offer the same protection as covered parking. With a cover, you have to deal with the hassle of climbing up onto the RV to stretch it over the rig, and then you have to undo that whole procedure when the time comes to take your next trip. Also, this type of soft cover doesn’t provide any meaningful protection from something like a falling branch or even a hailstorm that could damage the top of the RV.
When covering your RV, everything you want regarding performance is delivered by building a large carport tall enough to park your rig under. With this approach, you pull the RV into place under the roof, lock the doors, and you are all set. Neither the sun nor the rain will be able to beat down on the top of the RV, and the roof will catch any falling branches before they can strike the RV itself. And, since no cover is stretched over the exterior, you can access the inside of the RV at any time to start packing up, retrieve items you forgot, or do maintenance work.
American Carports Has You Covered
So, is it a good idea to cover your RV? We hope this blog helped answer that question! As you can see, protecting your RV from what Mother Nature has in store is a great way to maintain its condition and extend its useful life. While buying a fabric cover that can be stretched over the RV is one option that will provide some benefits, nothing works as well as putting a roof over the RV. If you need help with this exciting project, turn to American Carports! Our structures are easy to customize using our Build & Price tool, meaning you can create one that is the ideal size and shape for your RV and your property.
