nickthehunter
Southgate, MI
Senior Member
Joined: 07/18/2005
View Profile
 Offline
|
What I do is this. I keep my RV insured. If the roof caves in becasue of snow, it gets struck by lighting, sudden flash fire, tree falls on it, whatever, I get a new RV.
|
ChainReaction
Maine
Full Member
Joined: 04/04/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
We received a letter last winter from the state fire marshal's office warning about snow loading isses and the resulting structural failures. We had over 200" of snow here last winter and shoveled all 103 units on the lot 3 times. Each time we had 48-60" of compacted snowload on them. I don't recall the exact # per SF used, but a 8'x35' camper with 60" of compacted snow and ice was carrying approximatly 9600# on the roof (works out to roughly 35#/sf) . How many of your rigs have that kind of excess carrying capacity? We were innundated this past spring with RV owners with damaged roofs and collapsed suspensions. We also saw many of our competitors that not only did not shovel but also left the slides open on their inventory. You want to see those buggers lean! And by the way, while shoveling them off, we would hit a point when you got enough snow off that the suspension would unload and it came up 4-6" and would litterally toss you off the roof as it did so.
|
DianneOK
Donnelly, ID
Moderator
Joined: 03/19/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Thanks one and all. We will not have the option of moving south. We will be up on the mountain tomorrow and plan on talking to the one and only rv dealer. Hopefully it will be a light snow winter 
I appreciate all of your answers. In many ways they have relieved my mind......sort of 
Chain...thank you for the advice. We will probably end up trying to keep the bulk of the snow off, one way or another.... How in the world did you stay on the roof without falling off?
Dianne
Donnelly, ID
DataStorm
HAM WB6N (Terry)
2005 Teton 39' Frontier Grand
2003 Freightliner FL60
Life Member Good Sam
Escapees
Geocache..."RVcachers"
RV net Blog
|
danskool
Elma, N.Y.
Full Member
Joined: 07/24/2004
View Profile
|
My First c class, I would go up there when it got to 16 inches or so when it was still fluffy. Used a broom. Busted the vent caps and cracked my skylight. The plastic is brittle. I couldn't remember were stuff was at. SO i took a picture to remind myself were items located.
Since my 5th wheel. One winter so far. We didn't get a lot of snow last year at once so snow wasn't a problem. Heading for indoor storage now.
Dan
2005 Crossroads Cruiser 27RL
2001 F250 XLT 7.3 PSD
|
Jack_Diane_Freedom
Lindsay Ont, and Gulf Coast Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 05/11/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
There are thousands of trailers, Motorhomes and 5ers that are set up in seasonal campgrounds, storage yards, dealers inventory in some very heavy snow load areas with no problems. Some of these seasonal campgrounds have some very very old trailers and there does not seem to be problems. I think you would do more damage than good up there cleaning it off plus it is dangerous.
|
|
|
newk
Gillette, WY
Senior Member
Joined: 08/18/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Your best bet would be to find someone to take your whole rig south for the winter.
*Looks around*
*Slowly raises hand*
Only because you're such a good mod, I'll keep your rig warm for a very reasonable price. 
|
ChainReaction
Maine
Full Member
Joined: 04/04/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
DianneOK,
How I kept from falling off! I didn't keep from falling off, I fell off numerous times. But after the 2nd shoveling the snow between the campers was only 2-3' from the roof line so it was more like stepping off by then.
What we do is take a large plastic grain shovel and clear your way around the edge of the camper, carefully sliding the snow off as you work your way around. Then slide the remaining snow off in layers so you don't get your covers. It doeasn't hurt anything to leave the icy bottom 6-8". Your less apt to get your vents too!
|
sirdrakejr
Las Vegas, Nevada
Moderator
Joined: 11/18/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
I spent a winter in Big Bear, CA and got 2 feet of snow on my Alfa. I just left it there to add to the insulation I already had. The winds and time will clear it off. I didn't want to shovel it off or use a broom. Then I would have just needed to shovel it again on the ground. Let mother nature do the work. 
Frank
RV.net blog
For those of you looking for expert advice, here ya go!
Frank
|
DianneOK
Donnelly, ID
Moderator
Joined: 03/19/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Chain, yup that's the kind of snow we expect!
Newk...if you want to take the whole rig south, we will make you a heck of a deal
Looks like we are closing the shortest escrow in history, so will have to do something in the next couple of weeks
|
colliehauler
Mc Pherson KS USA
Senior Member
Joined: 01/27/2004
View Profile
|
I leave my cheap poorly constructed trailer in a seasonal spot about an hour away from the nation's ice box International Falls MN. The trailer next to me is a 20 year old Shasta. Neither trailer has any damage from snow load (yet). Your Teton is very well built and you should not have anything to worry about.
|
|
|
