Heading out to a music festival or on the open road this season? You’re certain to spend hundreds – even thousands – of dollars each year on RV and travel trailer insurance policies, maintenance programs, and roadside assistance plans. That’s money spent on the possibility of something going wrong. What about investing in something to protect against damage that’s certain to occur?
The roof, sides, and paint job of every RV and travel will suffer wear, tear, and abuse just through everyday use and exposure. Investing in a RV or trailer roof cover or universal cover can stave off the harmful effects of sun, rain, snow, debris, and the elements – and protect the investment, longevity, and resale value.
“When you do the math, $300 spent on a cover and it’s going to last two years, that’s $150 a year, or about $12 a month,” says Morgan Ein, executive vice president of sales and marketing with Covercraft, parent of Adco Products.
Whether for a Class A, C, travel trailer, fifth-wheel, or toyhauler, full body and roof covers can protect everything from the top down. Designed for all climates using DuPont Tyvek® fabric, they protect against 99.8% of UV rays, which can significantly reduce premature aging of RV’s roof substrate.
This can protect the rubber roofing system, as well as degradation, drying, and cracking of seals around the rooftop AC and vents, allowing for moisture penetration. Still annual maintenance is suggested.
Full-body covers also reduce sun damage and fading, and eliminate black streaks from forming on sides of RV, which reduces need for washing, waxing, and roof treatments.
Covers, like the Designer Series DuPont Tyvek RV covers, can resist acid rain, bird droppings, tree sap, and other environmental pollution, including 98% of dirt and dust particles that can scratch and damage the RV’s surface.
In the South, some leave roof vents open to vent built up interior heat. The 100% breathable fabric prevents moisture build-up, which encourages mold and mildew build-up, while allowing heat to vent from open roof vents. The white color reflects and blocks direct sunlight, significantly reducing inside temperatures while in storage. Adco’s patent-pending “Slip-seam” strap system allows the cover to conform to the shape of the RV roof to minimize wind impact to cover.
ADCO’s designer series SFS AquaShed RV cover is designed for climates with high moisture and offer a cost conscious alternative to the Tyvek series. The triple-layer SFS AquaShed top panel and triple layer designer polypropylene sides with a contemporary aesthetic unique to ADCO. The roof fabric partially extends down the front, back, and sides of the cover for extra protection. Built-in vents allow air to escape the cover in moderate winds.
Use of a cover doesn’t eliminate the need for routine roof cleaning and maintenance.
“When you go to Camping World, there’s a reason you see whole aisles devoted to covers and rubber roofs,” Ein said. “Routine use of an RV or trailer cover stands to basically lengthen the lifespan of whatever it’s covering. It maintains its appearance, which improves the resale value. You have to ask yourself how long you plan to own your RV. If you’re not sure, but it’s for the foreseeable future, then it’s probably a smart investment.”