If you are an RV owner who has invested thousands of dollars in your camper, then you know how essential it is to protect the vehicle from any harm. RVs are a huge investment, whether you buy classic vehicles starting at $20,000 or luxurious ones going up to $2,000,000. So when you aren’t on the go, your RVs can’t just sit in your driveway. Instead, you should invest in RV covers to protect your vehicles from UV rays, debris, and wear and tear.
Your RVs can suffer from various damages, leading to costly repairs over a long span of time. However, adequate maintenance will not only be cost-effective but also increase the lifespan of your structure.
In the blog, we will be discussing several types of RV covers, which are the best ones, and why they are a must-have.
What are the different types of RV covers?
Majorly, RV covers vary in terms of their structure, material, and the level of protection that they offer. The most common covers often used by numerous people, are:
- Fabric RV covers: These covers are made from materials like polyester or polypropylene. They provide basic and temporary protection against mild weather conditions like UV rays, rainfall, snow, and dust. They are highly affordable and easy to install.
- Steel RV carports: These are partially or completely open metal structures that are built with galvanized steel for enhanced durability. They offer long-term shelter against rain, sun, and snow while allowing proper air circulation. They are perfect for RVs that are used regularly, as they offer easy access.
- Metal RV garages: These are also steel buildings, but they are designed to enclose your RVs completely. They protect your vehicles against all weather conditions as well as external damage, like pests and vandalism. They are ideal for long-term storage.
- RV canopies: While the RV canopies are made from fabric, they are supported by a metal frame. These canopy-style covers are portable and easy to set up. They provide shade and basic protection from rain but are highly unsuitable for extreme weather conditions. They are mostly used for short-term RV parking.
Why Are Metal RV Covers The Best Choice?
Among the above-mentioned, metal covers — RV garages and metal carports — are the best choice as they offer better year-round protection compared to alternatives. Depending on your size requirements, usability, and weather conditions, they can also easily be customized.
Here are a few reasons why metal covers are a must-have:
Better protection: Long exposure to the sun can fade your RV’s paint, leave spots on interiors, and damage its exterior. Moreover, rainfall and snowfall can also lead to water damage, including rust. Metal RV covers shelter and protect your high-maintenance vehicles from UV rays, rain, snow, and hail. Steel garages also ensure that your RV is not exposed to moisture.
Prevention from mold: Metal RV covers offer immense ventilation required to keep your vehicles dry, protecting them from mold and mildew. These can grow in your RV’s interior and hamper the camper’s health.
High wind and dust protection: The roofs of steel RV carports shield your vehicles from the accumulation of dust, debris, leaves, and bird droppings. They save you time from having to clean your RVs regularly and ensure that they don’t face any scratches. With RV garages, you can also protect your campers from high-speed winds entering the unprotected crevices.
Improved security: Steel RV garages are ideal for securing your vehicles from theft and preserving their condition.
Protection from pests: Steel garages also offer enhanced protection from pests, insects, and rodents from damaging the vehicle. Moreover, they also prevent birds from building their nests on your RV’s roofs.
Higher resale value: Did you know that, on average, RVs lose about 35% of their value over a span of five years? Metal covers can maintain RVs in an up-to-date condition and preserve their resale value.
Along with these, other benefits offered by steel RV covers are:
- High durability
- Low maintenance
- Numerous customization options
- Strength and versatility
- Quick installation
- Add value to the property
- Cost-effective
- Fire-resistant
- Easy access and convenient
Choosing the right metal RV cover for you
Finding the right RV cover for you involves considering a few things, which are:
- The length, width, and height size of your RV
- The weather in your area
- Your budget
- If you prefer an enclosed cover like RV garages or metal carports
Perfect-sized RV cover
Choosing the right size for the RV cover will depend on the size of your RV and you storage needs. Normally, RVs range from 8 feet long to 45 feet long. Their width is usually about 8.5 feet, and their height is up to 13 feet.
When choosing the size of your metal RV cover, you should measure the camper, including any accessories attached to the vehicle. It is advisable to add an extra 2 feet for ease of parking. Your structure should also offer adequate height clearance to the vehicle.
The standard size of RV covers usually depends on the number of RVs you plan to store.
- Single RV covers: Typically 12 to 20 feet wide and 20 to 50 feet long.
- Double RV covers: Usually 20 to 24 feet wide and 30 to 60 feet long.
- Triple RV covers: Often 30 to 40 feet wide and 40 to 80 feet long.
Double and triple RV covers are ideal to house multiple or larger RVs.
Enhanced strength
Based on the climate conditions you reside in, you have to make a few decisions to improve the strength of your metal RV covers. These involve:
- Roofs: For moderate weather conditions, you should opt for boxed-eave or horizontal roofs, going from front to back. For adverse climate conditions, you should adhere to vertical roofs extending from the center to the sides. They are stronger, and because of the vertical panels, they do not allow for snow, rain, and debris to collect on the structure’s roofs.
- Steel framing: Among 12-gauge and 14-gauge steel frames, you should opt for the former for a sturdier structure.
- Metal sheets: In adverse weather conditions, it is ideal to choose 24-gauge or 26-gauge steel sheets.
After an in-depth review of RV covers, it is safe to say that metal carports and RV garages are the best choices for your valuable vehicles. So, what are you waiting for? Contact a metal building dealer near you today and safeguard your RVs!
