Covering an RV: Why It Matters

You consider your RV to be mobile shelter—and it is. But
even your shelter needs its own form of shelter if it’s going to live a long
life. Covering an RV is essential to help protect paint quality and avoid
damaging leaks. There are alternatives to covering your RV as well. Let’s
explore.

The Sun Does More
Damage Than You Think

Anyone who’s ever been out in the sun too long without the
proper protection knows exactly how harmful UV rays can be. On people, they can
lead to sunburns, irritated skin, and worse. The sun isn’t taking it easy on
your RV, either.

Too much heat on RV sealant, for example, can cause it to
whither and lose effectiveness. That means you might find yourself re-sealing
your RV sooner than you’d like—leading to less time you get to
enjoy your RV.

The interior of your RV doesn’t get off easy without
covering, either. When insulated away from the outside world, a hot environment
outdoors can cause a hot environment
indoors,
sometimes heating up an RV even hotter than Death Valley.

And we’re not done yet. There’s more that sun damage can do
when left unabated: it can harm your custom graphics and paint. If the sun can
cause sunburn in an afternoon, imagine what UV rays will do to your custom
graphics when left unprotected all summer long.

Precipitation Will Do
Damage if You Let It

Snow, rain, sleet, slush—no matter what the precipitation
might be, it all ends up as moisture eventually. Without adequately covering an
RV, that moisture can eventually do damage and even find its way into RV leaks.
If you leave your RV unused for winter, you may revisit in the spring only to
find that a recent thaw has allowed water inside.

Regularly inspect your RV for leaks to make sure that any
precipitation buildup won’t lead to catastrophic damage down the line. And with
the proper equipment, you’d be surprised at how easy it can be to properly seal
off your RV from the elements.

Alternative Methods
to Cover & Protect Your RV

You can’t always drape an expensive covering over your RV at
a moment’s notice. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the best
products for ensuring your RV is well-protected on a year-round basis:

• • Graphix Wax. This wax is
    designed for custom graphics and doubles as a UV protectant, giving you sun
    protection while keeping your graphics clear of basic debris and even moisture
    damage. If you want similar protection but don’t have custom graphics to
    protect, try
    LifeWax instead.

• RV
  Sealants
  . It’s hard to pick just one, but a proper RV sealant applied to a
  potential leak can mean saving money on potential thousands in interior leak
  damage. Browse our collection of dedicated RV sealants to find the perfect one
  for your RV.

Covering your RV is about more than draping it temporarily.
It’s also about taking the time to address specific issues on
your RV that will keep out leakage and
prevent sun damage. With the proper precautions, your RV’s quality will last
for years to come.