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Old 05-14-2018, 03:08 AM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 24HE
State: Florida
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THOR #10225
Snowbirds Summerizing

Hi folks...

My wife and I will be leaving the Summer Florida heat for cooler climes. We’re going to our other home in Northern Wisconsin. We’ll be leaving our new motorhome here in Florida. It will be stored in what folks down here call a pole barn (covered roof, open on 3 sides).

Any tips on how to store would help a great deal. Do we leave roof vents open? Do we leave water in the fresh water tank? Do we leave water in the holding tanks (with treatment?). Other stuff.

TIA,
Pete

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Old 05-15-2018, 12:08 AM   #2
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Hi, Pete. When my Florida friends leave their RVs in the summer, they drain all the tanks, close the vents, and make sure the batteries are fully charged. Remove the smoke detector batteries and anything that could melt, like candles. Having your coach out of the sun is a smart move. Enjoy your time up north!
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Old 05-15-2018, 02:19 AM   #3
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I'd leave the roof vents open. Air circulation is important. All food removed, tanks empty, propane off, batteries disconnected, fridge off and propped open. I'd probably set roach, ant, and mouse traps in basements and interior.
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Old 05-15-2018, 11:05 AM   #4
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Sprinkle Borax Powder around the tires and also sprinkle ant killer completely around the immediate perimeter of the pole barn. Fill the fuel tanks to capacity as this will reduce condensation. Pour a small amount of mineral oil in each toilet and in each sink drain. This will keep rubber seals from drying and sticking/seizing to the bowl and prevent the trap from drying out and odors coming up from tanks. Place the pre-sized screens over water heater and furnace outlets (outside of coach) and in the one or two breather ports if you have gas fridge. This will keep the dirt dobbers and wasps out. Cover the end of the coach that may be exposed to the sun...especially the plastics. It's easy to do with the Class C's...just tightly wrap a tarp over the hood, front and fender area.
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Old 05-15-2018, 11:07 AM   #5
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Also...leave the keys on top of the right rear tire. We'll go by and "check on things" for you.
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Old 05-17-2018, 01:57 AM   #6
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I know many RVers leave their vents open to let the moisture out. Can we agree to disagree on this?

IMHO, I am more concerned about moisture getting IN with open vents. I have never had a problem with the vents and windows all closed up tight. Besides moisture, this keeps the dust, bugs and rodents out. I do this in humid Florida, and did it in the snowy Midwest in years past. Have always had covers over the vents.

When I store the RV, I always let the fridge and freezer thaw totally, wipe them out and prop the doors open. If I had moisture concerns, I would use a dessicant or a damprid product, but still keep it buttoned up.
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Old 05-17-2018, 02:33 AM   #7
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Florida is, obviously, a much different clime than the Arizona desert. Here, humidity is low and there’s a real concern about wood and fabric drying out and going bad. We leave the roof vents open (heat rises) if we have vent covers to keep the sun and the occasional rain out. But we also leave a bucket or other container of water inside, to provide moisture. I checked mine frequently last summer, and the water definitely evaporated.

I know this doesn’t help the OP, I added it for those whose coaches may be in desert climates in the summer.

Mike
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Old 05-17-2018, 10:39 AM   #8
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The OP is leaving the RV in Florida...you can cut the humidity with a knife in the summer heat of the South. Close vents for sure. The best thing is constant temperature and environment, as best possible. Remember those days you go out to the RV mid summer morning and it's still cool inside from the night? Leaving vents open at this moment will cause water to start running down the inside walls...from the moisture that got in through vents during the day then condenses. I've never lived in the desert climate but leaving a bucket of evaporating water inside sounds devastating. Obviously nor for those who know the environment and have learned to minimize it's destruction. If you have someone that can occasionally check on the unit...that would be good. Again...leave the keys on the right, rear tire. Trust me...I'm a man!
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Old 05-17-2018, 12:13 PM   #9
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When we had our sticknbrick in SW Florida we closed it up but never left our RV down there in the summer, so I can't address the "vents open or vents closed" issue. I will say that I had a new 10'x16' shed in the back of the property which had open gable vents. It never was damp inside or had mold.

As far as critters control goes. If it was me I would get a couple boxes of moth balls from Lowes. Each box has 2 perforated bags. I would toss them under the RV to keep snakes and several other unwanted things from hanging out or coming around.
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Old 05-23-2018, 01:06 PM   #10
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I have found that mothballs aren't effective for preventing mice from nesting. I had a pickup truck for snow plowing, and parked it for the summer. I put several mothballs in the glove compartment, and in the fall when I checked the truck, the mice had moved the mothballs to one side of the glove compartment and built a nest on the other side.
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Old 05-23-2018, 01:33 PM   #11
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Storage is pretty much storage: no matter what the temperatures are...
If you have vent covers: leave them cracked a bit for some airflow...
If you don't: get some vent covers!
Drain all of your tanks
Leave lots of "Anti-vermin and insect" stuff out to discourage squatters...
Air up your tires, and charge the batteries.

And then: have a Happy Summer up North!
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Old 05-23-2018, 04:05 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
Storage is pretty much storage: no matter what the temperatures are...
If you have vent covers: leave them cracked a bit for some airflow...
If you don't: get some vent covers!
Drain all of your tanks
Leave lots of "Anti-vermin and insect" stuff out to discourage squatters...
Air up your tires, and charge the batteries.

And then: have a Happy Summer up North!
Excellent advice!
In Arizona, we put a 5 gallon bucket of water in side to help keep the wood from drying out.
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