Protecting trailer from Arizona sun

[willbrackman]

The wife and I are well into our second winter staying in our 30' Airstream Classic in sunny southern Arizona. We've decided to make it an annual occurrence with us living 3 to 4 months in an RV park in Arizona and the remainder in our home in Oregon.

We've also come to the conclusion that it doesn't make any sense to haul our trailer back and forth from Oregon to Arizona since we don't use it when we're living in Oregon. So, our plan is to mothball the trailer when we leave Arizona in late March and not set eyes on it again until we return in November.

So, I'm looking for advice about what we need to do to protect the trailer from the brutal summer Arizona sunshine. We could rent an indoor storage unit for about $1,200 for 7 months but we'd rather just button it up and leave it at the RV park.

I've read that I shouldn't cover the trailer with a cloth cover but I'm really concerned about the plastic skylights (2) plastic vents (2) and plastic air conditioner cover on the roof. Should I cover these and, if so, with what?

Folks in this park who leave their RVs here put reflective bubble insulation in each window; protect the tires with vinyl covers; leave one or more vents open; and leave numerous open containers of water inside the trailer to help with non-existent humidity.

What about protecting the exterior finish? Should I be applying some product before we leave?

Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for leaving an Airstream outside in Arizona for the summer?

[n2916s]

I'd pony up the 1200 bucks. With the low humidity in AZ coupled with indoor storage your rig could last practically forever. You will probably make the investment back if you ever sell.

Mike

[mojo]

Checkout RV Superstorage in Chandler AZ. They have covered or enclosed storage in a nice secure facility. I store mine there during the winter.

[Tino643]

I am at my third airstream and i but for the second one the ADCO cover. It is the same tink that you put on luxury car. I am from Montréal, Canada. So my AS is cover in the sumer and in storage in the winter. Whit the cover in the sumer she is always clean and protect from the sun. AND I ASSURES YOU THAT THE COVER DONT SCRATCH THE AS. And the cover is breateble...I am very miticulus freack whit my AS. so if i putnthis cover it is ok... Sory for my english, i am from the french part of Canada...

[TBRich]

I personally would not store our AS using a tarp or cover. The best approach is to find covered storage, and even better inside storage. We store ours in an open Bambi port next to the house with no cover or tarp. It's protected from direct sun unless we are camping.

[RUMSHIP]

Originally Posted by Tino643

I am at my third airstream and i but for the second one the ADCO cover. It is the same tink that you put on luxury car. I am from Montréal, Canada. So my AS is cover in the sumer and in storage in the winter. Whit the cover in the sumer she is always clean and protect from the sun. AND I ASSURES YOU THAT THE COVER DONT SCRATCH THE AS. And the cover is breateble...I am very miticulus freack whit my AS. so if i putnthis cover it is ok... Sory for my english, i am from the french part of Canada...

Accueil aux forum. Je pense dans ce cas avec le feu vif en Arizona, stationnement couvert serais le meilleur. Également avec le vent et le sable, si quelque chose tel que le sable obtenait sous la couverture, le mouvement du vent pourrait causer un bon nombre de dommages qui n'obtiendraient pas découverts jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient revenus pour les employer. Ne vous inquiétez pas de la question d'orthographe. Est ce pour ce que les traducteurs sont.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by wascoman

Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for leaving an Airstream outside in Arizona for the summer?

Hi, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I would take it back to Oregon before leaving it in Arizona. [or anywhere for that matter] With the cost of storage, possible heat damage, or even physical or theft damage I wouldn't leave my trailer there. Then if you plan to travel somewhere you have to drive to Arizona to pick up your trailer and go to Utah or someplace interesting, then take your trailer back to Arizona and drive back to Oregon.

[Phoenix]

I second Robertsunrus' opinion. I can't imagine leaving our Bambi in storage several states away.

However, if you decide to store your trailer in Arizona, covered parking is preferred. Most of your Airstream will tolerate the summer heat OK, but UV is hard on the clear coat, plastic vent lids and tires. Covered storage really helps to reduce sun damage.

Also, if you don't already have poly-carbonate vent lids (like those used on FantasticFans), I'd either install new ones every year just before putting your Airstream in storage, or pay extra for poly-carbonate replacement lids. Before we installed two FantasticFans, the regular plastic lids crumbled every summer. It would be really bad if that happened, and the vents were open to the weather during the annual monsoons in July and August.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Yep....the wheels on the Stream go 'round and 'round....or should.
Could never leave "Cloudsplitter" behind.


This works well for all things UV.



Bob

[tuffr2]

You are probably not the only one to leave their trailers in that RV park. Ask what they do to summer-ize their trailers.

Also check out their trailer to see how it weathers the summer. Do they look older and faded with peeling clearcoats or are they ok.

My knee jerk reaction would be use inside storage but maybe that is not needed.

I saw all kind of trailers that sat in the Florida sun in the summer. They seem to look ok which surprised me. In Arizona it would not be as humid as Florida so maybe no musty smell.

Cover the tires, foil in the windows, UV protect skylights, block places critters could get in, and maybe use a few containers of the stuff to suck up any humidity.

Good luck