Storage advice for Florida

[aarstream]

Hi all,


I promise I've read through the forums looking for answers, but thought I'd ask for some advice on my specific situation. Thank you in advance!


I'm expecting to receive a 20fb Caravel order by the end of September. I am able to park my airstream in my driveway, but have some concerns I wanted to ask you all about. I live in central Florida, and the heat and humidity concern me. My driveway has oak trees on either side, so the AS will get partial shade, but that also means the potential for sap, branches, etc.


The biggest benefits to this set up for me:


1. I can power my AS, and will look into getting a 30amp setup. Would running the AC every once in awhile help combat the potential humidity issues?
2. There is a sewer clean out right near my driveway, so I can potentially have full hookups.

3. Ease of use an accessibility. I would love to be able to "wake up and go" so to speak.


I am mainly concerned about the damage from the sun. Will consistent waxing and inspections be enough to prevent any longterm costly problems?


If I were to build a carport type covering, I'd have to cover my entire driveway and do not think it is possible. I may be able to do some eventual changes to the landscape and make a more permanent pad area that could be covered, but not likely for awhile.


There is indoor storage available to me, but it is around $200 a month. Is that protection worth losing all of the aforementioned benefits?


Thanks everyone.

[Bill M.]

We have an Airstream that sits year around in Florida under a live oak tree. It gets covered in green pollen but gets little "sap". We pressure wash it once per year. It got one big dent in the roof from a branch. We keep a dehumidifier in the trailer. The dehumidifier is set up to run about 4 hrs per day with a timer. It drains into the kitchen sink and we leave the gray valve open. Doing that makes the trailer even hotter, I guess, but it keeps it from being moldy. We keep our other Airstream in our driveway in TN. It also has had a tree branch on the roof but little damage. We like having it close.

I expect there is risk in a storage unit too. But one huge advantage is that some Airstreams leak. Dry storage is a huge asset for a trailer.

Of course you could do both. Rent the storage unit and just use it for long periods when you know you are not going to camp. You might try that at first if you are nervous and then see how it goes. I think you are lucky to find dry storage so I might be tempted if I could get a contract to try it for a year.

[GetawA-S]

We live closer to the coast, trading the humidity for salt air. Our trailer lives next to the house, and it gets hot, but I don’t see much effect on the metal top. In fact, we bought into the Airstream concept because the Florida sun murdered the roof on our SOB.
I do need to pay extra attention to the rub rail around the trailer, to keep the green gruck off. (For you northerners, in Florida, “20 Questions” starts out with “animal, vegetable, mineral, or gruck”.) The unclearcoated handles are filiform covered after one year.
When we stayed at Lake Louisa in our SOB, the acorns were like an artillery barrage. I would hate to go through that in an Airstream, thinking about the resultant dimples.
Depending on your building code, you might consider a fabric tent style car cover you can take down when a hurricane approaches. With the right anchors, it won’t impinge too much on your driveway.
I prefer a rainproof vent cover and leaving the vent open for airing, but have not made that addition to this trailer. My wife puts a DampRid in there, but it seems to me that it is like Dumbo’s magic feather: for show, doesn’t do much.
Welcome to the forum and the A-S lifestyle!

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by aarstream

There is indoor storage available to me, but it is around $200 a month. Is that protection worth losing all of the aforementioned benefits?

For me, yes.
I wish I had the ability to keep the AS at home, but storms, oak trees, critters, security all keep me paying for covered storage. Yes, it's expensive, but so far the cons exceed the pros for home storage.

[brick1]

If you have the option of indoor storage, do it! Nothing is better than keeping it dry and protected. Diurnal temp shifts are eliminated and it will be protected from storm damage.
Get 30 amp power installed at your house. Pull the camper home a few days before you leave out. Turn on the AC and refrigerator and load up in comfort. When you get home from a trip, keep it at the house while you flip and clean in preparation for your next trip.

[aarstream]

It sounds like I may just have to eat the cost of storing indoors. I like the idea of bringing it home a few days before and after a trip for prep work and clean up. Thanks everyone.

[Jimmyg561]

I put a Max Air cover over the vent. I never really noticed it being musty or damp inside. After unsuccessfully looking for a suitable property to be able to build storage a friend and I built a metal garage on a family property together a 30' deep by 45' long, I have a section wide enough for the Airstrem and storage. I have a 10' by 10' door, if I were to do it again I would put a bigger door.We also put a reflective material on the ceiling and some walls to reflect the heat and a exhust fan so the building itself does not become a oven, works great, total cost of the building, permits, slab, clearing etc. about $42000.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Storing inside (or at least under a roof) is a really good idea. The damage from one bad hail storm will outweigh a lifetime of paying storage fees ... Indeed, the cost of re-caulking the stuff on the roof likely covers those fees.

Bob

[mwodzinski]

I live in the Orlando area and I store my 23FB in covered storage (ADT - Adult Toy Storage) mainly because the city I live in, Winter Park, has an ordinance against RV’s stored at a residence (they must not be visible from the road). I can get away from a ticket for a couple of days of load and unload in my driveway.

As far as running shore power in your driveway, I have SOFT-START installed on my AC so I can run it on 20 amp 120VAC power without any problems. I do not run the microwave and AC at the same time (i don’t use my RV microwave when loading and unloading my RV). I have never had any power problems running on a 20A service and my RV never tripped my power monitor / surge protector I have in line with the RV power cable.

I have found that the biggest problem in Florida is not sap or pollen from trees but mold and algae growth. My AS is coated which makes cleanup much easier. There now are companies that will apply a ceramic nanoshield coating your AS (masterpaintguard.com). Here’s a YouTube link: https://youtu.be/YgrNABBE6gE. The coating on my RV was applied by a previous owner and it’s holding up quite well.

The previous owner stored the RV on his large wooded lot inside a carport style “shed” - he lived in St. Augustine and kept the RV in great condition. From my experience, i don’t think you need conditioned storage just covered storage as long as you use dehumidifier bags (e.g., DampRid) or can run a powered dehumidifier inside while in storage. Again, the big problem in Florida is mostly humidity and potentially heat if not sheltered.

I my experience helps.

- Mike

[Lag323]

I live in Fort Lauderdale and keep my 22FB at an outdoor storage, uncovered. I have not had any humidity issues at all. When I get home from a trip, I leave the fridge door propped open so it drys completely. My biggest pain is the A$$ is the green algae on the rub rails and the sun beating down on the red and amber lights. The sun eats them up. I travel about once a month a couple of days to a week and will wash it when at camp. I am considering outdoor covered storage but the closest one is about 30 min from home.

Covered at home would be ideal for all the reasons mentioned by others. Next best would be to have it at home. The ease of pre-cooling, packing and heading out is priceless.

[sherrylynne]

My 2007 is in my driveway. I actually bought this house for that reason. I keep the Airconditioning on and turn the refrigerator off with the door propped open. The sun is brutal, the filliform corrosion is there, and twice small pine branches put dents in the roof. I have always believed my “ stuff” is here to serve me; I just don’t worry about the bumps and bruises on any of my things. I hang out in there sometimes. Vero Beach does not allow living in the unit and I never allow anyone to do that— even though people always ask. If I had a new Airstream I would probably choose covered storage if I could afford it. I’m sure you will love your Airstream and all of your adventures!

[FLCoast]

I’ll second storing your AS at the Adult Toy Storage facility. We’ve kept ours there since we bought it new in 2016. The staff there are the best. I think keeping it stored indoors really reduces the effects of weather especially here in central Florida. We hope to be building a new home on the coast and will have an AC garage for the AS. The weather, sun and, on the coast, the salt air, can have an impact on your trailer. Enjoy!

[suncoasteng]

Put up six wood posts and buy shade cloth, not a tarp. This will keep out most of the sun and most of the leaves and sap. Plus the shade cloth wont go flying off during a thunderstorm like a tarp will. We all know the Florida sun is brutal and will age out an RV faster than any other state - kinda like dog years.

[One Smith]

We pay for covered storage at a very secure facility about 20 minute drive from our home in Southwest Florida. It also has garages and open storage. The cost is by the foot, so the longer you are, the more expensive. We have a 23FB and pay $292 monthly including tax. We live in a gated community so cannot have it overnight here. WE also hook up to metered electric and leave the AC on 80 to keep it dry inside. That costs an additional $25 or so per month.

So, after 2 years of paying through the nose for storage, we are building a new home in North Central Florida with an RV garage. When I retire at the end of the year the home should be ready. We figure we will be giving ourselves a raise of $3600 per year, which will be offset by retiring.

We have owned everything from a pop-up and motorhomes and 2 AS and have ALWAYS kept them covered in some form, either seasonally or in between trips.

I can tell you that we always received top dollar for our campers when we sold them because they retained their good looks on the outside. Most who looked at them for sale commented how nice they still looked.

My advice... COVER!