Covers

The word "Covers" encompasses a wide variety of different types—from a cover for the entire RV to a cover for your air conditioner on the roof.

However, there a few, much smaller, covers that most RVers end up getting for their rigs, so let's at least make mention of them.

Tire Covers

Since RV tires are so expensive (at least to us common folk), most of us want to do everything we can to make them last longer. Most of the time people only think about tire pressure or overloading (and, lets face it, folks, many RVers don't even bother with these important concerns). Many folks don't think about their RV tires when they are parked or their rig is in storage—but they should.

The ultraviolet rays (UV rays) from the sun are the major cause of tires drying out and the sidewalls checking—eventually bad enough that the tire becomes unsafe.

Pick up a set of properly sized tire covers for your RV (four covers, not two) that fits your RV tires. When your rig is in storage or you are parked in a campground for more than two or three days, put the tire covers on your RV tires—and keep the sun's harmful UV rays away.

Windshield Wiper Covers

If you are going to store your motorhome in full sun or be parked in an RV site for more than a few days, take the time to put wiper covers over your windshield wipers. Keeping the sun's UV rays away from the rubber wiper blades will make them last much longer.

TIP: After placing the wiper covers over your windshield wipers, give your wiper blades some relief from being under pressure all the time. Place a tennis ball near the bottom of the windshield and behind each wiper arm. Now the wiper blades are not being forced against the windshield, allowing the rubber blades to regain some of their original shape—and they will give you better and longer service before needing to be replaced.

Entry Step Covers

Most of the ladies prefer a neat and clean RV, but many of us (slobs of the male species) seem to always track in tons of dirt, mud, and "stuff" on our shoes.

A simple solution to this problem is to purchase (guess where?) an entry step cover for one or all of your entry steps that makes an excellent shoe wiper for dusty or even muddy feet.

These mats just happen to be the correct width for most RV steps, wrap around the step and fasten to themselves with tie-wraps. The mats are made of plastic and look somewhat like a porcupine that has just left an over zealous barber or sheep shearer. The mats are made in several different colors to match the tone of your RV. The bottom line is that they work great—if you can remember to wipe your feet.

Roof-Top Vent Covers

Many RVers are not just fair-weather campers, and they travel wherever and whenever, regardless of a little rain (or even some snow).

However, as a new RVer soon discovers, it is not a good idea to leave the roof vents in the kitchen and bathroom wide open during even a light rain shower.

One of the first "extras" many RVers add when they first get an RV is a set of roof-top vent covers for their roof vents.

These vent covers completely enclose the top of a roof vent, allowing the vent to remain open even in a heavy rainstorm, while still allowing the exhaust fan to vent cooking odors and those "other odors" occasionally emanating from the "thunder closet."

Roof-top vent covers are fairly inexpensive, and are available in almond, white, and smoke—to match the whim or preference of the RV owner.

The installation instructions are quite simple, and do not require you to drill any holes in the roof of your RV. The most difficult part of the installation, for many RVers, is climbing the ladder to get up on the roof of their RV.

Caution: Falling off the roof of an RV is the most common injury sustained by members of the RV community.

Patio Mats

Let me take a wee bit of editorial license, and talk about another kind of "cover" that most RVers seem to have in their inventory—usually a rather large patio mat in whatver color the "missus" deems appropriate.

Just about every RVer gets a patio mat to lay down outside their RV. Most of these mats are made of a flexible plastic (which the sun will eventually reduce to a flaking mass of small bits). These mats come in a variety of sizes and colors, but the 9'x12' size is the most popular.

Putting out a patio mat gives you a place to set your small tables and your chairs without being in a dusty or muddy environment.

These mats are quite porous, so any rain or condensation drains right through them; and they can quite easily be swept off (or shaken if there are two people) before being stowed back in one of your compartments.

The only drawback, if any, is that the larger sized patio mats do take up a bit of space in a storage bay.