Go Hug Your Enclosed Trailer...NOW!

[Greg Amy]

...and bring a shovel. Our trailer has suffered permanent damage to the roof rafters overnight...

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...9/IMG_0147.jpg (http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb345/GregAmy99/IMG_0147.jpg)
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...9/IMG_0149.jpg (http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb345/GregAmy99/IMG_0149.jpg)

[raffaelli]

crap. sorry to see that

[jimalley]

You got me thinking! I went out this morning to check to see if I could get my trailer moved to get car out of the trailer to put it into the garage. I though better of about trying to dig it out as it is really snowed in.

I also though about taking some snow off the roof. I decided it didn't look that bad. Now I am begining to think that was not a good choice.

[BruceG]

You got me thinking! I went out this morning to check to see if I could get my trailer moved to get car out of the trailer to put it into the garage. I though better of about trying to dig it out as it is really snowed in.

I also though about taking some snow off the roof. I decided it didn't look that bad. Now I am begining to think that was not a good choice.

Jim.....if you have more than 6" of snow on the trailer, you should be clean it.Especially if you have had wet snow.

[jimalley]

Bruce

I went out and did it immediatley after posting my comment. It is a good thing I did as the snow was close to 18" deep and very heavy. It would not have taken the upcomming storms.

Thanks Greg for the post!

[BruceG]

Bruce

I went out and did it immediatley after posting my comment. It is a good thing I did as the snow was close to 18" deep and very heavy. It would not have taken the upcomming storms.

Thanks Greg for the post!

Great job, Jim!! I live in southern VT near Mt Snow, so we rake our roofs fairly often. Glad it saved you the trouble because trailer joists aren't exactly 2x12's!!:023:

[Jeremy Billiel]

Damn Greg what did you do to our trailer? :blink:

[Matt93SE]

Some days I'm glad I live in Houston! My trailer may be parked in a mudhole from 2 days of rain, but that's much more easily fixable.

[ner88]

NASCAR guys might see that as a plus! Roof top hot tub!

[Matt Rowe]

I'm sorry to see the damage to your trailer but thanks for the warning Greg! It looks like mine was still in the elastic deformation state and seems to have rebounded back to flat after some heavy shoveling. I would have gotten "before" pictures but felt time was of the essence.

I guess I've got one more chore to add to the list after every big storm.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Stinks! Good thing the 5-car and 3-car are in FLA! :blink:

[pitbull113]

Stinks! Good thing the 5-car and 3-car are in FLA! :blink:
crap andy i was hoping you guys would get snowed in and not make it to sebring next month. i got pushed back atleast 5 spots by all those flatout meottas at the turkey trot :D

[Andy Bettencourt]

crap andy i was hoping you guys would get snowed in and not make it to sebring next month. i got pushed back atleast 5 spots by all those flatout meottas at the turkey trot :D

I WOULD be snowed in if it hadn't been down there since Nov! :)

[pitbull113]

Just don't bring any of that cold weather down here with ya. we've had enough, it was in the 50s last week. brrr

[Greg Amy]

Yeah, I'm pretty pissed off I didn't do this earlier, but if it saves the life of one child (or anyone else's trailer) it's worth it...sigh...

(I'll take beer in credit...)

[benspeed]

I'm doing the roof of the RV tomorrow - that blows

[lateapex911]

This is unfortunate Greg. Sorry. It's much more likely to happen to flat top trailers than to arched or rounded top trailers.. But either way, an hour of prevention is worth a day of repairs.

[Dano77]

We've been lucky enough to have been putting rafters in side teh trailer for years. 4x4 with a 2x4 brace at three spots. You need to find the roof rails and smash the 4x4 under to cretate a Lally coloumn so to speak. The guys in VT told us this trick years ago. Should have said something sooner,sorry about you trailer Greg.

Dan

[mossaidis]

ouch... sorry sir - that stinks. You're a good man for posting your pain and experience.

[shwah]

I am picking up a large tarp today to drape over the motorhome. It will be large enough to cover the roof 2x, and will have ropes tied to grommets on both sides. I'll drape it over the roof and let all the extra hang down one side. I will pull it from side to side to dump the 1.5' of snow we are about to get on the ground without climbing any ladders while my arm is slinged up from rotator cuff repair.

Thanks for this thread, or I never would have given thought to how to get snow of the top of that thing....

[BruceG]

I am picking up a large tarp today to drape over the motorhome. It will be large enough to cover the roof 2x, and will have ropes tied to grommets on both sides. I'll drape it over the roof and let all the extra hang down one side. I will pull it from side to side to dump the 1.5' of snow we are about to get on the ground without climbing any ladders while my arm is slinged up from rotator cuff repair.

Thanks for this thread, or I never would have given thought to how to get snow of the top of that thing....

My right rotator cuff is torn(1 total,1 partial tendon tear). As long as I can raise my arm over my shoulder, I'm trying to avoid the surgery. Hurts like hell after snow raking.....but I'll live with it.

[StephF]

:(
That sucks Greg. The place I work can fix it though. Our guys do really nice work.
We're in MA, off 91. Call 800-998-8779, ask for Ed in service. He can get you a quote for it.
New roof rafters and skin, much less $$$ than new trailer.

[Jeremy Billiel]

:(
That sucks Greg. The place I work can fix it though. Our guys do really nice work.
We're in MA, off 91. Call 800-998-8779, ask for Ed in service. He can get you a quote for it.
New roof rafters and skin, much less $$$ than new trailer.

Thanks Stephanie for the tip

[benspeed]

I'm shaking off the coat and tie and getting the ladder out and a big shovel tonight - getting that snow off the motorhome. It'll be wet and wicked heavy stuff based on the rain/sleet forecast for NJ.

("wicked" - you can tell I grew up in New England...)

[preparedcivic]

After seeing Greg's pictures I came home from work early today, and used the hour of daylight to get the 18" of snow/ice on the roof of my enclosed shoveled and broomed off. With the forecast for up to 10" of heavy wet slop startig tonight into Wednesday, it was probably a very good chore to do.

[Greg Amy]

Thanks Stephanie for the tip
Very much so, thanks. And thanks to Dan for the tip for next winter...assuming I'm still living here, that is... ;)

We've got three more storms coming over the next 10-12 days, all with snow and ice. Looks like I'm going to be very busy between the flat garage roof, the enclosed trailer roof, and the house...

[shwah]

My right rotator cuff is torn(1 total,1 partial tendon tear). As long as I can raise my arm over my shoulder, I'm trying to avoid the surgery. Hurts like hell after snow raking.....but I'll live with it.

My boys are 3 and 6. When I couldn't throw a ball any more I went and found a good sports doc. I just don't want to miss any of that kind of stuff. It sucks now, but by the time the kids are out of school, I should be back to normal.

[StephF]

An interesting tidbit my service manager told me this morning, one that we all might want to heed this winter:

We know trailer manufacturers will differ in construction. But...not all trailers are created equally even when coming from the same manufacturer. Apparently some of the manufacturers will space the roof bows out further if the trailer is destined for someplace outside the snow belt.

Where that same trailer model might have them every 16" on center up in the northeast, one in FL may be as far apart as 24" on center. Typical manufacturing cost cutting, like trucks coming with a plastic dummy fuse where the trailer power wire (mostly interior lights) would be. Save a nickle in production.

That comes into play if that trailer gets sold and eventually lands up north. I was told that every winter we are getting one or two trailers like this coming in with damage due to the fact the roof was made for a warmer climate. So all the more reason to pay attention and clear them off, especially if you bought yours someplace warm, or second hand.

[Greg Amy]

Interesting...I do remember mine's 16 on center (I remember this, as we attached things to the walls and a solar panel on the roof...)

I did some quick calcs: trailer is 28' long, 8' wide. Snow was about 2 feet deep on it. Figure 448 cubic feet of snow. According a paper from the University of Arkansas (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flagstaff.az.gov%2FDocumentVi ew.aspx%3FDID%3D12809&rct=j&q=weight%20of%20snow&ei=EjFITZWTNIGKlweq5-mvBA&usg=AFQjCNF9CQW-iIbhG54vTcSn-XSJHEoh9w&sig2=ImhrZPNPvmYPsR8nK1YQVA&cad=rja), a middle-wet snow would average about 12 pounds per cubic foot. That means I had about 5,376 pounds of snow on top of our trailer. That's over two ITA 1.8L Miatas!!! Boy, good thing we never dropped that extra 150 pounds on Miatae!! ;)

I'm guessing that since we had a sunny day on Saturday (even though it stayed sub-freezing) there was a slight melt and compaction of the snow on the trailer. Some water and snow weight probably migrated toward the middle of the roof and...POP!

Sigh...

For reference, here's what it looked like just the day before...
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb345/GregAmy99/trailer2.jpg
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb345/GregAmy99/trailer1.jpg

Steph, I don't want to bother your guy, 'cause we're not ready to do this yet. Any chance I can just get a roundabout number so I can be prepared for it when the weather breaks? Classic Dominator brand trailer, 28'.

[JohnW]

Thanks for posting, Greg.

Just finished clearing off my 8x24. Wow, there was a LOT of ICE. Thousands of pounds easy.

I owe ya a few beers for the heads up.

[Jeremy Billiel]

Interesting...I do remember mine's 16 on center (I remember this, as we attached things to the walls and a solar panel on the roof...)

I did some quick calcs: trailer is 28' long, 8' wide. Snow was about 2 feet deep on it. Figure 448 cubic feet of snow. According a paper from the University of Arkansas (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flagstaff.az.gov%2FDocumentVi ew.aspx%3FDID%3D12809&rct=j&q=weight%20of%20snow&ei=EjFITZWTNIGKlweq5-mvBA&usg=AFQjCNF9CQW-iIbhG54vTcSn-XSJHEoh9w&sig2=ImhrZPNPvmYPsR8nK1YQVA&cad=rja), a middle-wet snow would average about 12 pounds per cubic foot. That means I had about 5,376 pounds of snow on top of our trailer. That's over two ITA 1.8L Miatas!!! Boy, good thing we never dropped that extra 150 pounds on Miatae!! ;)

I'm guessing that since we had a sunny day on Saturday (even though it stayed sub-freezing) there was a slight melt and compaction of the snow on the trailer. Some water and snow weight probably migrated toward the middle of the roof and...POP!

Sigh...

For reference, here's what it looked like just the day before...
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb345/GregAmy99/trailer2.jpg
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb345/GregAmy99/trailer1.jpg

Steph, I don't want to bother your guy, 'cause we're not ready to do this yet. Any chance I can just get a roundabout number so I can be prepared for it when the weather breaks? Classic Dominator brand trailer, 28'.

They say that wet melted snow is closer 20lbs per cubic foot

[Greg Amy]

They say that wet melted snow is actually water...

;)

[StephF]

I can ask on Thursday Greg. Will shoot you a pm.

[seckerich]

Check with your homeowners insurance as well Greg. Most will cover a "storage building or trailer" for storm damage.

[dj10]

Holy snow shovel Batman!! :~(

[tdw6974]

Check with your homeowners insurance as well Greg. Most will cover a "storage building or trailer" for storm damage.
Comprehensive coverage on Trailer??

[Greg Amy]

Comprehensive coverage on Trailer??
Negative.

I'll check with the homeowner's policy, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Drew M]

sorry to see that greg.

if it makes you feel any better, the storage facilitie's plow company rammed the RF corner of mine...and the snow was piled around it.

[StephF]

Greg, you might be surprised at what your policy will cover. Some years back, a person in the next town over was a total wad and shot a neighbor's horse in the leg.

Dumbass was in his backyard, shooting somewhat blind downhill into a field because he 'thought' he saw a deer. The bullet hit the horse in the hock area, tore a chunk of bone out. The horse lived, was at Tufts for weeks, multiple surgeries, etc.

Do you know his homeowner's insurance covered the hospitilzation and surgery on the horse? And it was by no means a cheap bill either! Somehow, it covered stupid shit done by the policy holder. Go figure. :shrug:

And under stupid shit that happens (or almost happens) to your trailer, I thought we were going to have a claim last week when one of my horses got out of his paddock and proceeded to roar up and down the ice covered driveway at Mach 1. He did a 4-wheel drift, skidded into the snowbank in front of our car trailer and only missed crashing into the front of it by a foot. He belly flopped before reaching the trailer. That would have been a fun insurance claim....

[Ed Funk]

I am picking up a large tarp today to drape over the motorhome. It will be large enough to cover the roof 2x, and will have ropes tied to grommets on both sides. I'll drape it over the roof and let all the extra hang down one side. I will pull it from side to side to dump the 1.5' of snow we are about to get on the ground without climbing any ladders while my arm is slinged up from rotator cuff repair.

Thanks for this thread, or I never would have given thought to how to get snow of the top of that thing....

Did it work? My experience with tarps in the winter is that small amount of water under them freeze and effectively "glue" them to the surface underneath. Then there's the weight of the snow holding it down.

[shwah]

Did it work? My experience with tarps in the winter is that small amount of water under them freeze and effectively "glue" them to the surface underneath. Then there's the weight of the snow holding it down.

Took another look at our forecast, and figured the 45mph winds would keep it clear. They did. I still plan to do this down the road, when I park it in back where there is more wind protection.