Water In The Awning - RV-Dreams Community Forum

MPMomof3 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Water In The Awning

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Just bring the slide in part way after a heavy rain to dump the water. Make sure no one is standing next to it when you do - gives a nice shower.

Barb

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

There is no easy answer...maybe no answer at all. I have used beach balls, Air Wedges (made for that purpose) air mattresses, pvc supports etc. Nothing works very well. If you find something let us know. The best solution I have seen was a fellow that poked a hole in the low spot on the sagging topper. The water ran out on top of the slide but he never got a lot of pooling. He told me that it had lasted over a year and not ripped.

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

igotjam wrote:
..... The best solution I have seen was a fellow that poked a hole in the low spot on the sagging topper. The water ran out on top of the slide but he never got a lot of pooling. He told me that it had lasted over a year and not ripped.

WHY on earth would anyone "Poke" a hole in the topper?..........................May as well just get out the knife and cut it right off. WOW!

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

I feel an invention coming to mind...

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

TRAILERKING wrote:
igotjam wrote:
..... The best solution I have seen was a fellow that poked a hole in the low spot on the sagging topper. The water ran out on top of the slide but he never got a lot of pooling. He told me that it had lasted over a year and not ripped.
WHY on earth would anyone "Poke" a hole in the topper?..........................May as well just get out the knife and cut it right off. WOW!

With a hole in the low spot (center) of the topper, the topper still protects from leaves, sun, snow etc and allows rain water to run out. On mine I just accumulate pools in the rain which birds use for bathing if I don't manually remove the water after a rain storm. I don't think I would ever go as far as putting a hole in the topper but I can see the appeal.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

A couple friends replaced the fabric with mesh and will tell anyone who asks how much happier they are.

There are multiple solutions to water pooling and Barb's is probably the best one, pull the slide in and out. Why build or buy something you have to install and store?

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

igotjam wrote:
With a hole in the low spot (center) of the topper, the topper still protects from leaves, sun, snow etc and allows rain water to run out.

That is another reason for the topper in the first place..................Keep water off the slide.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

After a rain, we raise up our front landing gear to dump the water off, and then re-level the front. I think I was once told that not only do our slides need to be put in and out in a specific order, but once you start opening or closing, you shouldn't stop in the middle. If that's not true, then Barbara's way would be a lot easier!

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Never had a problem with our slides bring them part way. One is hydraulic, the other electric. Actually better to bring in slides that to fiddle with the level when slides are out, which could twist the frame, depending upon the manufacturer. Of course I only have experience with motor homes.

Barb

MPMomof3 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the advice everyone! :)

MPMomof3 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Someone should invent something to tackle this problem! They could make lots of money!

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

MPMomof3 wrote:
Someone should invent something to tackle this problem! They could make lots of money!

Someone has, but you'd have to find a place to store it or the parts to put it together all the time.

Slide topper support thread at IRV2

Terry

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

MPMomof3 wrote:
Someone should invent something to tackle this problem! They could make lots of money!

Well several people over the years have, but I don't think they made a lot of money. First, it is so easy just the run the slide in, dump the water, put it back out, why pay money for something you have to setup, take down, etc. Plus, I don't know about you, but the idea of having to get out in the middle of a bad storm to take something apart so that we can pull in the slide because the wind is suddenly doing 50-60 mph isn't my idea of something I would spend money on.

Barb

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Take an old camera tripod.....remove the legs........install pvc pipe over 2 of the legs.....add a 90 on each and make a crossbar to fit..cut a few tennis balls to slide on the bar and install.................now just slide it in and adjust the legs to height and the awning topper is tight and has a good pitch..these break down easy ...no glueing required and easy storage....easy and under 20 bucks!!!!

not to mention a spare leg from the tripod when your done......you will find the extra leg has a ton of imagination uses once you get going!!!!!!!!

Cummins12V98 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Just don't get the slide toppers to begin with, problem solved! Had em once, two RV's later without sure don't miss them!

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ice is even more fun. Ice can catch you by surprise, since weather forecasts can be lousy in some areas. We had ice on our slide toppers in Rawlins Wyoming once in early October, with forecasts in the high 30s. It snowed, melted and froze overnight.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Just don't get the slide toppers to begin with, problem solved! Had em once, two RV's later without sure don't miss them!

The slide toppers not only keep debris off the slide, but also provide some shade to the top of that slide - - really does make a difference if you are in a lot of direct sun. We just don't have a problem with ours.

And Bill is right, ice can be a problem - we had some form on ours in Van Horn, Texas one December morning - - slide off as a sheet as I brought the slide in. That was when we were just starting out and tried to always get an early start - - now we wait for the sun to get up and warm things before heading out.

Barb