Prepping your RV or trailer for winter storage in Calgary

Most RVs and trailers around Calgary come off the road in October and sit until May. Whatever is on the unit when it gets parked stays there all winter: bug splatter on the front cap, black streaks under the awning rails and roof edges, tree sap from the campsite and a film of gravel-road dust down the sides.

Bug residue is acidic and gets harder to remove the longer it sits. Black streaks set into gelcoat that is already a little porous. By spring, a wash that would have taken care of it in the fall can turn into polishing or oxidation work. A unit that goes into storage clean and sealed is a much easier job in April.

A trailer sitting in an open storage lot in Rocky View County or on an acreage near Cochrane still gets hit by weather. Chinooks bring freeze-thaw cycles that push water into any gap in roof and window seals. Snow sitting on the roof holds moisture against the membrane and edge trim. The sun keeps working on the gelcoat, and low winter sun reflecting off snow adds to it.

Covers help, but a cover over a dirty unit can rub grit into the finish every time the wind moves it. Clean first, then cover.

Our Storage Prep Package is built for this time of year. It combines three services: an exterior wash, a ceramic sealant and a UV protectant.

The wash takes off road film, bugs, sap and black streaks, including the front cap and lower panels where most of the season's grime ends up. The ceramic sealant goes on next. It gives the gelcoat a slick, protected layer so dirt and water have a harder time sticking over the winter, and it makes the spring wash faster. The UV protectant finishes the job on the surfaces that take the most sun.

If the unit already has chalky, faded gelcoat, sealing over it won't bring the gloss back. In that case oxidation removal or a polish comes first, and we'll tell you that at the walkaround rather than seal over damaged gelcoat.

You don't need to tow a fifth wheel across the city to get it cleaned. Our vans carry their own water and power, so we work at storage compounds, seasonal campgrounds, acreages and driveways across Calgary, Airdrie, Chestermere, Cochrane, Okotoks and Rocky View County.

If your storage lot has rules about on-site work, check with them first. We can work around their hours.

Detailing covers the outside of the unit. Plumbing winterization is a separate job, so make sure it's done by you or your RV service shop before the first hard freeze. Take food, open drinks and anything that can freeze or attract mice out of the cabin, and prop the fridge door open.

Walk the roof edges and window seals while the unit is clean. Gaps and cracked sealant are much easier to spot on a washed surface, and it's better to find them in October than as a water stain in April. If the interior needs attention after a full season of use, an RV interior detail before storage means you open the door in spring to a clean cabin.

The Storage Prep Package runs October through November. Sealant goes on best before the deep cold sets in, so earlier in the window is better. Pricing is by the foot and listed on the RV and trailer page, and we confirm everything in writing after a walkaround at your lot or driveway.