covering vent in winter

Rick_EE · 10-12-2019, 01:32 PM

We are new owners preparing for our first winter storage. I have read a lot of helpful tips. One is to seal all holes. I have not found anything on covering the refrigerator vent, furnace vent, etc for winter. The only idea I have involves tape, which I would rather avoid.

the fridge vent looks like it could be a real problem. Especially insects once it gets warmer in the spring.

Any thoughts? Thanks,

**JFlightRisk** · 10-12-2019, 02:18 PM

The fridge vent is easy, take the vent cover off, put a plastic bag over the opening, and put the cover back on. You can do the same thing for protecting the water heater. The furnace outlet on ours has a screen over it, so we don't do anything else to it, except cover the whole TT.

RogerR · 10-12-2019, 02:58 PM

I bought screens on amazon for all the openings. Here is one, stainless steel, all put on with stainless steel wire I bought seperately. There are a lot of mud dauber wasps in our area. Camco has a lot of them so search with a description.

Camco Flying Insect Screen- Protects the Water Heater Vents from Flying Insect Nests, Stainless Steel Mesh, WH 500 -(42145)

Jagiven · 10-12-2019, 04:30 PM

The frig roof vent already has a screen on it under the plastic cover. I have sealed the floors really well from mice. Many people install screens on the furnace exhaust. As for the frig wall access panels, I have never done any thing to them. As for the roof, I have max air vent covers, and leave my roof vents open all year.

RogerR · 10-12-2019, 04:44 PM

I have had both wasps and mice in the fridge area so added screen there. I can take it out in really hot weather but have not had to.

Basically aluminum screen wire cut to fit behind the panels, held on with a twist of stainless wire through the plastic vents. Could not find a good factory made one at the time.

Stingray75 · 10-12-2019, 05:03 PM

Welcome to JOF Rick. Wise thought avoiding tapping up openings. First priority would be to find and fill as many floor openings as you can. Fill with steel wool or use some pond sealant expandable foam. We thing using a strong ammonia/water wash on all interior hard surfaces helps to deter critters.

Rick_EE · 10-13-2019, 06:52 AM

Thanks for the advice.
I am taking it that people find openings even in a brand new trailer?
I have been under and looked but not minutely. The one spot I can't really see is where the electrical wires go from the front junction box, kind of under the siding and inside the front storage area.

RogerR · 10-13-2019, 09:26 AM

Yep, lots of holes. When a wire or pipe goes through the bottom (like the low point drains) they will sometimes foam around the hole. Or where wires go up from tank sensors, electricals, etc. But on mine the foam would be imcomplete and only block part of the hole. Or it would be poorly installed so gaps were there.

I went under with a strong flashlight and plenty of time. In each hole I pushed up pieces of aluminum screen wire I had and then went back with foam and foamed it in places. In a few areas I used copious amounts of silicone where I could not get foam in. Mice will eat through foam so us stainless or copper scrubbers. Dollar Tree sells them as well as some home improvement stores.

Then I went inside and found all the places they could come up. Jayco does not foam inside the trailer. But I blocked then foam each one. Took hours. But way less time than shopping for new drapes, cushions, bedding and cleanup of mouse mess.

gypsmjim · 10-15-2019, 05:50 PM

I am surprised by some of the comments. Ours is a 2015 195Rb and the same day we got it I crawled underneath to "mouse-proof" it. Every single hose or pipe that went thru the bottom was sealed with dicor. In fact by the way it was applied, It almost looked like the frame / floor was turned upside down when the dicor was applied.

Now 5 years later the entire bottom (as are the roof fittings) is still sealed tight as a drum.

2edgesword · 10-15-2019, 06:27 PM

I'm in the northeast (Long Island, NY) and must be pretty fortunately because I've never covered anything other than putting the cover on the trailer. No mice, wasp or other creatures have tried to invade the trailer in the seven years I've been doing this.

Am I luck or is the creature problem more of an issue in certain parts of the country?

Rick_EE · 10-16-2019, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

I am surprised by some of the comments. Ours is a 2015 195Rb and the same day we got it I crawled underneath to "mouse-proof" it. Every single hose or pipe that went thru the bottom was sealed with dicor. In fact by the way it was applied, It almost looked like the frame / floor was turned upside down when the dicor was applied.

Now 5 years later the entire bottom (as are the roof fittings) is still sealed tight as a drum.

My initial inpection shows the same thing. I am going to check more carefully this weekend.

33 RLDS · 10-16-2019, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2edgesword

I'm in the northeast (Long Island, NY) and must be pretty fortunately because I've never covered anything other than putting the cover on the trailer. No mice, wasp or other creatures have tried to invade the trailer in the seven years I've been doing this.

Am I luck or is the creature problem more of an issue in certain parts of the country?

We never had a camper while living on Long Island but here in central NY living in the woods, I remove mice from the traps almost weekly during the winter. With 3 slides and the corrugated cover with the thermal package it seems impossible to seal so I just leave the under counter cabinets open and leave traps right near them. I figure mice are using the pipes and hoses to get in and I get them as soon as they make it into the living space. My cat can only kill so many as she don't go out much in the winter anymore.

2edgesword · 10-16-2019, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33 RLDS

We never had a camper while living on Long Island but here in central NY living in the woods, I remove mice from the traps almost weekly during the winter. With 3 slides and the corrugated cover with the thermal package it seems impossible to seal so I just leave the under counter cabinets open and leave traps right near them. I figure mice are using the pipes and hoses to get in and I get them as soon as they make it into the living space. My cat can only kill so many as she don't go out much in the winter anymore.

I guess being in a suburban area you wouldn't have the same level of issues with creatures of all types. We do have a fair number of feral cats so may that keeps the rodent population under control.

thenne1713 · 10-31-2019, 10:11 AM

May I point out that the MAXXAIR COVERS are NOT insect resistant, as they are open to the roof, all the way around, so leaving vents open allows much in the way of leaves/ debris sitting on the screens, and strongly suspect the screens are NOT resistance to small insects like ants? When Lids closed, At least they seal to a gasket?

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