Motorhome covers are available in a wide variety of shapes and styles, but all have one thing in common: when fitted and used properly, they should help protect your ’van for years to come.
Choosing one wisely is very important – the best motorhome cover can add years of life (and looks) to your vehicle, while others have the potential to damage it.
Selecting a suitable material is vital, as any cover that traps moisture on the surfaces of your motorhome for long periods may do more harm than good. To help you find the one for you, I’m taking a look at why you should have one for your ‘van, the traits of a good cover and some of the key factors to consider when choosing the option for your motorhome.
Are motorhome covers a good idea?
While we all love getting behind the wheel of our motorhome and heading off on our next adventure, there’s no avoiding the fact that the majority of our ‘vans are going to be dormant for at least half of the year. This will particularly apply if you’re not touring in the colder months and will instead be winterising a motorhome.
It doesn’t matter where you choose for your motorhome storage either – a ‘van is going to deteriorate if it’s not being used. Moving parts can seize up, seals and sealant perish, finishes discolour and metal components corrode.
This degeneration is partly down to the weather, but it’s also a result of the effects of the UV radiation in sunlight. UV light can be highly damaging to motorhomes, causing cracking, flaking and chalking in plastic, rubber, glass fibre and paint finishes.
UV affects paintwork in two ways. UV-A dries out resins in the paint, causing it to shrink and crack, while UV-B attacks the pigments, resulting in fading and discoloration.
As well as protecting your vehicle from these adverse effects, a cover will safeguard your cherished ’van from the negative consequences of airborne contaminants, tree sap and bird droppings (which are damaging and can be tough to remove). When it comes to cleaning a motorhome, it will make the process much more straightforward if you don’t have to deal with these.
A cover will also help to preserve your ‘van’s interior, with the various furnishings and finishes protected from the sunlight which could otherwise cause fading.
Covers do more than protect our vehicles from harmful rays and airborne contaminants, however. They can also be a useful piece of motorhome security, giving your ‘van a bit of extra protection from potential thieves. After all, once a cover is on, any opportunistic thieves would not only be unable to see inside, but if they break in, would surely find it daunting to be unable to see out too. This could just be enough to make them leave your ‘van alone and move on instead.
Then there’s the fact that a cover could give you a higher residual value, should you decide the time has come to upgrade your ‘van.
This is because by buying and using a good-quality cover, you are clearly demonstrating to any potential buyers that you’re the sort of person who really looks after their possessions.
The cover should have maintained your motorhome in the best possible condition – and you should always make sure to point this out to your prospective customers.
Together, these two factors could easily increase the sale price of your vehicle, to more than offset the original price of the cover. In this way, buying a motorhome cover can be seen as an investment, rather than a cost.
Once you’ve settled on the one for you, you just need to put it your ‘van – that’s where our guide to how to fit a motorhome cover comes in.
What makes a good cover?
So we now know why a motorhome cover is a good idea. But when it comes to choosing one, what should you be looking for and what makes a good cover? Simply put, you get what you pay for, like you would with the majority of things you buy.
There are cheap options which can be found on sites such as eBay, and they may just be sufficient. However, I think if you’ve spent as much as you have buying a motorhome, it’s well worth making what is fundamentally a fairly small extra purchase to buy a quality and long-lasting cover that will protect it.
Waterproof motorhome covers
Hydrostatic head is the scientific gauge measuring material ‘waterproofing’. Just imagine a column of water sitting on a piece of material – its height in millimetres, before any water seeps through the fabric, is the measure of how waterproof that material is.
Opinions vary somewhat as to what actually constitutes ‘waterproof’. The Ministry of Defence says that it’s under 1000mm, while some of the outdoor clothing manufacturers stipulate 4000mm (that’s 4m of water!).
Specialised Covers, for example, uses a material that provides a hydrostatic head of 2500mm, while Protec says 1000mm is more than enough for the worst the UK weather might do.
Of course, a large area of fabric may well be waterproof, but the minute you stitch a couple of panels together, you introduce potential weak spots along all the seams. The best covers feature minimal seaming, both to maximise the waterproofing and minimise the chance of any weak seam ripping.
In the case of Protec, its stitching is described as “twin-needle, lap seamed with bonded-nylon thread” for added strength and durability.
Breathability
The best covers also have a breathable membrane layer, which allows vapours to escape through the fabric.
This eliminates ‘sweating’ under the cover, preventing damp, mildew and mould. If you’re concerned about damp inside your ‘van, something that can help is the best motorhome dehumidifier – while ventilation is the most helpful aid here, a good dehumidifier can prove helpful on a short-term basis.
Of course, some heat is needed to make moisture vaporise. That’s not a problem in spring and summer, but even in winter, a dark cover might absorb enough heat on a sunny day to cause evaporation.
As with most things motorhome related, there is a compromise. In this case, it’s between waterproofing and breathability – as one increases, the other declines.
Soft liner
Plastic and painted motorhome finishes can easily lose their shiny appearance to the constant abrasion of a loose-fitting cover flapping in the wind. It therefore makes sense for the inner surface of the cover to be soft, to minimise this effect.
The best manufacturers have factored this in, with Specialised Covers saying its soft inner lining features the same technology as a baby’s nappy!
Strength and durability
The material in any motorhome cover needs tensile strength, plus elongation and tear resistance. This imbues it with the properties that are needed for it to carry out its job effectively for years. Investing in a better (more expensive) cover really will pay dividends in the longer term.
The fit of a cover
Custom-made covers are much better than universal ones, and almost always easier to use on your motorhome.
In one Trustpilot review, a purchaser complains that they don’t know what to do with the “spare foot of fabric, flapping around” on their universal-fit cover! If your budget dictates a cheaper option, take time to find the best fit.
Bespoke equipment
If you have a motorhome solar panel, air-con or satellite dish fitted to your ’van, you’ll need a custom cover to accommodate them – speak to suppliers to find out if this is offered.
Airflow
Something you’re not going to want is a cover that is flapping around in the wind. However, a bit of airflow under and around the ‘van is going to help with the evaporation process – it’s a balancing act.
Access
Before buying a cover, think about how often – if at all – you’re going to want to enter your ‘van while it’s being stored. Will you need to carry out any motorhome maintenance while it’s in storage, for instance? If so, choosing one which has a quick-release door flap fitted will be important, as it will ensure you’re able to enter and exit with ease.
These are built into the covers produced by the best manufacturers as a matter of course, and are then kept in place with either hook-and-loop tape or zips.
Budget
For a decent full cover, you’ll be looking at a cost of up to £500 – cheaper options are available.
Delivery time
Currently, it looks as though you’ll be waiting anything from two to 12 weeks if you decide to go for a custom-made motorhome cover. You should be able to get a universal cover from an online store in a week or less.
Warranty
Almost all of these products will have a one-year warranty, but do take care if your cover is being imported from abroad. Covers made by the main British firms typically have a one-year warranty for manufacturing, and a three-year warranty on the fabric.
A cover can help to keep your ‘van safe during the off-season but it’s important to do everything you can to keep your motorhome safe when you’re on the road too. This is where our guide to motorhome fire safety comes in, as we explain the steps you can take to prevent it.
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