Slushy Mess

[brycesteiner]

I woke up this morning a slushy mess on everything. At least inch of heavy, heavy slushy snow - the kind that blocks drains and then freezes to make sidewalks impassable.
Right now it's still slush. I went up on my RV roof and pushed off the slush and opened the gutters back up. Used a broom and pushed off the stuff off the slideouts. I would have the slideouts in but I'm still working on them

What is the snow/slush load of slideouts? Rain is one thing but this looks like it could be bad.
I'm going to try extra and get the work done so I can get them back in... but now I have to wait until the water is completely off to get them in...
I am excitedly anticipating to have my RV shelter finished, but it won't be for a couple months.

[Daryles]

"The Flipping Nomad" AKA Courtney Armstrong (FB, Instagram, YouTube) says you can walk on the slide roof.
I'm not sure how much she weighs, I'm 200lbs. I would be reluctant to do so.
I'm glad I have slide toppers although the snow does squash them down. Once it melts off they pop back up.
I'm thinking about Sliding some 2" styrofoam board between the toppers and the roof. Extra insulation and will support the toppers.

[Carl n Susan]

This is a Post I made back in 2016. A Search will uncover even newer discussions of this topic.
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This has been discussed numerous times in the past. There are those who don't and those who do. Montana has demonstrated doing it at rallies. I am 220 and do it. It eventually is up to you. Here are some of the previous discussions over the years about this topic.

Aug 2015
Jan 2013
Nov 2009
Oct 2009
Dec 2008
Apr 2005

[rohrmann]

We've been in snow several times and had no damage. These photos are from 2017, the first January 21, several days after the first snow, the second photo a second snow on the 23rd, and the third photo snow melt frozen on the 24th. We had no damage and nothing leaked. There was as much snow on the trailer as was on the truck from the second snow.

[AZ Traveler]

With the solar on my roof, I have to walk on slides to get around.

[brycesteiner]

Thanks for the info! It's all good! I do walk on the slideouts but water adds up quick with slush.

[DutchmenSport]

I walk on my 3 slide outs all the time. I'm 200 (plus) pounds and never had an issue on the slide outs.

They can hold a lot of snow. If they can hold your weight inside the slide, they can hold the weight on the roof too.

However, ice on the slide out makes it impossible to retract the slides. It's for this very reason when snow and ice is predicted, my slides are always pulled in until the snow and ice stop. Once frozen moisture stops falling from the sky, the slides go back out. It's not because of "weight" I do this.... it's because I want to be able to pull my slides in at any second and not have to chip the ice off first.

[Rondo]

The first experience I had with ice on slideouts was down in Tucumcari, NM and we got stranded there for three days because of freezing rain. It finally quit and I climbed the ladder to see what the slides looked like. I DID NOT get up on the roof or slides. The ice was about a 1/2" thick up there. One advantage we had was that we kept the temps inside the unit up high enough to create some heat on the inside ceilings of the slides. I took out our ladder (not the smartest move because of the ice on the ground also) and then took the handle off the push broom we carry and was able to catch the edge of the ice and push it off in sheets since there was a small film of water from the heat inside under the ice and it slid off each slide. The second time was about 6-8" of snow on the unit and the ground. Luckily again the heat from the inside of the unit helped to melt some of the snow and I took the broom again, turned it over and was able to push the snow off the slides. I've been up on the roof and the slide roofs numerous times and have had no problems with them supporting this chunky body. Oh by the way, when I came down the ladder on the icy situation I thought I was on the bottom step but wasn't and lost my balance when I hit the ground. I was the only unit in my row and it sloped downhill. I stumbled and loosing my balance slid down the hill about three sites and finally fell on my butt. I spent the rest of the winter sitting on a cushion because I cracked my tailbone.

[DutchmenSport]

Originally Posted by Rondo

...I stumbled and loosing my balance slid down the hill about three sites and finally fell on my butt. I spent the rest of the winter sitting on a cushion because I cracked my tailbone.

Wow! That's awful! And sounds extremely painful. I hope you are OK now.

[jpwhite]

According to a YouTube video by "Josh the RV Nerd" a few years ago, leaving slides out (open) all winter when the RV is empty and not heated can cause water leaks. The water / ice expands and contracts through freeze / thaw cycles and tends to push past the seals. It is not a problem when the RV remains heated.

[ker3aaa]

Originally Posted by Daryles

"The Flipping Nomad" AKA Courtney Armstrong (FB, Instagram, YouTube) says you can walk on the slide roof.
I'm not sure how much she weighs, I'm 200lbs. I would be reluctant to do so.
I'm glad I have slide toppers although the snow does squash them down. Once it melts off they pop back up.
I'm thinking about Sliding some 2" styrofoam board between the toppers and the roof. Extra insulation and will support the toppers.

Being in the RV collision and structural reconstruction industry for over 25 years I’ve had many slideroom completely disassembled. I would not ever recommend walking on any slideroom roof. I’ve had to add reinforcement to many rooms on trailers that are within the first model year or two due to sagging.

[Schautzie]

Originally Posted by ker3aaa

Being in the RV collision and structural reconstruction industry for over 25 years I’ve had many slideroom completely disassembled. I would not ever recommend walking on any slideroom roof. I’ve had to add reinforcement to many rooms on trailers that are within the first model year or two due to sagging.

Our 2006 Montana, our first ever fifth wheel and new to having slides. We questioned whether we should leave slides out or in during an ice storm. So we called a dealer we had done business with and was told no problem leave the slides out. Now mind you we did not have any heat on because the rig had been winterized. After leaving the slides out and no heat. We went into the camper to check it and we had slide damage. The ice was melting and we had a leak with water coming into the camper. We found that the slides support was not enough. So DH had to put a long support of 1/4 inch x 2 inch steel in the slide. His brother helped him. They used two jacks to get the slide back into the right position and then put the extra piece of steel in! With fingers crossed they let the jacks go and all was good. So with that under our belts we have never left the slides out after that during ice and snow. Especially when no heat on in the rig!!! Good luck with this issue for now. I’m envious that you are getting a shelter built! It’s on our wish list!!!

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by ker3aaa

Being in the RV collision and structural reconstruction industry for over 25 years I’ve had many slideroom completely disassembled. I would not ever recommend walking on any slideroom roof. I’ve had to add reinforcement to many rooms on trailers that are within the first model year or two due to sagging.

I can believe that with SOB but after watching the factory videos the slides are built pretty well. I don't have a problem walking on mine.