General Question

[debecc]

Hi,

i have a general question for pop up owners. Do you leave you pop up open in the summer or do you keep it closed until you use it?

I only ask because I bought a pop up last summer, left it closed until the 1st trip and found it infested with black ants when I opened it.

Is it bad to leave open all summer?

thanks
Deb

[aerohead34]

I almost always leave it closed. If its the first time out or if we were rained on the last trip, I will open it up a day or so before the trip and check everything out.

[flyfisherman]

From time to time I open mine up and let it air out for a couple of days and make sure all is well, plus make sure it's dry when closing back-up!

I use those ant traps (you know, the little plastic things that have a big surprise inside for the ants); have used them, too, around the house for those interior ants that always show up in the summertime.

I know a campground host who uses his popup all season long to live in. But he does keep a large tarp (plastic, blue colored) suspended over the entire camper because of the tree & bird dropings. I guess he and his wife, like other popup campers staying there at the time, close it up when recieving word that a front with high winds is coming their way (and hidesout in the rest rooms with everyone else!)


Fly

[AustinBoston]

I leave mine closed.  There is far less risk of other issues.  

Deal with the ants by cleaning it out well when you put it away (i.e. nothing to attract them).  In bad situations putting ant poison around anything that touches the ground (tires, stablizers, etc.) can help.

Austin

[txsarge]

Yeah, deal with ants, rodents, and other insects with baits/poisons.  The tenting being exposed to sunlight/winds/rain/etc. all season would be much more harmful IMO.  I would open the camper and check on it a few times during the year if I did not camp in it just to check on things and make sure there were no problems.

[Techrangerbrad]

I normally leave mine closed while at home, but wifey has more say in that then I as she is tasked with maintainging the inside of the PU - We pulled our new one home this Saturday and of course, I had to pop it up for the neighbors and assorted dignitaries that stopped by.  When I left on business Monday, I was ready to pop it down, but wifey wanted it up in case she got the urge to do something in there this week - yeah right - but it will probably be down this weekend.

I always pop it up before we go somewhere so we don't have any unpleasent surprises.