HOW TO: Prevent an RV Slide-out Flood

You don't have to be an RVer for very long to come to the same conclusion we did: breaking camp in the rain kinda sucks, especially if you have slide-outs. Pouring rain is just about the last thing you want to see out your windshield on the morning you're planning to leave a campground. If you know beforehand that it's going to be raining, you might be able to close your slides the night before (assuming you still have space to function inside). Sometimes you can arrange to stay an extra day in the hopes of departing in drier weather. Other times your schedule dictates that you just have to deal with it and break camp in the wet.

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Even if you're lucky enough to wake up to sunshine, an overnight wind-driven rain can soak every inch of your RV, including the tops of the slide-outs, underneath the slide toppers. Even though slide-out seals are designed to squeegee water away, some of it can easily get in anyway and end up on your carpet or floor.

The trick we use is to jack up the nose or tail of the RV. If you have power jacks, you can raise one end to tilt the water off the slides. If it rained sideways overnight, it's a lot better to dump any water that got underneath the slide toppers outside on the ground, rather than all over your RVs bedroom or living room floor. It can sometimes be quite a lot of water too.

When we first started RVing over 10 years ago, we quickly learned to have towels ready when retracting the slides right after heavy a rainstorm. Then we realized that it we dump the water off by jacking up the nose or tail before breakfast, the tops of the slides are usually dry by the time we're ready to retract the slides.

If you'd like to take a further step to remove water from the sides of the slide-outs before retracting them, you can use a California Water Blade. Of course we primarily use ours to remove water from the RV to prevent water spotting after washing it. They're made of pure silicone and specifically designed to not scratch delicate paint jobs. They're also available with an adjustable slide-on handle which is designed to attached to any standard threaded pole, like the one you likely use on your wash brush.

The slide-out seals will certainly remove the majority of the water without squeegeeing in advance, but if you have the time, and want to keep as much water as possible out of your RV, squeegeeing definitely helps.

The next time you break camp during or after a heavy wind-driven rainstorm, you can prevent excess water from getting inside, during that time when part of your RV's exterior transitions to become part of your RV's interior.

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Full-Time RVers since April, 2003, we share DIY (do it yourself) RV maintenance, repair, travel, upgrade and operational tips & tricks.

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[discerningmind]

I wish you had a television show. I could watch you every night. Thanks for another vid with great info.

[DM-yemm]

the water blade is great on glass shower panels as well.

[desertcat]

👍🏻 Had a Jayco Melbourne that had a half inch gap between the seal and slide...learned the hard way! Ended up driving it to Indiana for extensive defect repairs...list too long for this post. Got it fixed and then sold that nightmare!

[rickbartley]

I'm thoroughly enjoying your tips, how-to's, and recommendations. We're shopping for our long awaited retirement Class A and I find your videos and blog to be invaluable. You guys are fabulous teachers and multi-media producers.

[DavidStegmeir]

Excellent advice, especially for new Rv'ers like my wife and I. We love your videos.

[morganrussman]

My grandparents on my mom's side, they've been camping since probably the 1970s, and as far back as I can remember, the whole water on top of the slide topper being a problem numerous times. but, they (my grandparents) never really did a thing about it before retracting the slide out, they'd usually just retract it and let the water for the most part pour over the front and back and dump over the side of the slide, getting the windows on the side of the camper wet.

[larryfuchs]

I would be uncomfortable changing the level of my motorhome with the slide-outs extended. Just doesn't seem like a good idea.

[gpapink]

Gents thanks for this tip! Being southern Cali's we've pretty much forgotten what rain is, but we plan on taking our new Tiffin cross country to the Keys this year and you never know, we might see

[billmartin]

I always learn so much from all you videos thanks so much  Bill Martin

[teenamarie]

Great info. I have never thought of that. Thanks!

[YVR]

Thank you! and keep up the good work that you do with your "YouTube" channel.

[tyttuut]

I remember seeing a Fleetwood Bounder on our last RV trip, the one that your channel helped me with. :D

[mcconja]

I don’t have any covers and worry about snow. Should I invest in covers? I love to winter camp.

[xmdbd]

If you know it is going to rain for a few days we have learned to tilt RV un level to slide out side. Works if slides are only on one side. Prevents water from running downhill into rig. Dry rig ahead.

[robertestes]

Great idea, good for getting excess water off of your RV even if you do not have slide outs.

[marktumlin]

Try Using a battery operated blower instead of the squeegee, I do like the squeegee idea.

[TopSnapShot]

How do you wash an RV? With slides in or out?

[drew]

how about buying an rv designed properly with radiused or rounded slides for effective water run off. Too many crap designers and cheap quality units. look to Europe for good design and quality..wish u.s.a. had those.

[draizwrm]

Anybody can get caught unawares, but if you know you are leaving tomorrow, and think there is even a possibility of rain tonight
Why not just pull the living room slide in before going to bed, can't do much about the bedroom slide, except leave it out, or do some bed climbing
But you can eliminate problems in other parts of the RV

[jenniferpizza]

Hi. I really like the squeegee that your using but the link bring me to a different one. I’ve searched in Amazon for one like yours but they do not have the hole in them for the handle to attach to. Any other suggestions as to where I could find it? Thank you