The weather IS your vehicle paint’s worst enemy and the extreme weather conditions we are facing country-wide can both speed up and magnify the damage.

You’ve probably seen the effects of sun damage on your skin, awnings, outdoor furniture, clothing, etc. The sun can wreck your RV, truck, or cars’ paint too and seriously degrade your RV over time. The same UV rays that can burn your skin can break down the molecules in your vehicle’s paint, gradually destroying it –so gradually that you may not even notice it. Sun damage is more noticeable on darker paint colors, like blue or black, because the sun damage causes the coat to fade and lighten in color. You may also notice a peeling clear coat or the paint on your RV or truck flaking.

UV radiation is an everyday part of life. Most people can just wear sunscreen and a hat and go about their day as usual. But vehicles don’t have that option! They need different types of protection from sun damage. An unprotected RV, camper, or truck can become faded and damaged after constant exposure to sunny conditions, especially if you park in the sun to make use of your solar panels.

Once severe sun damage has set in, it’s hard to repair unless you’re willing to repaint or replace large parts of your vehicle. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent or slow this process from happening. It is possible to protect your vehicle from sun damage, so read on to find out how!

Sun damage will take the heaviest toll on the exterior parts of your vehicle.

This extreme heat and intense sun and UV rays results in a variety of problems, such as:

Leaky roof

If you leave the roof unprotected, it can develop cracks. These will let in dirt, bugs, and worst of all, water. A leaky roof can cause damage that spreads throughout your whole RV. It’s hard to fix and dangerous to the overall structure.

Weak tires

As mentioned above, heat-damaged tires are a serious road hazard. They can disintegrate without warning, putting you and everyone around you at risk.

More maintenance over time

If you don’t put in the effort to protect your RV from sun damage, you’ll have to pay much more money over time. UV radiation will cause damage to many parts of the vehicle, and it will be expensive to repair or replace them.

Lower resale value

A sun-damaged RV is worth less on the resale market. Buyers can see that it hasn’t been properly maintained; plus, it looks old and worn down. If the interior has sustained damage, this is also a dead giveaway.

Faded color

Finally, sun exposure can fade the colors of your RV paint and interior. This isn’t a huge deal compared to the other problems, but it makes your RV look bad. Some materials will crack and peel when they’re exposed to the sun as well, so you may have to deal with damaged furniture and flooring.

According to Progressive.com, “UV rays and heat exposure can lead to paint fading and oxidation, upholstery damage, dashboard cracking and other material breakdowns. Foreign substances like bird poop, bug residue, or dust can cause corrosive damage if left on the car too long, especially in the sun.”

Here are some steps you can take to minimize the sun and UV damage:

A good way to prevent sun damage is by regularly washing your vehicle. Your vehicle’s paint job has a special protective coating that keeps UV radiation from getting into the paint and destroying it. Unfortunately, over time this clear coating grows less and less effective at protecting your paint because your paint gets contaminated by debris.  Leaving bugs, road salt, mud, and other debris on your paint will cause your clear coat to deteriorate faster.  The intense heat and bright sun exposure accelerates the formation of acids from bug residue and bird droppings.  These acids in turn bond the residues to your paint.  This is one of the causes of paint chips as, if not removed promptly, the acid in both bird droppings and bugs bonds to the paint and can cause a chip when removing the residue.  Even if you have not driven through an insect swarm, 1 bug or bird dropping can equal 1 chip.  Over time, 15 can equal 15 chips, etc.!

In addition to bugs and bird droppings, campfire smoke, vehicle exhaust, industrial fallout, etc. are also acidic.

Remove the bug residue and bird droppings, smoke, etc. from all your vehicles surfaces safely while you wash your vehicle with a chemical free Bugs Off Pad and soap & water.  This way you are not exposing your vehicle to additional chemicals and the Bugs Off Pads are the only product on the market that totally remove both the bug body and the imbedded residue along with the other acidic residues from smoke, bird droppings, vehicle exhaust, etc.  They are also the only product on the market that you can use on all vehicle surfaces, such as both the painted body, plastics, and the windshield.

Wipe your vehicle down after washing with a good drying pad instead of letting it air dry.  This prevents water spots. Wax is like sunscreen for your RV.  Wax your RV, truck or car. Your paint’s clear coat isn’t invincible, and wax gives your vehicle an extra barrier against the sun. Most of them have UV-resistant qualities and will dull the impact of the sun on your RV exterior. They will also protect the base from water damage, dirt, and anything else that may harm the outer shell.

RV’s, campers, vans, etc., have a different problem from cars; you can’t easily see the roof.  Check the roof as well because problems up here aren’t always evident from the ground.  It’s also the area that’s most often exposed to the sun. The sides will have rotating levels of exposure, but the roof will almost always be directly lit. This makes it one of the most vulnerable parts when it comes to sun damage.

So how can you minimize damage to your roof?  Here are some ways:

One easy way to avoid sun damage is to stay out of the sun!  Parking under trees or shade pavilions is an easy solution when you’re on the road. Unfortunately, you can’t always guarantee that you’ll find a shady spot that’s big enough for your RV. Try to find shady RV parks or campgrounds if you can.

Indoor storage solutions will keep it safe and temperature regulated.

An RV cover is a great investment for anyone who stores their RV outdoors when it’s not in use. You’ll find that it makes the cleaning and storage process so much easier because it creates a protective shell.

When you park at home, it’s smart to invest in a carport so you’ll always have shade for your vehicle. You can also park under trees, but this could pose a risk to your RV if branches fall or sap drops on the roof.

Protect your RV tires

Tires are one of the most important things to protect from sun damage. If tires are exposed to too much UV damage, they can become weak and cracked. Heat and extremely hot temperature cause them to dry out and can be a recipe for a blowout.

This isn’t an issue when the RV is parked, but it’s a major danger when you’re on the road. Weakened tires can blow out at highway speeds, leaving drivers in a very dangerous situation.

Protect the interior

Finally, sun exposure can fade the colors of your RV paint and interior. This isn’t a huge deal compared to the other problems, but it makes your RV look bad. Some materials will crack and peel when they’re exposed to the sun as well, so you may have to deal with damaged furniture and flooring.

Don’t overlook the RV interior when you’re fighting against sun damage! If you have a lot of sun coming into the windows, your interior walls, floors, and furniture can become cracked and faded. This isn’t dangerous to the inhabitants, but it can lower your resale value and ruin the aesthetic.

Your dashboard can develop sun damage over long-term exposure, causing the plastic to fade, crack, and warp. Because of the size and difficulty of replacing your dash, it’s much easier to prevent long-term damage to it than it is to reverse it. The easiest way is to avoid direct sun exposure.

There’s an easy solution to this problem, though! Just use curtains, window covers, or a dashboard cover when you’re not using the RV. These will deflect or absorb the majority of the sun’s rays before they make it into the RV.

About the Author

Don Meyns is the owner of Awesome Products Corporation.  Don developed Bugs Off products in response to shortcomings he found in the RV aftermarket. Don resides in Florida where he keeps a pulse on the RV industry.