Curious if anyone’s tried just leaving them out all winter? Wondering if that’d mess with their lifespan or not.
Leaving them out all season sounds convenient, but I’d be worried about UV damage and water getting into the connections. I’ve seen a few mats crack after a couple years—hard to say if that’s from storage or just being exposed nonstop. Anyone had luck with covering them up in place, like with a tarp, instead of hauling them in and out?
- Mats left out all winter tend to age faster, especially if they’re not rated for constant exposure.
- UV and freeze/thaw cycles are rough on the rubber and wiring. I’ve seen a few where the outer jacket gets brittle, then water sneaks in and shorts things out.
- Tarps help a bit, but only if you keep them tight—otherwise moisture just gets trapped underneath.
- Anyone tried using those heavy-duty outdoor extension cord covers at the plug ends? Wondering if that’d help with water intrusion...
We had a couple mats at one of our buildings last year, and the plug ends were always the weak spot. I tried those big outdoor cord covers—helped a bit, but if snow piled up and melted, water still found its way in sometimes. What worked better for us was elevating the connection off the ground with a brick and wrapping it in that stretchy electrical tape before putting the cover on. Not perfect, but fewer issues with tripped breakers after that.