Month: May 2021

Our RV camping season is just around the corner, so many of us are getting ready! There are approximately 355,000 new RVs sold each year, so many RVers hitting the road this season are totally newbies.

After you get the hang of it, RV camping is one of the most enjoyable, rewarding, and relaxing experiences you will ever have. Our goal is to help you prepare to go on your first adventure with your RV by putting together this guide!

Checklists:

If you’re a new RV camper, checklists can be a lifesaver! Making a few checklists and keeping them on hand is a good idea until you get the hang of things.

Making a packing list will help you not to forget any essential items. As you go on more trips, you’ll learn what you need and don’t need, and what you bring but never use.

Make a list of all the things you need to do before you go… this might include packing, ensuring that your home is ready for a vacation and all the appliances are turned off and other things like:

• Checking the RV tires
• Making sure the awning is pulled in (you’d be surprised how many people miss this and lose their awning)
• Making sure the RV Jacks are pulled up
• Everything is latched and secured
• All passengers are accounted for, etc.

A setup checklist will ensure that you don’t make mistakes like forgetting to connect the sewer hose for the shower once you’ve arrived at camp. A checklist for setting up a camp should include the following:

• Leveling the RV
• Securing Wheels
• Hooking up Water
• Hooking up Sewer
• Setting up Pop-Ups or Opening Slides
• Setting up lawn chairs/outside area

Walkaround:

No matter how old or in what condition your RV or travel trailer is, you should get in the habit of  doing a walkaround every time you stop. Every time you stop at a gas station, grocery store, or campground, look around your RV for obvious problems. When you travel down the road, you are subjected to a lot of vibrations. Make sure your tires are in good shape, your storage bins are latched, and there are no obvious signs of  trouble. An easy and quick walkaround could save you a whole lot of headaches down the road.

Driving Tips:

If you’re driving a motorhome or pulling a trailer, the driving experience is going to be different than if you were in just a normal vehicle on a daily basis.

RVs and trailers are both large and wide – you will need to use your mirrors to help you see. Make sure your mirrors are in the proper position for driving and learn how to use them. In general, one mirror helps you see traffic behind you, while the other shows where your RV or trailer tires are, as well as some of  your blind spots. Making turns is easier if you know where your RV or trailer tires are in relation to you, the driver, and in relation to curbs. You will also be able to stay within your lane with these mirrors – your truck is much wider than a standard vehicle.

Keep a slow speed and start braking earlier than you would in a car – an RV or travel trailer weighs more and requires a longer stopping distance. Don’t ride the brakes while going downhill. Shift down and let the engine do the work, not your brakes. When downgrading, tap the brakes for a few seconds at a time to prevent overheating.

Protect Your RV:

As an RV owner, you want to enjoy your investment for years to come. In addition to insurance and  preventative maintenance, RVers also use a few devices to provide themselves with additional  protection and peace of mind.

• Surge Protector: A surge protector protects your system from power surges by plugging it between the rig and an external power supply. In the event of a power surge from lightning or bad campground wiring, it will protect your rig from electrical damage. It monitors the quality of the power source, protects your rig from ungrounded connections, and will prevent your rig’s electrical system from getting fried. It is a small investment that can help you save your entire electrical system! To ensure that it does not get stolen, you can purchase a lock.
• An TPMS, or tire pressure monitoring system, can notify you of potential tire hazards you might otherwise overlook. Tire pressure and temperature sensors are available for RVs and travel trailers alike and provide alerts when the conditions change. In this way, blowouts and rig damage can be prevented.

This is the ideal time to assess how your RV and trailer are doing so break it out of storage and check it out. Keep reading for more guidance and additional de-winterization maintenance tasks to prepare your RV for The Spring Camping Season.

Basic Inspection & Safety Checks

You should first check your RV’s major systems to ensure it is roadworthy:

• power system
• propane system
• tire health

Make sure you do this early, so you have time to schedule any necessary maintenance before your first trip. Make certain that your carbon monoxide detector, smoke detector, LP detector, and fire extinguisher all work properly.

Check Electric Power

Look over all battery connections first. If they are corroded, disconnect the shore power and wear safety goggles and latex gloves when cleaning them off. Then, charge your batteries and check the fluid levels in the batteries, adding distilled water if necessary. If you have a generator, check it for nests and make sure the filter does not need to be replaced. A lack of fuel in the generator’s lines usually causes it to fail to start. Prime your generator by running the pump for about 20 seconds to deliver fuel to the carburetor. After that, it should start much more quickly. Once you have your generator running, check the oil level. Test all appliances on the electric setting.

Propane

Check the water heater (exterior of RV) closely in order to remove any debris from the burner tube. Make sure all of your propane appliances are turned off (furnace, stove, oven, refrigerator).

Visually inspect your propane system to make sure the seals and hoses aren’t cracked. If everything looks okay, open the valve on the tank(s) all the way. If you suspect a leak, use a soapy water solution around the valves and look for bubbles. Other important gear to have on hand is refillable RV propane tanks, alarms, and detectors.  The last step is to ensure that your appliances are working properly using the propane settings. Be sure to inspect your propane appliances and furnace each spring when taking your RV out of storage.

Tires

If your tires (plus the spare) are in need of replacement, get them installed at your earliest convenience. Check the tires for proper inflation, inspect the sidewall for any cracks and the tread depth.

Dewinterize and Check Your Water Systems

The antifreeze will need to be drained and flushed from your system if you winterized it with non-toxic antifreeze. There are a couple of easy steps you can follow:

1. If removed, re-insert the low point drain plugs.
2. Replacing the anode rod with an Atwood water heater or the drain plug with a Suburban water heater is imperative if they have been neglected previously.
3. The bypass water heater valves must be changed to “use” mode, which means closing the bypass valve and opening the hot and cold valves.
4. The water system can be re-pressurized with a hose or at the pump by filling the freshwater tank and turning it on.
5. To flush out the antifreeze in your system, open the faucets and the shower heads for indoor and outdoor use as well as the toilet.
6. Then turn off the water pressure and remove the caps from the low point drains.
7. Turn on the pressure again to flush out any of the remaining antifreeze in the system.
8. Then turn off the water pressure to put the drain caps back on.

Test all valves, including faucets, outside shower, and toilet while you’re at it, including the water pump and city water hook-up.

Interior Inspection & Resupply

Clean the interior thoroughly. Drain any dehumidifiers (or replace any disposables). Check inside the cabinets and under the sinks for signs of rodents and pests. Now is a good time to go through all of your supplies and restock the camper with the essentials. If you discover any evidence of them, find the source and take care of it now before you add any new food items to the pantry.

Exterior Inspection & Wash

You should inspect the interior of your RV and climb up on the roof to check for chips, cracks, or missing caulking around exterior windows, doors, roof vents, and other seals. The awnings in your RV are exposed to the weather and rarely see sunlight, making them prone to mildew. Finally, rinse the RV well with a gentle biodegradable soap solution. Simply Green works well. To clean, use a soft bristle brush with the soap solution. Rinse well and let them air dry for a few hours before retracting.

All Systems Go!

Making sure these checks are run on your RV and performing any necessary maintenance will go a long way toward making your camping season a success.