It’s December, and for many of us living the RV lifestyle, you’re probably getting ready to park it for the Winter season. This begs the question: How do you winterize and maintain your RV?
If you are new to owning a motor home or fifth wheel, there are many steps you need to take to winterize and maintain your vehicle so it’ll be in good shape by the time we reach Spring. Here is a shortlist of the items you need to take care of for proper storage maintenance:
You need to blow the lines out to get rid of all the water.
Drain the water out of the water heater.
Get an annual inspection because water leaks can cause a lot of damage.
Put antifreeze in there so your lines don’t freeze.
Prep the exterior and make sure your roof is well sealed to prevent water leaks.
If possible, store your camper inside in a climate-controlled building. Or, you should cover it with a tarp if outside.
Wherever you store it, make sure the area is safe and has good lighting.
Critter-proof your vehicle, but please don’t use too many mothballs. The poison from the mothballs could cause respiratory complications for you and your loved ones. Trust us, for we lost a friend who overdid the mothballs and it took months to figure out why this healthy guy passed away in a short period. The poison permeated everything in the RV and they couldn’t sell it after his death.
Add fuel stabilizer.
Protect your tires. Pro Tip: If you can park over wood planks and not on concrete, for the concrete chemically reacts with the petroleum in your tires and wears them out quicker.
If you leave the heat on the gas furnace at a low temperature, it will heat up the water tank and keep it from freezing.
If you have questions about any of these winterization tips, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Henderson’s Line-Up in Grants Pass, Oregon. We are always happy to help and clarify anything that might be confusing.
But what if you plan to travel in your RV throughout the Winter season? We have advice on that, too. We often go to an RV park when the weather is good during the winter months.
If driving your RV during the winter months, follow these steps:
Make sure the batteries, brakes, fluids, and chargers (for the chassis battery and the house battery) are in good shape.
Check your water level in the batteries, too.
Double-check that the RV’s tires are in good shape, plus the tires on your dinghy vehicle and on the snowmobiles. :-)
Generators need maintenance attention, too.
Test the fluid on the generator, as well.
Have someone check your hoses carefully so you don’t have any issues.
Check your lighting to make sure all the lights are working. Lighting includes clearance lights, marker lights, and LED lights.
Pro Tip: You can help your batteries last longer by switching over to LED lights.
Get a Road Performance Assessment (RPA) if possible and a good inspection.
Pro Tip: If you’re buying a used RV, motor home, fifth-wheel, coach, camper, or trailer, get it inspected first before purchasing. Most folks get a homeowner inspection by law or by bank requirements when purchasing a home. Do yourself a favor and remember if something seems too good to be true, there might be a reason.
Lucky for you, our team of mechanics can help you with all of these items, whether you’re parking it in storage or taking it out to warmer climates. All you have to do is ask and our team of experts is here to assist you.
If you want the team at Henderson’s Line-Up in Grants Pass, Oregon to do the Road Performance Assessment inspection and repairs for you, for example, we would love to be of service. We invite you to book an appointment and watch the video we created to prepare the RV for a thorough inspection.
P.S. If you would like to see the first chapter of Robert Henderson’s new book, Living Life One Mile At A Time, click here.