How to Get Your RV Ready for This Summer
When summer starts, you and your family might be ready to hit the open road, but can the same be said about your RV?
Unless you’re an RV full-timer, chances are you had stowed away your RV for the winter. Lots of things can go wrong if any vehicle is left unchecked for months, and your motorhome is no exception.
So before you head out for your summertime family camping, you’ll want to give every part of your RV an ol’ fashioned check-up.
How to Inspect Your RV Before a Summer Camping Vacation
Assuming the engine is fine, here’s how to de-winterize your RV for the summer:
1. Tires
Every time the temperature changes by 10F, a vehicle’s tires lose or gain 1-2 PSI. Having been stowed away for months in cold weather, chances are your RV’s tires have lost a significant amount of pressure.
Driving with underinflated tires can cause uneven wear, poor handling, blowouts, and accidents. That’s why it’s critical that you inspect all your RV’s tires—including the spare—before you take to the road.
The tire inspection doesn’t end with checking the air pressure. You also need to check your RV’s tires for wear. If you notice signs such as worn out treads or cracks on the sidewalls, it’s time to replace them.
2. Batteries
In the same way your RV's tires deflate during storage, your RV's batteries also lose some of their charge. Use a voltmeter to check the battery’s charge and recharge if necessary.
Also, check the water level in the battery. If it’s below the plates, refill with distilled water.
3. Water Heater
After several months in storage, and with an empty tank, the onset of summer is the perfect time to check the sacrificial anode in your RV’s water heater. Most RV water heaters have an anode that should always be up during the electrolytic process. With time, the anode wears off and should be replaced if it's depleted by more than 75%.
While you’re checking the water heater, don’t forget to drain and flush it.
4. Onboard Generator
Check your generator’s oil and filter, fuel filter, air filter, and any other parts for any signs of wear and tear. If any of these parts need servicing or replacement, follow your owner’s manual or find a professional to help you.
5. Water System
If you had added antifreeze to the water system before storing your RV, you need to flush it out to have clean and safe drinking water on your vacation. After several minutes of flushing, the water shouldn’t have any residual antifreeze taste. If it does, simply add baking soda into each drain and flush to remove the unpleasant taste.
Additionally, if you didn’t put the water heater into bypass mode before storage, flush the antifreeze out of the water heater tank before you replace the water filters.
6. Other Things to Check
In addition to the above checklist, you should inspect the following parts of your RV for any damage or wear:
• Propane tanks
• Plumbing system
• Windows and vents
• Safety equipment
• The exterior
If all the parts are working properly, you can now take on the road.
Professional RV Servicing in Gatineau, QC
De-winterizing your RV requires time, attention to detail, and lots of work. And because it's your safety—and that of your loved ones—at stake, you simply can't ignore it.
If you’d like to take this task off your to-do list, LeisureDays Gatineau can help. We offer regular preventative maintenance to increase the useful life of your RV investment. Prevention will save you thousands of dollars in costly long-term repairs.
We also have RVs for sale. Contact us today for any inquiries.
