Maintenance for your RV!
No matter if you're a newbie with your RV, or someone who has had multiple RV’s, this is for you! Have you been maintaining your RV correctly? Not sure how to keep your RV running longer?
How you maintain your RV will have an impact on the life span of your RV.
Maintenance and Service Checks
In this section, we will give you some helpful tips in how to maintain your RV!
Cleaning & Washing
When you think about your RV, we recommend that you do a cleaning & good washing to your RV after EVERY trip! The best way to clean your RV is with a large sponge, soft brush and a mild detergent. A high-pressure hose can damage your finish and loosen any exterior fixtures, so we do not recommend using a high-pressure hose.
Large Sponge or Soft Brush with a MILD detergent
Grime & dirt often collect in the undercarriage. Make sure that you are cleaning that as well!
If you have aluminum RV, usually these need to be cleaned more frequently as they attract more dirt than a fiberglass RV.
Once you have finished cleaning your RV, polish your RV with wax. This will protect and weatherproof your RV and help with the collection of dirt on the surface.
Preparing the inside for storage
Let’s talk storage. Storing your RV away during the winter months may be best for you. However, before you store your RV, there are some things you should consider doing before inside the RV!
Vacuum & wash all the upholstery
Don’t leave anything in your fridge or freezer, empty it out and then defrost them!
Check all windows and doors to make sure they are sealed completely to stop and moisture from getting in.
Roof Seals & Seams
Roofs are an easy thing to get looked over since it’s not something we see. Checking the top is important before taking it out and on the roads! Your roof can be made by one of the many materials, including rubber and fiberglass.
Check your roof for tears and cracks on a regular basis.
When you are cleaning your RV, this is the best time to check the seams and the roof as well.
Depending on your roof, you may need a special cleaning product and equipment.
Checking for Leaks
Roof leaks are unfortunately a common problem, no matter the type of material. Checking for them and finding them early can save you lots of money!
Checking for leaks closely and if you find any getting them repaired immediately.
Awnings
Does your RV have an awning? Awnings are exposed to the elements, so you need to clean them often!
Before you pull your awning in for storage, make sure that your awning is spotless & dry.
If you accidentally put your awning away when it isn’t dry, you could possibly get a milkweed and/or mold.
Before you are packing up to leave and pulling those awnings in, not only checking for wetness, check for sticks, grime and leaves that could be sitting on top.
Tire pressure, tread & wheel lug nuts
RV tires have to do a ton of hard work. No matter if you're on the road or if it’s stationary. RV tires tend to be stronger and tougher than car tires, but you can still damage them! Driving on an uneven or poor roads, can loosen the wheels.
What if your tire pressure is too low? You can risk damaging the axles & wheels. This can also cause your tires to overheat, causing a blowout.
What if your tire pressure is too high? The tread on your tires will wear quicker & won’t grip the road as much.
To find the correct tire pressure, it will be stamped on the tire’s sidewall.
Check your tire pressure every trip using a hand-held gauge.
Keeping a wrench & screwdriver handy in your RV so you can tighten the wheel lug nuts.
Loose lug nuts are very dangerous and could cause an accident if you lose your wheel.
Check and rotate your tires
Rotate your RV tires so they wear evenly, and look for any problems, including the spare.
Holding Tanks
RVs will have three holding tanks as part of the water system. One for fresh water, another for gray water, and the third one for black water.
Before and after every trip you will want to check your RV’s holding tanks. This is to make sure they are working correctly.
Emptying and flushing your tanks thoroughly will prevent stagnant water and the growth of bacteria.
Empty the holding tank for gray water as often as necessary!! This is on average every week!
You should clean and sanitize your gray water tank regularly.
Your black water holding tank should be emptied regularly also. You will also want to sanitize the black tank after every trip or on a regular basis.
By cleaning with eco-friendly toilet cleaning chemicals will reduce unwanted smells.
Air Conditioning and Heating
The Air conditioning and heating systems are what helps keep you comfortable, but these can also become clogged with dust and dirt.
Have a dirty air conditioner or heating system is inefficient and prone to malfunctions.
Before each trip inspect filters
Your RVs air filters need to be changed annually.
RV Brake and Lights
In order for your RV to be road legal, the taillights, break lights, turn signals, and license plate number lights must all function.
Inspect all the wiring for all the lights regularly to make sure that nothing is disconnected.
Look for frayed and/or cracked wires.
Make sure that all wires are correctly connected.
Hitching and Towing
The hitch & towing components of your RV are actually pretty complicated. Grime and dirt often work into these components which can end up causing issues later down the line.
Well maintain your towing and hitching parts
A regular check of your hitches, seals, couplers and bearings should be done
Before you use your RV, clean and grease the components.
Vents
Keep your vents open! Vents let the air circulate and prevent buildup of moisture and carbon monoxide.
When you think about keeping your vents open, think about how much moisture is already in the air. This will help you decide if you need to open up your vents or not.
Of course, if it’s raining, keep your vents closed to keep the moisture out.
On those sunny days that its warm with no moisture in the air, it is a good idea to open up your vents.
Battery
Your RV battery needs to be kept in tip-top condition and fully charged. Any trip you go on, you should take a look at your battery and confirm that it is working appropriately.
When you plug your battery into a power source, you are allowing your battery a longer life.
When the RV is being stored or not being used, run the battery every couple of months to make sure that it has not discharged.
When you are storing the RV, unplug the battery and keep it somewhere that is dry to prevent corrosion.
Your battery should be checked regularly and may need to be topped off with distilled water.
Generator
Gasoline when left sitting does not keep. To keep a generator in top condition you should run the generator for a couple of hours at around 50% load monthly, you can also you a fuel stabilizer if you are storing your RV for an extended period of time.
Suspension
The RV’s suspension get a lot of abuse when traveling over holes and bumps which can cause for an unenjoyable and unsafe trip. To ensure this doesn’t happen you will want to do the following:
Inspect the suspension system twice a year
Check for breaks and cracks regularly
If you have to replace worn suspension parts, consider doing an upgrade.
Slide outs
RVs with slide outs need more attention from you and regular checks. If they are not cared for properly, it can cause them to deteriorate because of corrosion and rust.
As a part of your annual maintenance, you should be applying a lubricant to your slide out rails once, if not twice a year.
Chassis
Things you should check with regards to the chassis include:
Fluid levels
Air filters
Check for leaks
Radiator coolant
Radiator clamps and hoses
Heater clamps and hoses
All belts
Wiper blades
Engine gauges
Dash air
Emergency kit
Wheel bearings
Propane system
You will need to regularly inspecting your propane system to ensure it’s functioning efficiently and safely. Ideally, you should have the system thoroughly checked and serviced by a professional annually.
Test all safety equipment to ensure it works
This list should include your fire extinguisher(s), smoke detector(s), carbon monoxide detector, and your horn. Change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
Weigh your RV
Weigh your RV with it loaded for a typical trip. Check the manufacturer’s gross axle weight rating (GAWR) for your RV as well as the Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR). The GAWR helps you understand how to distribute the weight in your vehicle and the GCWR gives you the maximum weight of everything onboard, including cargo and passengers, and don’t exceed it.
Update your maintenance log
Keeping track of what you’ve done can keep you on top of maintenance tasks, and knowing when you’ve performed them will remind you when regular maintenance is due.
Finish & Waxing
Who wants to hit the road with their RV looking all grimy and unloved? Not us! Deep clean your RV twice a year and wax the exterior to keep it shiny and clean!
Check the Windows & Screens
No matter the size of your windows they get dirty quickly. To keep windows and screens clean, remove the screens and wash them using clean water and dish soap. Brush the screens gently to remove any debris. Before replacing them check for any tears and rips and have them fixed or replaced as soon as possible.
