9 Tips to Care Your RV When You Are Not Travelling
Properly maintaining your Recreational Vehicle is highly essential when you are not traveling and your RV is standing in your parking lot. Proper maintenance is key to the extended lifespan of your RV, and that’s the prime factor that most RV owners miss.
Mostly, the RV comes with an owner manual that can help you a lot in how to maintain and care for your RV when it’s inactive. Still, we are providing you with 11 crucial caring tips for your RV.
Check Roof Seals for Leakage
The standard age of roof seals is 3-4 months. Hence you must replace the seals every two-three months. If avoided, you can witness water leakage in your RV that can damage the metal shell and damage the wirings and internal connections.
If you continue neglecting the roof seals, the water can start absorbing in the outer framework that can further move to the ceiling panels, and cause extensive damage to your RV.
Now, you will find a plethora of sealants in the market. You should always consider a sealant that fits with your RV and is branded.
Check Tire Pressure
With time, the air pressure decreases in your RV, and it gradually degrades tire life. You should always check the air pressure and refill it whenever required. In the owner’s manual, you can check the required air pressure for front and rear tires.
Remember, keep the pressure as notified in the manual. Overfilling can also be dangerous for your RV. Overfilling can cause tire explosions that can also damage your RV and surrounding stuff.
Moreover, you should also check the wheel lug nuts. If you find them loose, it’s always good to tighten them. Loose lug nuts can create play in the wheel and axle that can be problematic when traveling.
Check RV Batteries
Batteries need regular charging, and the batteries get charged when driving. However, in the case of parking, battery drainage is a common problem that every RV owner faces.
Hence you should always keep a check of your batteries and ensure they are alive. Generally, the batteries can last for 4-5 years, followed by regular charging and maintenance.
With time you should also check the corrosion on your battery terminals that can also degrade its lifespan.
Maintain Water Drainage System
During your traveling tenure, you have different halts where you can drain out your solid and liquid wastes. However, when your RV is parked, you must also ensure that the drainage system is completely clean. You can use various cleaning chemicals that can be used to clean the drainage system.
Ensure no solid waste is left behind as it may develop future problems for your RV. Also, regularly check the flushing system and proper water connections across the RV.
Maintain Your RV Brakes
Brakes do require regular maintenance. Brakes must be checked to ensure they are in good condition. More often, hydraulic brakes are installed in RVs and motorhomes. Hence, you should regularly check their functioning and repair them if required.
Ensure no brakes are jammed or have any leakage. This might cause a hurdle in your upcoming RV trip. In case of repair, the seals and wheel bearings are replaced to maintain the proper functioning of the braking system.
Change RV Engine Oil Regularly
Your RV is a machine that requires lubricant for the engine’s proper functioning. Hence you should regularly check the run and replace its engine oil. It is recommended to check the engine oil every 3000-5000 miles. The exact count varies based on your engine oil strength and brand. With regular running, the engine oil gets exhausted, and the level decreases.
Your engine provides you information about this or can start creating overheating issues. So, you must check the engine oil level and change it at a regular interval of time.
Lubricate and Clean Your Slide Outs
There are cases when you don’t use the slide-outs in your RV for long. That results in jammed slide-outs causing problems after a long period.
So, the thumb rule says that regular lubrication and oiling of slide-outs is a must whether you are using them or not. This way, they can stay in position and can work for you whenever needed.
Their mechanism with regular lubrication can last for long, providing you hassle-free slide-outs in your outing.
Check Electrical Connections
You would have time when the RV is not in action for a long time. In such cases, it’s essential to check whether all electric connections are in good condition or not. You can check all switches, ports, and other connectivity across the RV and ensure everything is working fine.
If you found any issue, get it repaired instantly. For top-class RVs, the function of the fridge, cooler, TV, and other appliances is also as essential as driving the RV. So, you must check every appliance, gadget, and electric connection for proper functioning.
Own a Perfect RV Cover
This is one of the smartest investments that is highly recommended for RV owners. Investing in prefabricated RV cover means you are protecting your vehicle from weather elements and keeping it completely protected.
Further, with an enclosed RV cover, you also get a fully enclosed compartment to keep your maintenance tools and make adequate repairs, cleaning, and maintenance whenever required. Numerous metal RV dealers provide you with options to choose a certified metal RV cover at an affordable price.
So, these are the prominent yet most crucial tips that you must consider when caring for your mobile home. Regular maintenance is the root of extended lifespan, and hence you must regularly maintain and clean your RV to enjoy every trip.