Not yet sure if you are traveling this winter with your RV? If you are not sure or you intend not to travel the road this winter, make sure you store your RV properly.
Many RV owners are not aware of how to correctly store their RV. Improper storage can cause damages. So when winter is over and you want to travel, the RV owners are shocked by the problems that arose out of improper storage during winter.
So do keep your RV out of trouble and potential unnecessary costs. Prepare for winter and store your RV properly to save you a lot of time and money. After all, you don’t want to lessen your budget for your next great adventure with costs on repairing your RV, right? With these, here are some tips on how to tuck your RV safely and maintain its good condition.
Store in a Safe and Secure Place
You might be asking why you need to find a suitable place for your RV and not just park it anywhere. After all, it is an RV! Don’t make that mistake of just forgetting about your RV during winter. If you live in a mild climate, then maybe that would be okay. But if your country experiences freezing temperatures, then it is best to also protect your RV from harmful winter elements.
First thing to do is to ensure you have a safe, secure, and undercover area to store your van out of potential strong weather conditions. If you don’t have a place in your home to store it, look for another place to store it.
In tucking away your RV, you also need to ensure it is properly covered. Make sure you get a quality camper trailer or caravan covers in Australia. There are many different sizes of caravan covers. Thus, when purchasing one, check the details carefully to ensure that it perfectly fits your RV. Get covers which offer good protection against winter elements. Look for covers that come with three or four-year warranty and have been certified to be of good quality.
Thoroughly check your RV inside out before tucking away
You have to thoroughly check all the awnings, shade screens, window seals, and ground mats. This is to make sure that they are still in good condition and do not need replacement.
Check out all the kitchen drawers, fridges, ovens, wardrobes, and out of doors storage. Sort out all the contents of this storage. Throw out waste and other perishable food items. This is important especially if you will tuck away your RV for a long period. Clothing, bedding, and seat covers should be removed too. You can also do an intensive check of your RV for any potential hazards that may be left behind.
Do a general cleaning of your RV
Wipe down all surfaces and flooring. Wipe cooktops and ovens. Clean out the fridge. It is best to partially leave the fridge open to allow air to circulate inside it.
Thoroughly clean all the windows both from the inside and the outside. When you clean it from the outside, make sure you use caravan-friendly cleaning products so you don’t ruin any seals or paint.
Do not forget to shop and use products great for thorough cleaning of your RV. These include deodorizers, bathroom cleaners, toilet bowl cleaner, and cassette tank cleaner.
Drain tanks, toilets, water supplies, and heaters
It is important to drain water out of every tank. Why? Water will freeze over winter. Any leftover water can expand and break the pipes, connections, and the tank itself. Make sure to pull the plug on all your water tanks. Drain them and dispose of water properly. Use the RV tank cleaning wand to help remove bacterial growth that may occur over winter.
You will also need to fully drain all the toilets, water systems, and heaters before the caravan goes into storage. If you just drain the tanks and not drain the other water lines, you may risk damaging the plumbing system. These are expensive to fix.
How about the water heater? Turn on the water heater and let it cool first. Then remove the drain plug on the heater. After that, open the pressure release valve. Open all the faucets on your RV including those in the sinks, shower, and any other water fixtures. Drain all the water lines completely.
Uncover all vents
Vents must be left uncovered so air keeps circulating your vehicle. If air does not circulate properly, this can cause molds. If you have any gas fittings, remove the bottles and store them in a cool place. Check gas fittings to make sure they are all closed.
Ready your Tires
In order to maximize mileage, the tires should not be on the same patch of tread for a long period. What you can do is to try rotating the tires throughout storage. Store your RV on level ground. After that lower the corner steadies and rest them on blocks. Check out your handbrake too for safety.
Follow all these steps to properly store your RV before winter comes. For sure, your RV will still be in good condition when you decide to travel after winter! Proper storage can save you lots of money that may be brought out by unnecessary expenses from repairing damages. A recreational vehicle in itself is already a huge investment. So make sure you protect it through ideal storage conditions and with the right accessories.
