Maintaining your RV will add years to its lifespan. In addition, you could save thousands of dollars in costly repairs. Use these tips to help get your RV ready, willing, and able to provide you and your family with the ultimate scenic road adventures year after year.
Preserve the Gasoline by Running the Generator Periodically
Gasoline gets stale in an RV that sits for at least 30 days without running. Therefore, each month, run the generator at a 50 percent load. Alternatively, add a fuel stabilizer if you’re not going to use your RV for months at a time.
Replace Damaged Sealants
Replace any sealant that shows visible deterioration such as peeling, gaps, cracks, breaks, and looseness. Also, be aware of any water pools. If you find any in your RV, you should call a professional to verify the leak sources and have them repaired as soon as possible.
Store Your RV Safely
It’s common for neighborhood ordinances to forbid RV parking over the long term. A great solution is to rent an RV storage unit. Since many facilities have dumping stations, you can conveniently clean out your RV there too.
At most storage facilities, you can come and go as you please. That should help you maintain the exterior and the interior as well as keep an eye on the engine.
Check Tires
Your RV’s tire pressure may have changed after you’ve returned from a long road trip. When an RV sits in one spot for a time, its tires may lose air. Always check the air pressure before, during, and after road travel.
As with a car, replace tires on a regular schedule. To be sure, you don’t want tires that are damaged and show little tread. Your tires may tell you that something is wrong with the steering, suspension, or alignment.
If you see uneven wear, have your mechanic check the undercarriage. Your safety depends on it.
Run a Safety Equipment Test
Keep yourself and your family safe before you set out to travel. Remove the covers of the smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector. Vacuum them, wipe them off with a damp cloth, and then dry them thoroughly before reattaching. Replace any detectors that fail to work.
Vacuum the A/C Vents
Your RV’s climate-control system keeps you and your family cool in the summer and warm in the winter while traveling. Vacuum the vents to remove accumulated dust. Doing so will increase the efficiency of the A/C.
Examine Propane Tank
On a regular basis, check your propane tank for dings and other signs of damage. If you can, make an appointment to have your RV’s propane tank inspected by a certified expert. Do this once annually or every 5,000 miles.
Brakes Maintenance
Another task to hand over to the professionals is the brake service. You should stick to the brake maintenance routine required by the manufacturer. This includes when to get new brake pads and when to drain and replace the brake fluid.
Just as it would in your SUV, your brakes may whine to tell you that the pads need to be replaced. It’s important to remember all that your brakes do, including traction controls, and have them inspected often.
Following a maintenance plan can help you extend the life of your RV. Commit to doing whatever you can to extend your investment so that your RV stays worth every dollar you initially spent.
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