One of many solely downsides to residing in an RV full time? RV upkeep. That stated, staying on high of RV upkeep is the important thing to making sure your rig lives an extended and wholesome life, and all of that is particularly vital in case your RV occurs to be your own home. No, it isn’t significantly enjoyable or thrilling, however for those who do all your upkeep your self, it may be an excellent studying expertise and it’s the one actual approach to shield your funding.
Unsure the place to start? The RV upkeep duties beneath are essentially the most essential ones that you simply positively don’t need to ignore.
Roof Inspections and Sealing
First, let’s speak about your roof and seals. These are the issues that maintain water out of your rig, and contemplating how a lot harm water can do to an RV, you’ll want to take excellent care of them.
Each three months (and after excessive climate), examine your roof for cracks and different points, and take a look at all elements of the RV for worn-out seals and harm. Restore damages to the roof instantly and apply sealant as wanted to forestall water harm.
Tire Care and Stress Checks
Blowouts are a critical hazard for RVers. They will trigger a rig to go uncontrolled, and even when a blowout doesn’t trigger harm, it will probably trigger critical harm to the RV itself.
Due to this, it’s best to ensure to test tire strain earlier than each journey. You’ll additionally need to examine tires for put on every time you drive and rotate tires as really helpful by the producer. By no means drive on broken or bald tires, and all the time substitute tires earlier than they’re 6 years previous.
You too can set up a tire strain monitoring system, which is able to enable you to monitor the tires as you drive.
Creativepart on iRV2 says, “RV tires age out earlier than they put on out on account of mileage. There’s a DOT date code on the sidewall of your tires. It reveals the yr and week of manufacture. Most suggest changing tires between 5 – 7 years after manufacture. Some prolong this so far as 10 years, however for security I feel the consensus is 5 – 7.”
Brake System Inspections
Clearly, your RV’s braking system is fairly darn vital as nicely. Sadly, it additionally sees a number of stress. In spite of everything, it takes a number of work to cease all of that weight, particularly at freeway speeds.
Because of this, it’s crucial that you simply usually examine and repair brake pads, rotors, and fluid ranges. You’ll additionally need to have knowledgeable test the brakes yearly or for those who discover lowered braking efficiency.
Battery Upkeep
Do you know RV batteries require upkeep? I didn’t once we first acquired on the street, and we went by means of a few batteries fairly rapidly earlier than I discovered that out. Not solely do you have to maintain them clear, totally charged, and examine for corrosion usually, however when you’ve got flooded batteries, you’ll additionally have to test the fluid ranges and high them up after they get low.
For long-term parking, use a battery maintainer to forestall discharge and ensure to check the voltage earlier than every journey to make sure the batteries are nonetheless good and prepared for tenting.
Waste System Maintenance
No person needs a camper that smells like poop. Because of this it’s so vital that you simply keep on high of holding tank upkeep. Fortuitously, this isn’t as gross because it counts. Simply ensure to maintain the tanks closed till they’re not less than half full and dump on the finish of each journey. After dumping, rinse with a backflush device and add a few gallon of recent water to the black tank to make sure solids don’t dry up and persist with the tank.
Many RVers additionally like so as to add an enzyme-based remedy to the tanks to assist break issues down.
Water System Upkeep
The waste tanks aren’t the one a part of an RV water system that requires upkeep. You’ll additionally have to take excellent care of your water traces and freshwater tank. Hold a watch out for leaks, test beneath sinks and behind the bathroom usually whereas the RV is in use, and handle leaks instantly when they’re discovered. Flush out the water heater not less than yearly and substitute the anode rod (if relevant) as wanted.
Be sure to winterize the whole water system earlier than the primary freeze of the yr, and make sanitizing the recent tank and features part of your dewinterization routine.
Propane System Security Checks
Whereas propane home equipment are tremendous useful for boondocking and an RV must-have in my e book, leaks within the propane system could be harmful. If you happen to odor propane, depart the rig and open it up so it will probably air out. Examine hoses, regulators, and connections for leaks utilizing a soapy water answer till you discover the leak and may restore it.
If you happen to can’t discover the leak, name in knowledgeable. It’s additionally a good suggestion to have the whole system checked by knowledgeable yearly.
HVAC System Cleansing and Filter Alternative
For me, among the best elements about RV tenting is the flexibility to regulate the air temperature within the rig. I simply can’t stand to be chilly or sizzling whereas I sleep.
Fortuitously, a well-maintained HVAC system ensures snug tenting all year-round. That’s why it’s vital to wash air filters usually when in use and clear A/C coils yearly. Do that and your HVAC system ought to maintain working for a very good lengthy whereas.
Slideout and Awning Care
Our first RV didn’t have a slide-out. I didn’t need one. I had heard horror tales of the problems they may trigger and needed nothing to do with it. We additionally selected to not use our awning for a number of months after we began touring as a result of we have been afraid of the problems. The factor is although, slide-outs and awnings are massively useful to have, and we finally caved.
The trick to creating certain you don’t run into points utilizing these items is, in fact, upkeep. Lubricate shifting elements, examine seals and reseal as wanted, and take away particles earlier than pulling in an awning or a slide. It’s additionally essential that you simply convey the awning in earlier than huge storms or sturdy winds blow by means of.
Electrical System Checks
Ugh, I despise electrical points, and we all the time ensure to make use of a surge protector to forestall as many points as we will. Sadly, we’ve nonetheless had our fair proportion {of electrical} issues whereas RVing.
The issues we now have discovered to do when {an electrical} challenge presents itself embrace inspecting shore energy connections, flipping breakers, checking fuses, and in search of tripped GFCI retailers. It’s additionally a good suggestion to search for dangerous grounds and free wires, which might be extraordinarily harmful.
On a few events, we now have needed to substitute plugs, switches, and lights. If you happen to resolve to tackle such a activity, ensure you unplug from shore energy and disconnect the battery first.
Engine Upkeep
Final however not least, I’ve to say engine upkeep. Clearly, this solely applies in case your RV truly has an engine of some kind. That stated, it does apply to each automobile engines and small engines (similar to mills).
In each circumstances, it’s essential that you simply train the engine not less than as soon as a month. A generator must be run beneath load for 30–60 minutes and a motorhome must be pushed a couple of miles if in any respect potential. You’ll additionally need to ensure to maintain up with oil modifications, air filter modifications, spark plug upkeep, and within the case of the automobile engine, fluid top-ups.
As you’ll be able to see, there are a number of totally different RV upkeep duties that you have to be maintaining with as a full-timer. Holding all of it straight could be troublesome. Because of this I like to recommend RV Life Upkeep. This program will maintain observe of all your RV upkeep for you, even going as far as to ship you reminders when it’s time to handle a activity. It may be simply what it’s essential to guarantee your RV lives an extended life and you’ve got a very good variety of wonderful adventures out on the open street!
