When temperatures start to drop in the Fall, it’s time to winterize our RVs. It’s not too difficult to do, and if you need some help, contact Tri Crown RV as we are happy to help with winterizing your camping unit. But what else should we do to ensure that not just our water lines but our whole camper stays in the best shape possible over the colder months?
Here’s a shortlist of things to look out for to keep your RV in tip-top condition over the Winter:
Winterizing
Winterizing is one of the the first things that needs to be done when it starts to get cold; this involves draining all of the water from the camping unit, emptying all of the tanks, including grey, black, and hot-and-cold water tanks, flushing the water lines, and filling them all with winterizing fluid to prevent damage from any remaining water the might freeze. It’s normally a fairly straightforward procedure, but it’s vital to get it done before temperatures drop to freezing. If not, then damage can occur your RV water systems which can be costly and time-consuming to repair.
Remove all food and liquids from inside your RV
If you’re removing all of the water from your RV in case it freezes, it also makes sense to remove other liquids too, such as pop cans, water bottles, juice boxes, cleaners, soaps, and shampoos; they can all freeze and explode, make an awful mess and can cause damage.
Remember to remove any food items too as this can be an attractant for rodents.
Talking of rodents…
The ‘outside’ likes to come in when it gets cold, and rodents like mice will chew up pretty much anything inside your RV to make a nest for themselves. Put down some deterrents, just in case mice or rats do think about breaking into your trailer. But try and avoid lethal traps because if you kill a mouse in your trailer, the decay and smell can attract other types of infestation.
Open all cupboard doors
Opening up all of your cupboard doors and move everything out of your cupboards will help prevent mold and bad odors from forming.
Avoid mold in your RV fridge freezer
Prop open the doors of your fridge-freezer as this will prevent moisture buildup and mold inside the refer.
Reduce RV humidity
Use Dri-z-air or another type of moisture absorber or dehumidifier; use one for every 10′ of RV to absorb moisture from the air. And check them often throughout the winter as you may need to replace them regularly.
Move cushions and mattresses away from walls and bulkheads
Moving your cushions and mattresses away from the sides of your unit will help prevent damp and mold accumulating in your upholstery from any condensation that may form on the inside walls of your RV.
Close windows; check them for cracks
Make sure all of your windows, vents, and doors are completely closed so that rain, snow, and moist air don’t get into your RV. And check your windows through the winter for cracks and breaks; if you see any, cover them up and get them repaired in the Spring.
Clear snow from your RV roof
When it does snow, watch out for it building up on your roof. A little snow is fine, but if it starts to get a foot thick or more, then you need to clear it. This is particularly true with older RVs as the roof may not be able to take the weight. Remember that you can walk on the roof of many RVs these days, but that may not always be the case with older units or cheaper models, so check your unit’s specification to make sure it can take your weight before you go doing pirouettes on your roof tops!
Most of this is common sense, but many of us forget about all of these little things once the main winterizing process has been done; we just assume that the RV will be fine until Spring. But as many of us have found out, this isn’t always the case. By adding these points to a ‘Winter maintenance’ routine, we can save ourselves a few dollars in repair bills in the Spring.
Contact Tri Crown RV for your winterizing needs, and remember to look us up on Facebook and Twitter!