As we head towards camping season, there’s never been a better time to go on an RV adventure. But before hitting the road, you’ll need to make sure everything is in working order. This guide will cover some of the top-level actions needed to de-winterize your camper or trailer.
The Importance of Getting Your RV Ready for Travel
Storing your camper for the winter requires a lot of work beyond just putting a tarp over it, including shutting off water valves and removing temperature-sensitive equipment. But after sitting in storage for so long, some things may need adjusting or replacing, like batteries, water tanks, propane systems, and more.
How To De-Winterize Your RV
It’s understandable not to remember every action item on your de-winterization checklist since last year. After all it’s been an entire year, and there’s never one clear-cut plan to prepare your camper. As a refresher, here are the most important things to put at the top of your maintenance agenda.
Checking RV Tire Pressure
A fun summer road trip can be a bit difficult without inflated tires. Whether it’s due to time or the changing seasons, there’s a good chance that your tire pressure is too low or high for this time of year.
Check for proper PSI pressures by looking in your owner’s manual or by reaching out to a professional for a complete tire inspection. It’s also important to consider the tires’ load rating when inspecting them. This number can be found on your tire’s sidewall and is usually listed after the size.
Check Your Batteries
Batteries, like tires, are another critical step in the process of de-winterizing your RV. Typical cells do not stay fully charged in storage and can lose around 10% of energy every month.
If you removed your battery during storage, take extra precautions when reconnecting it. Like tire maintenance, consider calling on a professional to assist you with the charging and installation process if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself.
Propane Tank Testing
The U.S. Department of Transportation governs the storage and movement of propane gas tanks and requires them to be properly certified at regular intervals.
Knowing when to get your tank certified requires knowing its date of manufacture. You can find this date in the top corner of the cylinder. Propane tank recertification should be done every five to 12 years depending on the date.
Flush and Sanitize Your Water System
Winterizing your equipment ahead of the drop in temperature means that you must de-winterize your RV’s water system as well. This involves connecting a hose from your tanks to the city water valve and continuously running water through the system to get rid of any leftover antifreeze.
This is also an excellent time to sanitize your water heater. You can do this by filling the system with potable water and household bleach, then flushing it out with fresh hot water.
Review Safety Equipment
Finally, de-winterizing your RV also means conducting a comprehensive survey of your safety equipment. You most likely removed these supplies during the winterizing process, and the process of putting them back also makes for a convenient excuse to replace anything outdated or broken.
Some of the essential equipment to replace includes:
- Smoke detectors
- Carbon monoxide detectors
- PL gas leak detectors
- Fire extinguishers
Fun is an essential factor when planning your spring or summer road trip, but your safety is the top priority. If you can’t do the equipment replacement work yourself, set up an appointment with an experienced RV technician.
Add Refinancing to Your RV Spring Checklist
While RV upkeep is on the mind, this is also a great time to re-evaluate your current financing plan if you haven’t fully paid off your vehicle.
To truly de-winterize your RV, make sure you do some budgetary spring cleaning. There’s a good chance that a dealership near you can work with Finance Solution to refinance your existing plan. Reach out today to see how we can help secure you the best rate possible.
