Prepping Your RV for Spring
At the end of winter, warm weather means the first trip in the RV must be right around the corner. This is one of the most exciting times of the year, and it’s easy to want to throw a few belongings in your trailer and hit the road. But before you leave, there are a few things you’ll want to get straight with your trailer. Some call it de-winterizing, some call it summerizing, but the point is that you’ll need to make sure your trailer survived the winter in good shape and that it’s ready for an outing. This brief guide, brought to you by Campsite RV, will show you a few tips and tricks to make this process simple. If you find yourself in needs of parts or service for your RV, stop by Campsite RV in Cresco, Iowa.
Complete Inspection
After a long winter locked up against the elements, your RV might have a few issues that need to be addressed. You won’t be able tell, though, unless you perform a complete inspection. Start by opening all your windows, doors, and cabinets, unrolling your awning, and pulling out your slide outs. Look over every surface from the outside and try to find any damage that might be visible. Take a look at your tires and measure their air pressure using an air pressure gauge. Open up any vents you may have covered back at the beginning of winter. Then, move inside. Look through the cabinets, scan the entire ceiling, and look in every corner. You’re looking for any sign that animals have been inside and for indications of water damage.
Test Your Appliances
Once you have gone through the entire RV, start testing out your appliances. This will require you connecting your RV to electricity and propane. Make sure all your propane appliances light up quickly with a clear, blue flame. For appliances with a hidden flame, make sure they don’t make any unusual noises when they click on and that they function as intended. Run your furnace for a little while, and then turn that off and run your air conditioner. Try out all of your portable devices too, including any flashlights, radios, fans, or TVs you might have. Run through everything and make sure it functions as well as it did back before you closed your RV up for the winter.
Sanitize Your Fresh Water Tank
Sanitizing your freshwater tank is extremely important. You may have filled your freshwater system up with antifreeze at the beginning of winter to avoid freezing and pipe bursts. If you did, it’s time to flush it out with fresh water. To do this, you’ll need to pressure your lines using a hose, and then purge one line at a time by opening up its respective faucet or valve until fresh water comes out. Once you’ve purged the lines, it’s time to sanitize. These is important even if you didn’t fill your tank with antifreeze, as bacteria could have formed if there was any moisture left in the tank throughout the winter.
To sanitize your tank, simply fill your tank with water and add bleach at a rate of one quarter cup per fifteen gallons of water. Purge each line in the same way you did with the antifreeze. The only difference is that you’ll have to use your nose, and once you start to smell bleach, turn the water off. Let the sanitizer solution sit in the lines for at least eight hours and preferably overnight.
Let the Pros Help with Repairs
As you get your RV ready, you might notice a few problems that you’ll need to repair. It could be a leaky roof that needs repair or rats nest in your mattress, but these things happen. You can always try to fix things yourself, but this can be a drain on your valuable time, and you might not have all the necessary tools, knowledge, or skills. Instead of messing with it yourself, why not let the pros handle it? Here at Campsite RV, our team of highly trained technicians can handle just about any repair on whatever make and model of RV you have. Projects big or small aren’t a problem for our veteran crew, and we can have you back on the road in no time. If you live in Cresco or Cedar Falls, Iowa, Rochester, Minnesota, or La Crosse, Wisconsin, stop by our dealership today!