Dust off the camper, RVers!
It’s time to get ready for another season of road trips to provincial parks.
With the help of our friends at Wayfarer, we’ve put together an essential checklist to prepare your RV for the upcoming season:
1. Check your battery charge
RV batteries lose an average of 10% of their energy each month when stored.
Before heading to your favorite park, make sure you charge each battery to 100% and that they have the correct water levels.
If you had to remove and store any batteries over the winter, check that you have reconnected them correctly before setting off on your trip.
2. Are your tires at the proper pressure?
Batteries aren’t the only part of your RV that loses power while in storage.
Each of your tires can lose a significant amount of air pressure, making driving your RV dangerous.
Use a high quality tire inflation gauge to check the air pressure and adjust the pressure in each tire. You may need to consult your owner’s manual to determine the manufacturer’s recommended air pressure based on the weight of your load.
Underinflated tires can cause a wide range of problems, including:
- poor steering and handling
- uneven wear
- excessive heat buildup
- tread wear
Ignoring these problems puts you at considerable risk of tire failure and a serious accident on the road.
3. Prepare your RV for winter
If you winterized your tanks before storing your RV in the fall, it’s time to reverse the process.
The first thing you need to do is connect one end of the hose to the RV and the other to the water supply.
You can now complete each of these steps:
Once you have finished each of these steps, you will still need to check for water leaks.
Do this by taking a flashlight and turning on the water pump.
The water will be pressurized and the pump should stop. Shine the flashlight under sinks, cabinets, and around toilets to see if you spot any leaks.
Be careful to repair any water leaks before heading out in your RV for the first time.
4. Are your appliances in good condition?
If any LP gas tank or cylinder has gas remaining, turn on the gas supply and check operation.
The water heater tank must be full of water before testing.
If you have an LP gas appliance that needs repair, take it to an authorized RV service facility. Technicians servicing your RV must also complete a leak test and operating pressure test before giving the green light to use your appliances.
Keep in mind that the smell of LP gas attracts insects that can build nests inside your appliance. These nests can prevent appliances from working properly.
Look for any signs of insect nests before turning on appliances for the first time this season.
Some more checks
We’ve covered just a few of the items you want to check in your RV this spring.
Don’t forget to also look at your:
- motor fluids and gasoline
- plumbing system
- energy generator
- Safety equipment including fire extinguisher, carbon monoxide detector, gas leak detector and smoke detector.
- seams and sealing
If you are ever unsure if your RV is running properly or if you have the skills to repair it, don’t hesitate to take your vehicle to a professional service.
Prevention is better than cure!
