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Protecting and Maintaining Your RV
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RV tips to help you protect and maintain your RV
We had just finished a pleasant walk along the beach, enjoying the fresh ocean breezes,
when we noticed water cascading from the rear of our RV. This was about two or three weeks
into our RV lifestyle, and was the impetus for us to learn that a water-pressure regulator
had been invented quite some time ago, and that installing one would have prevented our
interior water line from bursting.
I’ll try to give you a few tips below to help your RV’ing experience to go a
little smoother that ours did before we figured out these things on our own.
Unfortunately, we learned most of these things the hard way.
You may find this tidbit useful: attach your water-pressure regulator to the RV
park’s water faucet, then attach your water hose. Not only does this protect your
interior plumbing from pressure spikes, but it extends the life of your exterior water
hose by exposing it to a more constant, reasonable pressure. At a campground in
Missouri, pressure spikes ruined three water-pressure regulators in the space of a month.
Thanks to the pressure regulator, none of our interior plumbing was damaged.
We learned the hard way that tossing all your toilet paper down the toilet is the fastest
way to get intimately acquainted with the functioning and cleaning of your black-water
system. If you blow your nose, wipe up a spill, or simply use your toilet paper for minor
cleaning, dispose of it in a trash can, not in your toilet.
Toilet paper breaks down slowly in your holding tank, so the less you put in there the
better. Use a single ply paper in your black-water tank. We have used Scott single ply now
for years without any blockage problems. There are also specialty papers available that
are advertised to decompose quickly.
Keep a can of WD-40 handy and periodically coat all exposed moving parts to lubricate and
prevent rust. Spray your trailer hitch often to keep it in working order. If you have a
padlock on your hitch (you should if you don’t want to come back to an empty RV site)
spray your padlock to keep it from rusting solid inside. Spray the gear beneath your
trailer that raises and lowers your leveling jacks. Put a few drops on window latches.
Practically anything that moves should be lubricated on a regular basis.
This picnic table not available.
Will, by the tree, fearlessly videotaping this splendid wild Elk.
Learn how to get on your roof and remove the cover from your air
conditioning unit. Remove the sheet metal protecting the metal cooling fins. Take a water
hose and spray the fins to clear out accumulated dirt and leaves. Just be sure your unit
is not plugged in and running, otherwise it could be a shocking experience for you. You
should do this every year before you need to start using your air conditioning system for
the hot season. If you are living in the south most of the year, you need to think about
doing this twice a year. Not only will you greatly extend the life of your AC unit, you
will also save money on electrical costs. This is a simple task after you have done it
once so there is no need to pay an RV technician to do this for you.
If your black-water tank does not have a built-in cleaning system, buy a wand that you can
hook to a water hose (not your fresh-water hose) and insert into the tank through your
toilet. Use the wand frequently if you are parked for months at a time to keep sludge from
building up on the bottom of your holding tank. If you are moving frequently, you can add
a small amount of water to your holding tanks so it can slosh around and help clean your
tanks.
Unless you are getting ready to boondock, there is no reason to tow a full tank of
fresh water. If you are staying overnight at RV parks, just keep a third or fourth of a
tank available for temporary stops. This allows you to cut as much as several hundred
pounds from the load you are towing. It costs money to tow water you do not need and
reduces wear and tear on your RV and tow vehicle.
Don’t assume that the electrical outlet at the RV park is wired correctly. That
sizzling, popping sound and funny smell from behind your refrigerator is because the
polarity and grounding at the electrical outlet are incorrect. Be forewarned that
reverse-wired electrical receptacles are a very common problem in RV parks. You can
destroy expensive equipment in your trailer, and many campgrounds will deny
responsibility, even though it is their faulty wiring. If your trailer is equipped with an
outside sensor light, keep an eye on it and unplug immediately if it comes on. Buy a 120
volt circuit polarity tester and test any new outlet you plug into. The tester has a
lighting system built into it that will let you know if your have a bad receptacle at the
RV park.
If at all possible, do not park next to the dumpster, regardless of how convenient it may
seem. Of course, if you enjoy the smell, flies and noise, go right ahead.
When the site you have chosen is grassy, always walk it and make sure the ground is not
soft and wet. Neither you nor the campground owner will be happy with the mess after your
trailer sinks and bogs down.
Watch for low-hanging limbs when you back into your space. Not all RV parks maintain their
sites regularly. You can tear off your antenna, destroy the cover on you air conditioner
and scratch up your RV. Don’t expect the campground to reimburse you for repairs
because you’ll be told that you should have looked for hazards before you
parked.
At least 90% or greater of the damage to your RV will occur while it is parked at an RV
park. Some of this you can do absolutely nothing about because you’ll not be aware
when it happened. Maintenance people will ram your RV with riding lawnmowers, hurl
projectile rocks from mowers that damage finishes and crack windows, fell tree limbs that
scratch the finish on your trailer. About all you can do is be alert and present while
work is being done. This at least makes the maintenance people more cautious.
A really neat way to damage your RV is to make your awning perfectly level. That way when
it rains, the water will form a massive pool and collapse the metal supports with the
possible bonus of ripping away part of the outer skin of the RV. If you want to keep your
awning longer than the first hard rain, let one side be a couple of notches lower than the
other so excess water can drain away. Likewise, if you are going to be further away
than quick access to the RV, it is a good practice to retract and secure your awning so
that the 50 mph wind burst no one expected doesn't use your awning as a kite. After you
travel awhile you'll get used to seeing damaged awnings on a regular basis. Replacing an
awning is not a cheap proposition so protect yours.
If you choose to use a catalytic heater, never, ever, under any circumstances run it
without some type of outside ventilation. Many people have died using catalytic heating
without adequate ventilation.
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