Keeping you RV in tip top condition should be your #1 priority if you want to keep your RV for years to come. You and your family will have many adventures in your RV, so make sure it is the safest it can be. Maintenance is important not just for functionality, but a lot the items outside. You need to make sure your engine is running properly and all the components work. If not you could find yourself in a financial bind while traveling around the states. Here are some tips to make sure you are keeping you RV in the best condition possible.
Oil Changes- just like your car, your RV also needs regular oil changes, they may even be more frequent than what your car is. The RV is traveling with more weight than a car would so it would be wise to check your owner’s manual to give you a specific idea of when to change the oil.
Generator- Keep your RV generator in top condition and make sure to service it when needed. Also make sure you are firing it up a couple times in the off season to make sure it doesn’t seize up on you when you are about to hit the road.
Seals- Check the roof seams and seams of your RV to make sure you won’t be paying a hefty water damage bill.
Brakes- Just like with your car, your RV’s brakes need to be working properly and need to be maintained. This is for
your safety and for the safety of others on the road.
Use biodegradable toilet paper to help keep your waste and water system in good condition. It will be easier to flush and will have less impact on the environment.
Treat your rubber roof at least once a year. Also, have the roof inspected twice a year.
Check tire pressure and ensure the lug nuts are tightened before each trip.
Check the batteries before heading out as well. RV batteries typically last 3-5 years and then need to be replaced.
If you are storing the RV in cold temperatures, make sure to store the battery in a warm place. Batteries can freeze if not in use and render it unusable.
Other parts- yes your RV has lots of parts and all of them need to be checked at regular intervals of time to ensure they are working properly (and if not, change them out) These items include air, fuel, coolant and hydraulic filters.
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Thank you for all these great tips on maintaining your RV. I think it’s really interesting that using biodegradable toilet paper helps keep your waste and water system in good condition. I have a friend that owns an RV for road trips, so I will have to ask him if he uses the right kind of toilet paper.
According to the article, maintaining your RV brakes is essential for your safety and other’s safety on the road. My wife and I love to camp, so we’ve been looking at investing in an RV for us to use when we go. I don’t know much about brakes, so would any mechanic be able to properly check the brakes of the RV we decide to get? Or would we need to find a specialty mechanic? I’m curious to know since brakes are a big safety concern of mine that I’d rather have handled by someone who knows what they’re doing.
Thanks for the RV tips. I am thinking about buying an RV this year, and I want to make sure I know how to take care of it. Thanks for mentioning to make sure to keep your generator in good shape and service it regularly. I wouldn’t have thought of that, but I will keep it in mind.
My wife thinks it would be a lot of fun to get a camper. I think it’s important too that we understand what type of maintenance is expected of us before we decide to get one. I was especially interested to learn that it’s important for us to get the roof treated at least once a year. I’ll be sure to have this done if we decide to move forward with a camper purchase.
I appreciate your comment about how you should look into RV repair when the brakes aren’t working correctly. I also like how you said that they should also provide oil changes. My husband’s RV needs to have the breaks inspected and possibly repaired before we take it on our family vacation.