One of the best ways to make sure your RV delivers on the fun for many trips to come is to follow a maintenance schedule. Much like how your car or truck performs better with regular oil changes, tire checks and the like, so will your RV.
Perform these simple inspections or maintenance tasks every four weeks or so and you’ll be on your way to uninterrupted adventure and fun.
- Keep the juice flowing when you need it most. Today’s larger RVs are often equipped with generators, or are at the very least prepped for them. Since gasoline does go bad after about a month, especially if sitting stagnant, it’s important to keep it moving through the generator.
It’s recommended to run your generator for at least two hours at about 50 percent load each month, or use a fuel stabilizer for longer periods of storage. - Making sure your batteries’ water levels are in order is important. Use only distilled water if you plan to top off your levels. The minerals in tap water can diminish the life of the battery.
- Summertime camping—just the thought of it makes us smile. It also makes us thankful for A/Cs in our RVs. Get the most of out your unit’s climate-control capabilities by vacuuming and cleaning vents.
- If you’re driving a motorhome, take a peek under the hood—or wherever the engine is situated—to check hoses and clamps ensuring they are secure and there are no signs of leaking.
Testing smoke, carbon monoxide and any other battery-powered detectors or safety equipment is a good idea each month.- Look under the rig for anything abrading, working loose, cracked insulation or rodent access points—they only need about ¼ inch to squeeze through. Out of sight shouldn’t always mean out of mind.
- If you’re traveling in a unit with slideouts, you’ll want to give them a little tender loving care each month. Lightly re-lubricate the mechanism to make sure it continues to move in and out smoothly and to protect against rust or corrosion. Simply apply lubricant to your slide gears and wipe off the excess with a soft rag. This is also a good time to make sure the seal, where the slideout meets the sidewall, is doing its job. There are dedicated sprays that make it easy to reinforce the seals, preventing air and moisture from passing through.
- It may not be necessary every month, but every 6-8 weeks pour a half cup of bleach into the fresh water tank, fill, let sit a day and run it through the lines. Whether you’re camping off the grid or at a well-equipped campground, clean water is of the utmost importance for you and your family, as well as for the RV's equipment.
- Check exterior sealants for voids, cracks, and separation. Re-seal as necessary.
- Last but definitely not least, take advantage of your dealer’s know-how. At Jayco, we work hand-in-hand with our dealers so that they can help owners understand new construction features and how systems work.
