How to De-Winterize Your RV Spring
You know all about tucking your RV away for the winter. Now that the warm weather is here, it’s time to start planning those camping trips you’ve been looking forward to since winter began. This means it’s also time to bring your RV out of hibernation and taking care of some spring cleaning and maintenance so it’s ready to hit the road. Read on for our checklist of things to do to de-winterize your camper.
Air It Out
If your RV has been stored under a cover all winter, it’s a good idea to tackle that first so you stow away a clean cover for the summer. Give it a good shampoo all over while it’s still on your vehicle, let it dry out before taking it off and putting it away.
There’s nothing more cleansing than a breath of fresh air. Open up your RV’s doors and windows and let all the musty air out and the sweetness of spring in. Give the insides a thorough cleaning including all your soft furnishings too.
Prep Those Tires
Your vehicle has been resting on its tires all winter. Now is the time to make sure they are in top condition. RV tires can lose about two to three psi of air pressure for each month it is kept in storage. Check your tire pressure with a reliable tire pressure gauge and inflate your tires to recommended manufacturer specifications. Don’t forget to do the same to your spare tire too!
Rotate and clean the bearings and apply a little grease to help them get moving again. Check your tires thoroughly for cracks and other signs of wear and tear too. If you need to buy new tires, do so before you hit the road.
De-Winterize Your Water System
You need to get rid of all traces of anti-freeze in your RV’s water system. Run fresh water through the entire system until all traces of the anti-freeze are removed. If there was anti-freeze added to your freshwater tank then that needs to be drained completely first. Next pump in clean water and turn on all your taps and flush the toilet a few times while the pump is still running. Stop when the water runs clear everywhere. Take the water heater out of the by-pass mode and drain any anti-freeze from the heater if necessary. Once you’ve replaced your water filter cartridges, empty your grey and black water holding tanks at an approved dump site.
Sanitize your water system by repeating the procedure with your drains plugged and adding a solution of one-fourth cup of bleach for every 50 litres of water your freshwater tank holds to a large container of water to your water tank. Let the water run from all your taps until you smell the bleach and then turn them off. Leave the solution in overnight before refilling the system and flushing it out. Check your taps and pipes for leaks during this process so you can fix any issues before you hit the road.
Check Your Batteries
Whether you’ve left your batteries in your RV or removed them for storage over winter, they will have lost some of their charge during that period. If you have kept up with charging them over winter, you should be good to go. If not, give them a once over to make sure there hasn’t been any damage incurred over winter and charge them up before replacing.
Check Your Appliances and Propane Tanks
Check all your appliances to make sure they are working properly. Check your propane tanks for leaks using a sponge and soapy water and refill them if necessary. Check your gas-fired appliances too. If any of them are not working, have them inspected and repaired by an authorized RV service.
Generator and Powertrain
Check the oil levels in your generator and have it serviced according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Check your powertrain including transmission, power steering, engine coolant, engine oil, windshield washer and brake fluid. Have your engine serviced and restore any fluid levels that have dropped.
Check Seams, Sealants, and the Body
Leaks are the bane of any RV owner. Inspect all the seams and openings around the RV for signs of damage and cracking and reseal any damage.
If you need help de-winterizing your vehicle in BC, get in touch with the experts at Trademasters Vehicle Solutions. We’re always happy to help!