How To Store Your RV For Winter
As winter is nearing, you should start planning how to store your RV until the season is over. Winter brings along snow and cold that can freeze and damage unprotected properties. For example, prepare and store your RV in order to avoid rusting or being damaged by insects and crawling animals. As a result, you might incur repairs that can be pocket-draining. With that in mind, consider following these steps to winterize and store your RV to maintain its integrity.
1. Give It A Proper Bath
The first step towards preparing your RV for winter should be giving it a generous bath. This step helps remove all the grime and dirt before covering the vehicle. Cleaning the vehicle will also remove any mildew and prevent its multiplication during the storage season.
When cleaning your RV, concentrate on the awnings, tires, and wheel wells. You should also ensure the interior is clean and no food particles are lying around. Once the vehicle is clean, dry it and avoid storing or covering it while wet.
2. Invest In Perfect Storage
Suppose your RV will stay outside the entire winter. In that case, you should consider investing in storage facilities especially made for RVs. Boat and RV storage buildings are designed to protect your asset against harsh weather and maintain its integrity. Besides that, an RV building will also protect the vehicle against falling tree branches and bird droppings.
It's advisable to avoid using a plastic tarp since it can easily trap and encourage moisture buildup between it and the RV. Your ideal tarp should be breathable to avoid moisture accumulation. It's vital to note that moisture can encourage rust and corrode the RV's parts. Moisture can also cause mold to grow on the RV, posing a health hazard.
3. Winterproof The RV's Plumbing System
Taking care of your RV plumbing before storing it is vital. Any water left in the piping can freeze and damage the plumbing. If you're experienced in addressing your RV's plumbing, you can DIY easily.
Attending to your RV's plumbing is as easy as draining water and waste tanks and draining all pipes before running nontoxic RV antifreeze through the system. The antifreeze will eradicate all the water remaining in the pipes. Nevertheless, if this task is beyond your league, consider hiring a professional to handle it accordingly.
4. Disconnect The Power And Turn Off Gas
Turn off any electrical appliance, heater, and water pump before turning off the main circuit breaker. You should also turn off the gas supply.
Then, disconnect the batteries and store them in a cool, dry condition to preserve the energy. Nevertheless, you should check and recharge them periodically to keep them in good working condition.
However, if you don't want to disconnect the batteries from the RV, you can trickle-charge the vehicle or leave it plugged in while stored. If you have solar power and storing the RV outside, the batteries will remain charged during the entire storage period.
5. Top Up Fuel And Fuel Stabilizer
Topping up the fuel protects the tank against rust. You should also add a fuel stabilizer to prevent the fuel from evaporating, resulting in a corroded fuel tank. It's important to note that your RV's fuel tank is among the most vulnerable parts during winter. Therefore, you shouldn't ignore topping up the fuel and adding a fuel stabilizer.
It's also essential to replace the oil and oil filter before storing your RV for winter since corrosive acids can collect in the already-used oil and corrode the oil tank.
6. Keep Rodents Away
As far as rodent-proofing your RV is concerned, it doesn't necessarily mean addressing rodent threats alone. It involves keeping all animals, reptiles, and insects away from the vehicle.
Before covering or storing your RV, examine if it has any holes, openings, or cracks that can be an entry point for rats, lizards, or insects. If there are openings that can fit your finger, rodents and insects can easily fit in, too.
Rodents and insects can cause significant damage to your RV. First, they can enlarge an opening within a few seconds. Secondly, once they access your RV's interior, the damage they can cause is beyond imagination. From chewing cabinetry to carpets to curtains, rodents can destroy almost everything. With that in mind, it's vital to protect your vehicle against rodents and insects, failure to which you might incur costly repairs.
Among the best ways to protect your RV against rodents and insects is filling and sealing any openings. You can also use insect traps and rodent bait along the wheels to prevent these intruders from accessing your vehicle.
Besides rodents and crawling insects, you should also remember that wasps, spiders, and bees can also seek refuge in your RV, especially when it's stored for quite a while. These insects are attracted to propane and its smell. Therefore, you should vent propane lines to prevent them from attracting insects. It would help if you also check for hives and nests from time to time to determine their presence as soon as they're erected.
7. Select A Perfect Location
Location is vital when storing your RV for winter. The place should be level to enhance your vehicle's stability. Storing your RV for an extended period of time can damage the tires if the ground isn't leveled. In such a situation, not only will the tired be damaged, but the rims will, too.
To prevent this scenario, consider jacking the vehicle to ensure the wheels are off the ground. You can also use locks to ensure the vehicle remains level. However, you must ensure the blocking material doesn't encourage freezing.
Alternatively, you can choose to remove the tires and store them separately. However, if this doesn't seem a better idea, consider moving the RV occasionally to avoid putting too much pressure on some tire parts and protect the wheels with proper covers.
Conclusion
After your RV has served you well during summer, it requires rest and proper storage during winter to remain in perfect condition. A simple mistake in storing it in winter can result in severe damage that might be irreversible or costly to repair. Therefore, you should be careful and follow the user's manual and the recommendations provided above to ensure that you can continue enjoying your RV even after winter.