RVs are great for vacations, but if your plumbing is not working properly, you might end up with a wet floor. This post will provide five tips that will help you ensure that your RV’s plumbing is in top shape and ready to go when it comes time to hit the road.
1) Keep the Tank Full
If your toilet’s water level is low, there will not be enough flushing power to get rid of all waste in one flush. To have a properly working plumbing system, keep the black and gray holding tanks at least half-full before you hit the road. If possible, fill them up completely. This will make sure your tank does not overflow when you are on the road, and it is frequently flushing, which can cause water to leak out of the bowl. Having a full holding tank also helps avoid odor problems because there won’t be any waste sitting in them for too long, waiting to be flushed out or emptied into dump stations.
2) Keep It Clean
A dirty tank can cause clogs and odor problems, which is the last thing you want while on a road trip with your family. Before setting out for your destination, make sure to take time to thoroughly clean both tanks using an enzyme-based cleaner. This will help prevent odors and clogs.
After cleaning the tanks, be sure to check inlets and outlets for leaks or blockages that can cause odor problems while you’re on your trip. A simple way to do this is by pouring a few drops of food coloring into the holding tank and waiting an hour before flushing it clean so you can see if water leaks out of any place besides the toilet.
3) Empty the Tanks Before You Hit the Road
When it’s time to leave, empty both holding tanks using a dump station or by dumping them yourself at home. This is especially important for black water tanks because leaving waste in there can cause odor problems and clogs along your trip. If possible, always empty your gray tank first since this one sits above the black one, which allows any smells from your gray water to get out of the tank and into the air.
If you have a cassette toilet, then there may be some waste left in it if it’s been sitting for too long between trips. Before emptying the tanks, always use a garden hose to flush all remaining waste from these tanks. When emptying the tanks, make sure to keep in mind that black water should only be dumped when your holding tank is at least half-full or more, and gray water can be emptied into an approved dump station with a wastewater license.
4) Use Biodegradable Products
When it comes to dumping your holding tanks, the most important thing is to make sure that there are no blockages or leaks in them before you leave for your trip. However, another good habit if you’re concerned about odor problems and damage to the environment while traveling is using natural enzymes instead of chemicals when cleaning your tanks.
If you use an enzyme-based cleaner like Nature’s Miracle or Thetford Aqua Kem, it will help break down all the waste and toilet paper in your holding tank while killing any odor-causing bacteria along the way. This means that when you empty your holding tanks at a dump station, there won’t be anything left over in there to cause odor problems.
5) Make Sure Your Pipes Are Clear
With an older RV, you need to ensure that the waste lines under and around it are free of any blockages before you hit the road because these can cause wastewater leaks when they get clogged while traveling on the highway. To prevent this from happening, use a sewer inspection camera like Thetford’s Sewer Secure Deluxe to ensure that your sewer line is clear.
If you use this camera regularly before traveling, any cracks or blockages will be found early on, preventing them from causing wastewater leaks later on down the road. By using a sewer inspection cam, you can flush it through the pipes without worrying about any blockages.
After flushing your pipes with a sewer inspection cam, be sure to store the camera in its case so it won’t get dirty or damaged before you need to use it again while traveling. You can also make sure that all waste lines are clear by pouring baking soda and vinegar down them every few weeks because this will help break down any gunk that might be hiding in them.
Last thing you want while on a road trip with your family. Before setting out for your destination, make sure to take time to thoroughly clean both tanks using an enzyme-based cleaner. This will help prevent odors and clogs.
