You probably have invested a lot of money to get your hands on an RV. It would make sense to do everything you can to protect such an investment. Unlike regular cars, trucks, or SUVs, an RV may require extra care and maintenance. After all, it’s more than a regular vehicle, with all its living space and amenities.
It’s easy to ignore routine maintenance on your RV, though. Doing so can cost you unnecessary troubles and expensive repairs later on. If you want to extend your RV’s life service and have many more enjoyable years on the road, taking care of it is essential.
But with all its intricate parts, it can be overwhelming how to perform maintenance tasks on your RV. For your reference, we’ve highlighted some of the proper ways to maintain it such as camper covers.
The Importance of RV Maintenance
Maintaining your RV is essential to ensure safety in your RV trips. On the other hand, neglecting it can lead to problems on the road, such as serious water damage. By keeping your RV maintained, you can save money and eliminate stress by minimizing the risk of unfortunate breakdowns.
Proper maintenance of your RV includes cleaning, inspecting, repairing, and upgrading any broken parts. Doing such can help you travel safely and comfortably to your destinations. It can also preserve your RV’s aesthetic and resale value if you’re planning to sell it in the future.
The following are some of the significant RV maintenance you need to keep track of.
External Maintenance
Taking care of the exterior components is one of the essential aspects of RV maintenance. Whether it’s inspecting liners and seals for cracks, fixing leaky windows, or investing in minor roof repair, routine maintenance on the exterior parts can significantly protect the whole RV.
Here are a few ways to do external maintenance on your RV:
Cover the Roof
Roofs are vulnerable to sun and environmental damage, yet these problems often go unnoticed since people don’t regularly check them. Thus, it’s essential to pay more attention to it.
You can check your RV’s roof before and after every trip. Make sure that it’s cleared from any dirt or debris. An excellent way to prevent roof problems in your RV is to store it indoors when not in use. If you can’t afford it, investing in an RV cover would be a great idea.
Check Window, Door, and Roof Seals
Moisture leaking is a common problem with RVs due to faulty seals. When they start to break down, water can get in, which will cause damage and molds around the surfaces. Since seals naturally degrade over time, it would be best to check them every three months to ensure they’re still in good condition.
Note that even small cracks can allow water to seep in. It wouldn’t hurt to watch out for any cracks or water stains around your RV’s window, door, and roof seals.
Inspect Your Tires
Tires are the most vital component on an RV, yet they’re also the most neglected. But keeping your tires in prime conditions at all times is necessary to avoid hazardous situations. To properly do this, you need to ensure that your RV tires’ air pressure is balanced. Driving on over-inflated or under-inflated tires can be dangerous.
Before you go on any trip, check for any leak on your tires and make sure they are neither deflated nor overinflated. Change the tires once they need to be replaced. It would also be a great help to invest in durable massive road tires.
Interior Maintenance
The same with the exterior, keeping your RV interior clean and functional extends your vehicle’s life. Cleaning the interior of an RV is similar to cleaning the inside of your home. The difference is that proper cleaning supplies and techniques are necessary to prevent damages on your RV’s surfaces.
Before you use any cleaning agents on the RV’s interior, it would be best to check your manufacturer’s recommended cleaning products. You can also try to test it first on a small area that’s out of sight. Remember not to use any flammable liquid or spray in cleaning your RV.
Paying more attention to your RV’s interior, especially during the winter season, is necessary. It’s more vulnerable to mice and other rodents, causing damage to your vehicle’s wiring, plastic, and rubber compartments.
To prevent it from happening, you can start by inspecting your RV’s underside for any gap or hole. You can also open drawers and cabinets and look in every corner and crevice, especially where plumbing and wiring enter the RV. If you can see light passing through, mice can access your RV’s interior. You can fill these areas with silicone or foam.
Maintenance Schedule
Specific maintenance tasks are only required to be performed annually, seasonally, or as often as monthly. But besides that, the best schedule for RV maintenance also depends on how often you use your RV.
RV Enthusiast
If you’re an RV enthusiast, your maintenance schedule will almost be the same as any other vehicle type. And, following the manufacturer’s guidelines for your particular make and model is essential.
As a general rule, you might need to check the fluid levels every 3,000 miles and the brakes, bearings, or other larger components every 10,000 miles. Also, having the air conditioning and furnace systems inspected and cleaned at least once a year is important.
Occasional RV User
If you’re driving less frequently, you might need to inspect your RV once every six months to ensure everything is still in good shape. It would be more helpful to take your RV for a comprehensive checkup before any upcoming road trip.
Starting up your RV every so often is also beneficial. Keeping all of the moving parts running, such as the engine battery, can save you a lot of trouble in the long run.
But whether you’re an RV enthusiast or an occasional user, it’s necessary to inspect the exterior and interior parts of your RV now and then. The key is to have scheduled maintenance on your RV.
Documented Maintenance
Besides proper and scheduled maintenance, a documented RV maintenance is essential as well. If you want to preserve your RV’s significant value, you need to put every maintenance task on paper. A well-maintained RV with a documented maintenance or service history can likely demand a higher resale price.
Keeping good records of your RV maintenance is also vital, especially if your RV has a warranty. Providers of RV loans or any RV financing usually have extended warranty policies. It’s also a good way to protect your RV investment.
But with or without warranty, documented maintenance is essential. That’s why even if there is RV maintenance that you can do on your own, you might reconsider having your RV inspected by a professional service.
Takeaway
RV maintenance doesn’t have to be too complicated. In fact, simple regular cleaning and checking can be a great help to keep your RV in good condition. But of course, there are other maintenance tasks that only professionals or experts can do. In such cases, please don’t attempt to fix it on your own. Else, you might bring more harm than good to your RV.
Author Bio:
Lauren Cordell is a financial professional who gives advice and guidance to her clients on their investment decisions. She helps them achieve their goals by coaching them with the right investment strategy. During her leisure time, she reads classic and poetry books.
