Are you ready to hit the road? You’ve probably packed your bags, packed plenty of food in a cooler, and taken the time off work, but what have you done to prepare your RV for your travels?
It doesn’t matter if you’re renting an RV on Outdoorsy or you’ve got an RV of your own that’s been sitting in storage, it’s a good idea to make sure it’s ready for the trip with these four tips.
Lube It Up
If you’ve ever dealt with a squeaky car door, you know how annoying it can be. Now consider the fact that an RV is full of hinges, locks, and sliders that can cause real trouble if they end up getting stuck. You don’t want to spend your vacation fighting with a lock that just won’t seem to latch right.
Before you head out on the road, lube up every moving part so that it works perfectly throughout the duration of your trip. Focus your attention on doors, windows, and anything that utilizes a hinge, like tables and cabinet doors. Dry silicon lube works well because it doesn’t attract dirt.
Tighten Every Screw
An RV is built for life on the road, but that doesn’t mean things won’t come loose. Your mobile home experiences a series of earthquakes every day it’s on the road. No wonder things need to be tightened!
The first thing you should take a look at is your awning. Make sure it’s tightened and secured properly. Ladder rungs also deserve your attention. Then, move on to other items both inside and outside the RV the require screws to stay in place.
Check for Cracks and Holes
Make sure everything on the RV is sealed properly. That means taking a close look around the windows and doors, and inspecting the roof.
Not only do you want to avoid the possibility of being overrun by bugs on your trip, you also want to prevent water leaks. They can damage the RV and even cause mold growth, which can be detrimental to your health. Not to mention, mold is a costly problem to fix.
Do a Quick Run on All the Systems
You don’t want to end up on the road and realize that your electrical system is down. Before you head out, do a quick run on all the RV systems to make sure they’re running properly:
- Water pumps
- Generators
- Tanks
- Lights/electrical
- Solar panels
It’s also a good idea to check the voltage to make sure that your batteries are between 12.4 and 12.8. The AC voltage should be between 108 and 130. Check smoke, propane, and carbon monoxide sensors too.
And of course, make sure the RV has had an oil change recently! If you take the time to make sure everything is in good working order before you leave your driveway, you can spend your entire vacation enjoying yourself instead of making pit stops at the home improvement store so you can make annoying repairs.
