Getting The RV Ready For Storage When The Season's Over
If your first season with a recreational vehicle (RV) has finally come to an end, you may be disappointed but happy to have had such great times in it. It's important for you to know that you can't just hang up the keys and ignore the RV throughout the winter, especially if you hope to have another season of fun. You'll have to clean and prepare the vehicle for the off-season; if you don't know how, keep reading for ideas.
Remove Drinks, Liquids, and Creams
While you may have already removed food from the RV to prevent attracting vermin, it's just as important to remove soda cans, liquid washing soap, shaving cream and other similar products. That's because low temperatures can make them freeze; as a result, there will be some expansion that could end up cracking their containers. Whenever there's a thaw, the liquids and creams could melt and end up oozing out of the cracks. You'll walk into the RV with a number of messes to handle. Prevent all that by clearing out the cabin altogether.
Look for Access Holes
To ensure that small critters looking for their winter home don't choose your RV, do your best to look for anywhere they could creep in and block those access points. Of particular concern is the area where plumbing or electrical lines enter. Look under the RV as well, if possible. Whenever you see small holes, apply expanding foam or caulking.
Protect Water Lines
You don't want any water sticking around inside the water lines of your RV when it becomes very cold; frozen pipes in the RV are as worrisome as frozen pipes inside the house. There are two common ways to ensure water lines remain dry and safe. You can pour some antifreeze into the water system so that any residual water is unable to freeze up. Another choice is to use a small air compressor to push all the water out of the lines; this method might not get every single drop though, so you may still want to add a touch of antifreeze.
Unhook the Battery
To protect the battery and ensure it works next season, it's smart to just unhook the leads. You may want to charge the battery fully before doing this.
Winter RV storage is done easily with attention to the details laid out here. If you're putting the RV in a storage facility, ask them for any additional guidelines the center may want you to observe. To learn more, contact a company like Drydock Depot RV Boat Storage.