How to De-Winterize your RV
Here is a list of steps to de winterize your RV after storage:
1. Quick Check and Clean
Dust and debris has built up over the exterior and interior of your RV. When you de-winterize your RV, make sure to give every surface a thorough cleaning. The dust and debris can damage surfaces over time and keeping clean surfaces can help to lengthen the life of your RV. While you are cleaning these surfaces, check for any rodent or pest damage. Rodents can wreak havoc on surfaces and pipes within the vehicle. If you find any damage, take the steps to repair it as soon as possible. You do not want anything to impede your adventure.
While the exterior and interior are important, your tires are even more important. Your tires will loss pressure over time and not checking them can be a fatal mistake. Low-pressure tires can result in faster tread wear and blow out. Check your tire pressure and ensure that they are at factory standards.
2. Check under the Hood
The main focus here is on your RV battery. Batteries can lose charge over time and could die while in storage. Connections could get dirty and must be cleaned.When checking your battery, make sure to wear protection. Wear some gloves and safety glasses. This will ensure your safety if the battery is damaged in any way. Before you check the battery, turn off all power in the RV. If you check the battery while there is still power flowing through it you and the people around you can be injured.
3. Clean the Tanks
There are multiple systems that are all working together in an RV. Simply checking on the engine and giving the vehicle a good scrub will not be enough to de-winterize your RV and fully prepare for the adventure of the open road. The water system and waste tanks must be cleaned and working properly. Without those two systems, a long road trip would be classified under cruel and unusual punishment.
To clean out the water system, you must mix a little bit of bleach with water and flush it through the entire system. Colton RV has the more specific measurements needed to clean the system properly. The waste tank check is a bit simpler. You have to check the seals on the waste tank valves. Make sure that the tank is completely empty so you do not have to find bad valves the hard way. Once again, wear safety glasses and protection.
These steps will help you bring our RV out of hibernation and prepare it for the open road. All storage items need to be cleaned and checked before they can leave their storage cave. Following de-winterizing steps are essential to a great summer and even better adventures.
