RV De-Winterization Simplified
As the days get warmer and longer, the time draws nearer when you and your family will embark on the season's maiden camping trip. But you can't take your RV straight from winter storage out on an adventure. First, you'll need to perform some spring preparation checks to get your camper in tip-top shape. We've created the following RV de-winterization guide to help walk you through the process.
If you find your RV is in need of parts or repairs after its long winter hibernation, stop by Chesapeake RV Solutions in Chesapeake, Virginia. We’ll make sure your rig is fixed the right way so that you don’t get bogged down by problems that occurred while it was in storage.
Thorough Inspection
If your RV has been sitting all winter long, the first thing you’ll want to do is open it up, air it out, and perform a full inspection. If you plugged up any vents or exterior holes, unplug them. Open up the awning and check for mold or mildew. Open up the slide outs and make sure the slides are well lubricated. Open all the windows and check the seals, making sure they aren’t dry, cracked, or damaged. Look under your RV for dark spots or signs of any leaks. Check your tires to make sure they have the correct air pressure. Let your RV sit with the windows open for some time to clear any nasty smell that may have built up over the winter. Keeping a can of spray lubricant handy will make it easy to lubricate any locks, hinges, and latches.
Plumbing
Once you’ve got your camper opened up and aired out, it’s time to prepare the water system. If you winterized your RV correctly, it’s probably full of non-toxic anti-freeze. This prevents pipes from freezing and keeps the pumps from getting locked up. You’ll want to connect a fresh water supply to your RV and then open the faucets to flush out the anti-freeze. Do one faucet at a time, turning on the hot water tap and then the cold water tap until they are completely free of the anti-freeze. Do this through all your faucets and then add some bleach or sanitizer to your water system. Repeat the flushing process until you smell bleach or sanitizer coming out. Let this sit overnight to fully clean out any remaining antifreeze or bacteria. The next day, flush all your pipes one more time and you’re good to go.
Reinstall Batteries/Propane
When you’re going through the RV de-winterization process, you’ll want to reinstall your batteries and propane. After reinstalling your RV batteries, reinstall the smoke detector batteries and the batteries to any flashlights, alarm clocks, or other accessories. If your RV has removable DOT propane containers, get them filled and reinstall them. If you have ASME tanks, you’ll have to take your RV into a gas station to get them filled with propane.
Check Appliances and Accessories
Go through all your appliances and accessories and test them to make sure they are functioning properly. Turn on your furnace, refrigerator, and stove. Also, check your smoke alarm and flashlights. Make sure all the batteries have a strong charge and the propane systems are in working order. If you find anything in your propane system that seems suspicious, make sure to take your RV to a technician for an inspection. Don’t risk starting a fire or not having functioning appliances.
Once you’ve thoroughly inspected your RV and tested every system, you’ll feel confident that your camper is ready to go. If you find any problems, make sure to consult trained technicians who can take care of your problems.
We hope you liked our guide to RV de-winterization. For more information or to shop campers for sale, head over to Chesapeake RV Solutions in Chesapeake, VA. We’ll be happy to help you with spring preparation and will get your RV ready for the first camping trip of the year in no time. We proudly serve those in Virginia Beach and Suffolk, VA.