While most folks loathe the approach of winter, those with an RV embrace the snowfall and freezing temperatures, traveling the country in their RV despite the weather. Vacationing doesn’t have to end in September when you own an RV, as you can go anywhere and take on any climate all while having basic creature comforts and extreme mobility. If you plan on taking on the winter in your RV, you’ll want to read over this list of tips put together by the experts here at Dodd RV in Yorktown and Portsmouth Virginia.
Get Your RV Winter-Ready
You won’t want to take off on your winter RV journey before performing some of these routine maintenance tasks and procedures, as they’ll keep you and your RV safe for almost anything the winter throws at you. Following these tips will help you keep your family warm, safe and happy during your winter RV adventure, no matter what comes your way.
Insulate Your RV
Just as you would want in your home, good insulation is key to keeping your RV warm during the winter. Insulating your RV will not only help keep the living space of your RV warm, but it will also help prevent your pipes from freezing, and the floors from being cold. A well-insulated RV is just one of many things you can do to ensure that you get the most fun and enjoyment out of your winter RV adventure. Here are some great ways to insulate and keep your RV warm during your winter adventure:
- Seal all windows and doors.
- Cover all windows and doors with drapes or insulation wrap.
- Insulate your floors using foam boards or heavy rugs.
- Install RV Skirting.
These few insulation tips will ensure you and your family stay warm during your winter RV adventure. You can even keep most of this insulation on year-round as it requires little to no maintenance and causes no interference. Remember, a drafty window or door means a cold family and depleted propane tank from running the heat. Stay warm and have fun during your winter RV adventure, just keep Dodd RV’s tips in mind and you’ll be fine!
Winter RV Plumbing
Protecting your RV’s plumbing is something you must do at all costs, as frozen pipes and bad plumbing in the winter can result in total disaster for you and your family. Prevent unwanted backups and nasty sewage overflows by keeping your hoses and plumbing warm with insulation and heat tape. Keep your water flowing and protect your RVs plumbing from the elements with this shortlist of tips.
- Wrap your freshwater hose and sewer hose with heat tape.
- Run faucets at a drip to keep water moving.
- Warm your RV’s plumbing. Open bathroom and kitchen cabinets to allow heat to flow over your plumbing.
- Take advantage of space heaters. Use space heaters to provide quick, direct heat to areas of your plumbing to keep them from freezing. Remember to practice proper safety precautions while using a space heater.
- Only dump your tanks when full to prevent freezing.
- Insulate indoor/outdoor connections. Place heat tape or insulation over plumbing or outdoor connections to prevent wind from coming in.
Follow these tips to avoid unwanted plumbing issues on your family’s winter RV adventure, and you’ll have the time of your life. If you’re looking for insulation for your RV, Dodd RV has all you need and more to keep your RV warm and enjoyable during the winter, so visit us today in Portsmouth or Yorktown, VA.
Inspect and Prepare your RV Furnace
One of the best ways to keep your RV warm is to make sure its furnace is running and in tip-top shape. Part of your prep every year should include routine furnace maintenance and inspections, so you’re always aware of the state of your RV furnace. You can easily clean out your RV furnace using compressed air to remove any and all debris, a simple maintenance job that you should perform a few times throughout the year.
If you’re not entirely comfortable performing this maintenance on your RV furnace, the great team here at Dodd RV can help. We have a team of experienced RV professionals and service technicians on staff that can help you with your RV scheduled maintenance and repairs. Don’t go on any adventure before you or the pros here at Dodd RV thoroughly inspect your RV furnace and equipment.
Routine Engine Maintenance
Performing routine engine maintenance on your RV’s engine is the best way to ensure not only a great trip but the performance and lifetime of your engine. If you want the most out of your RV, keep up on the maintenance, including oil changes, transmission servicing, fluid changes, and engine tune-ups. The better you treat your engine, the better your RV will treat you, and the more fun you will have.
Ensure that you have the best trip this winter in your RV, have your engine inspected and winterized by the experts here at Dodd RV in Yorktown and Portsmouth Virginia.
Other Items of Attention
Aside from your plumbing and engine, there are plenty of other components of your RV that need to be checked over before you embark on your winter journey. Create a checklist of everything in your RV and go over it before you live, and make sure these items are on that list to check:
- Inspect stabilizing jacks. These can freeze easily, inspect them each time you leave a campsite. Carrying wooden blocks also helps them from freezing to the cold ground.
- Change Batteries. There’s nothing worse than dead batteries, so go over everything in your RV that operates on batteries and replace them with fresh ones. Also, carry backups just in case.
- Inspect Plastic and Rubber Components. This may seem obvious, but plastic and rubber are especially vulnerable in winter, avoid any headaches by inspecting all rubber and plastics on your RV and replacing them if necessary.
- Remove or Insulate A/C Unit. You won’t need air conditioning in the winter, so make sure to cover your unit up or insulate it against the elements. The A/C unit is a great way to lose heat or let cold in, so make sure yours is properly insulated before embarking on your winter RV adventure.
Make your next winter RV adventure the smoothest it’s ever been by following these simple RV winterization tips. If you need help winterizing your RV or have any questions about traveling in the winter, stop in here at Dodd RV and speak with one of our RV professionals today!
