Getting Your RV Ready for Summer

Now that it’s beginning to warm up and the weather is calmer, it’s time to get your RV out of storage and get it road ready. But it’s not just as simple as taking it out and driving it around, especially if it’s been sitting there for a few months. But that’s where the team at SMP RV comes in, as our service center is designed to get your RV back on the road with a full system cleaning! Find out how to make sure your RV is dewinterized properly, and what the service center at SMP RV can do to help you get back on the road to enjoy the sights and sounds of the great outdoors as you cruise across the country.

RV Dewinterizing Checklist

Making sure that you’re getting your RV back into tip-top shape is important, and to do that there are a number of things that you need to check first and foremost. From basics such as tire pressure to checking for leaky pipes, below is a checklist of some basic maintenance that you should perform first. 

• Check Tires: Tires can lose several psi worths of air pressure each month just sitting there, and it can quickly wear your tires down if you’re driving on low pressure, and even lead to accidents on the road.

• Exterior Check: Give your vehicle a quick check for water damage, especially on the roof, as well as any cracks or peeling in the sealant. 

• Battery Charges: Your battery can drain even while in storage, and can eventually drain completely if not properly kept up on. Use a simple voltmeter to check if your battery needs to be replaced or simply recharged.

• Water System Flush: Proper maintenance to prepare for winter calls for an antifreeze to be added to the water system to prevent your pipes from freezing, and cleaning your system out before you use it again should be a top priority.

• Water System Sanitizing: Just as cleaning out the antifreeze is important, so is making sure that any bacteria or mold that has built up from months of non-use is just as important. 

• Pipe Checks: While you’re flushing and sanitizing your pipes, it’s important that you also check to make sure none of your RV’s pipes have cracked or become loose enough to leak water and cause extensive internal water damage. 

• Replace Propane Tanks: If your RV relies on propane, then carefully reconnect each tank to the mount. A little soapy water applied to the hose connectors will show if you’re leaking propane by causing bubbles to form. Then make sure you check your propane appliances to make sure that they are working properly.

• 120-volt checks: Just as with your propane appliances, checking to make sure that your 120-volt appliances are still running properly and that you’re not running into a short. 

• Engine Check: Just like your personal vehicle, your RV has fluid levels that need to be checked and topped off such as power steering, transmission, engine oil, brake fluid, engine coolant, and windshield washer fluid.

• RV generator Check: If your RV utilizes a generator, making sure that the oil levels aren’t too low is important as well. Check the exhaust for any signs of damage. If your generator hasn’t been used at all during its time in storage, then let the generator run for several hours, at the load rating stated in your owner’s manual.

• Filter Changes: Make sure that your air and water filters are clean, as they can build up quickly from constant use during camping season, and if not cleaned before put in storage can build up dirt and bacteria.

• Window Checks: Make sure that your windows are opening properly, and the air vents are unclogged. Part of this also means making sure that the sealant on the windows isn’t cracked.

• Safety Checks: Make sure that your RV’s safety devices are working to their full extent. This includes smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, LP detectors, and fire extinguishers. 
• Registration and Insurance: The last step before you go out is to make sure that your paperwork is up-to-date with the DMV and your insurance company.  

Services Offered at SMP RV

If you want to save time, and make sure that your RV is getting the full treatment that you’ve come to expect from your personal vehicle around Prince George and Houston, then trust the service center at SMP RV! We offer a range of packages for you to select from based on your RV and we’ll take care of many of the dewinterizing aspects of your RV’s maintenance and get it road ready in no time. But what are these packages? Below are the services offered, including extra services!

Get Your RV Ready Today!

Whether you’re driving a new RV for the first time, or you spent more time on the road in your RV than you do at your home, SMP RV is here to help you make the most out of your RV. Come in today to our dealership near Burns Lake, or contact us with any questions that you have.  If you have any questions about prices or want to find out more about the different services offered at SMP RV, then don’t hesitate to reach out to our service center today, or fill out the form below!