RV Maintenance

RV Maintenance is a vital part of owning a travel trailer.  Anybody can perform many needed tasks themselves.  There is a lot of good information on the web that can provide help, if you need it.

Just like your vehicle and house, these units require attention to keep them operating safely and from deteriorating.  Owning a travel trailer does come with many of the same maintenance concerns as your house, only this one's on wheels and it's more fun! 

It is a good practice to keep a schedule and log to ensure all parts of your rig are properly maintained and to track the costs associated with RV Maintenance.

Common Maintenance for all RVs

When it comes to maintaining your travel trailer there are several areas that are common for most units. 

A good RV maintenance plan will include annual inspections of the following...

  1. Roof
  2. Floor
  3. Plumbing
  4. Electrical systems
  5. Upholstery
  6. Air conditioner
  7. Furnace
  8. Stove
  9. Refrigerator
  10. Water heater 

It is a good practice check the tires, electric brakes, and all interior and exterior lights, before each trip.  If you do this on a regular basis, you will reduce the chances of major problems occurring while you are on the road.

 Maintenance of Special Equipment

Many travel trailers have extra equipment that requires attention such as slide outs, power jacks and landing gears, automatic leveling systems, and power awnings to name a few.  These are more specialized items that require a trained technician to fully maintain, but there are still some things you can do yourself.  

RV maintenance is as vast as the units themselves.  Every year new items are added to enhance your comfort and enjoyment.  The downside is that it does increase the amount of maintenance required, but what the heck we still love it anyway!

RV Maintenance for Popup's & Hybrid's

Popups and Hybrids have extra considerations when it come to their maintenance.  In addition to many of the items listed above, they also have canvas or vinyl that must be inspected periodically.  

Popups often have gearing to raise the roof that needs to be lubricated on a regular basis and cables that need to be inspected.


Pop Up Travel Trailer

Hybrids have hinges and latches for the pop outs that should be lubricated and inspected for wear, as well as checking the outside casing of the pop outs for signs of deterioration. 

There are lots of things to consider when owning these units.  One thing you definitely need to know is how to use a calking gun:-)

Expandable or Hybrid Travel Trailer

Winterizing

Unfortunately that time of year comes too quick and you have to winterize your trailer, unless you are fortunate enough to live in a mild climate.  

When people mention winterizing a trailer they are talking about either blowing out the water system with compressed air or putting RV antifreeze in the lines.  This is a large part of that.  Winterizing your trailer's water system will prevent any breaks in your trailer's plumbing due to water freezing in the pipes in colder temperatures.

There are other components to winterizing your trailer, such as placing insulation in the roof vents, covering the air conditioner, and covering the entire camper.

  • One very important item, don't forget to place some kind of rodent deterrent for your trailer.  If not, you could have lots of little surprises in your trailer come Spring time.  We all know they are a pest in homes, they are even worse in RV's and campers.  

Covers for Your Travel Trailer

Many individuals like to cover there RV during the winter time, which is a very good idea.  This helps prevent mold and mildew since there is a potential for dampness to seep into the trailer.  Knowing how to properly install the cover will also determine the the amount of protection your trailer will receive.

If you happen to own a hybrid, unfortunately the manufactures don't make one specifically for this type of trailer.   We purchased a cover for a traditional travel trailer to fit our hybrid.  You can say that our hybrid has a lot of growing to do until it fits! Any hybrid owner will have this complication with covers.  Of all the trailers, we recommend this one being covered for the winter,  since there are many places for water to seep through.

Many people use tarps to cover their trailers.  I recommend purchasing a cover that is made to fit your trailer.  Most tarps get blown off on windy days and the trailer gets rope burns which ruins the outside appearance.  Yes they are expensive, BUT you will be thankful in the long run!

Cabbie covered for the long winter

There are many places to purchase covers, such as your local RV dealer or Camping World.  The size of your trailer will determine the amount spent on the cover.  This is an item that is not cheap, but covering your RV for the winter is one of the best things you can do as far as maintenance is concerned.

Written By: Melissa & Scott

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