Recreation vehicles allow adventure seekers to enjoy the comforts of home while exploring and traveling. If you plan to take your camper out for a winter vacation, there are a handful of maintenance tasks you should perform to ensure indoor comfort and dependability on a road trip. Here’s how to get your RV ready for a drive, and when an auto repair shop can help.
An RV Owner’s Guide to Winter Maintenance
1. Check the Battery & Oil
When temperatures plummet, automotive batteries lose cranking power, requiring them to use more energy to start a vehicle. Before taking your RV on the road in winter condition, let an auto mechanic test the battery. If the unit reads 12.06 volts or fewer, the battery has less than a 50% charge and likely needs replacing.
Motor oil can thicken in cold weather, preventing it from sliding through the engine block with ease. Get an oil change to keep fluids flowing smoothly and prevent friction and overheating.
2. Upgrade Insulation
Take unnecessary stress off your RV furnace or portable heater by sealing any gaps around windows, doors, and hatches with weatherstripping. Cover glass with reflective foil and heavy drapes to keep indoor areas warm and cozy.
Install skirting along the vehicle’s exterior to prevent cold air from getting beneath it and traveling up through the floors. Add area rugs indoors to protect your feet from the cold.
3. Protect the Plumbing
Wrap water supply and sewage lines with heat tape or polyethylene foam tubes to prevent them from freezing and bursting. Fill the fresh water tank before you get on the road. Add a small amount of antifreeze to holding containers to keep wastewater from solidifying and damaging the reservoir.
4. Pack Emergency Tools
Pack tire chains you can install in the event that the RV loses traction on icy and snowy roads. Keep a shovel in a storage compartment in case you need to dig stuck tires out of mud or snow. Bring along a candle-powered heater in case the furnace or portable heater malfunctions, and pack wool hats, gloves, socks, and scarves for extra warmth.
Keep your RV in excellent condition year-round with help from Consolidated Bodyshop in Crossville, TN. These professionals provide auto repairs, detailing, and restorations to drivers throughout Cumberland County. They also offer paintless dent repair, ceramic coating, and painting services. Visit them online to learn more about how they can restore your vehicle in the wake of an accident, and call(931) 456-4090 to request an auto repair estimate.