Preventative RV Maintenance
Protecting Your Investment
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Performing preventative RV maintenance and having annual inspections can be the difference between yearly routine service and costly long-term repairs. Resealing roof seams, doors, windows, vents, skylights, etc. can keep the interior looking fresh and new. Maintaining RV appliances and plumbing can prevent expensive replacement costs down the road. Our annual RV inspections and preventative RV maintenance are perfect for insuring that your investment is protected and well taken care of taken care of for years to come! Preventive RV maintenance is performed with the goal of reducing unexpected downtime, prolonging your RV’s life, and ensuring a more enjoyable time with your recreational vehicle. Preventive RV maintenance activities may consist of inspections, calibrations, lubrications, adjustments, cleaning, or part replacements.
Keep in mind that many RV manufacturers require you to perform regular RV maintenance in order to maintain their warranties. You should refer to your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule for your specific make and model.
Why Is Preventative RV Maintenance so Important?
Imagine what would happen if you didn’t perform RV maintenance or change the oil in your car. What would happen if you didn’t change the furnace filter in your house? Waiting for your investment to fail is not only inconvenient, but also costs a lot of time and money. It is much easier to prevent the breakdown before it happens. The same logic applies to your recreational vehicle.
No matter what type of recreational vehicle you own, when you made the decision to purchase it, you made a major investment. Like any other major investment there are certain things we must do to protect it. Your RV needs to be maintained just like your house and automobiles. There are two basic types of maintenance for your RV:
Preventive RV Maintenance is maintenance you perform before a problem exists. These checks balances are designed to prevent or identify potential problems that could lead to major issues on your RV. Preventive maintenance consists of cleaning, inspecting, lubricating, adjusting and servicing your RV.
Scheduled RV Maintenance is performed in intervals based on time, mileage or hours. Scheduled maintenance is designed to keep your RV in top operating condition, prevent breakdowns and repairs and to maintain manufacturer warranty. It is essential to read the owner's manual and warranty information in regards to who is responsible for what when it comes to scheduled maintenance. Maintenance that is required by the manufacturer and not performed can void your warranty.
The lack of preventive RV maintenance and / or scheduled maintenance will eventually result in emergency situations and costly repairs. If you don't check the air pressure in your tires (preventive maintenance) the tire can prematurely fail, resulting in an emergency situation.
Preventive RV maintenance should be common sense. A RV is much larger and heavier than your car. If you're going to take a thousand mile trip in your automobile, common sense tells us to check all of the fluid levels, tires and lights at the minimum. Too often we are in a rush and assume everything is fine. In many cases this is why we have unexpected break downs.
An RV requires more preventive maintenance than your car because essentially, it is your car and house combined into one! Before you take your next trip, make sure you set time aside to perform some preventive RV maintenance and inspections to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip!
AC
Air conditioners operate more efficiently and perform best when they are serviced annually.
You want to test air conditioner(s), clean them and replace the filters. Clean filters will help the A/C work more efficiently.
RV air conditioners are not rechargeable. It is important to maintain them properly to ensure they last.
Inspections & Caulking
Preventing water damage is essential to avoid mold and excessive interior damage to your RV.
An inspection is an ideal service to identify what is working well and what requires attention.
Some of the things to look for include: roofs, slide outs, seals, etc. It is important to be aware of voids and cracks in caulk and annually reseal doors, windows, vents, and skylights.
Appliances
Performing routine appliance and accessory checks help keep your appliances running efficiently and ensure trouble-free travels. Optimal air flow is key in prolonging the life of your appliances.
You want to check all appliances, electric and gas, for proper operation: refrigerators, converters, inverters, water pumps, water heaters, furnaces, generators, etc.
Systems Testing
Check batteries, awnings, plumbing, electrical, jacks, leveling systems, generators, etc. for proper function, and wear and tear.
We can provide a thorough inspection and teach you how to operate your unit, or we can provide this service prior to you purchasing an RV so you feel comfortable making the investment.
Bearings
It is recommended that bearings be lubricated every 12 months or 12,000 miles.
Along with proper lubrication, bearing adjustments are essential to the function and reliability of your axles. This is recommended to prevent bearing and brake failure.
Winterization
Winter is hard on RVs. Winterizing your RV is a critical step in saving yourself a lot of headache.
It is important not to let water sit in your RV all winter long. The littlest amount of water left in pipes, faucets, valves or pumps can freeze and damage your RV leading to costly repairs.
Peace of Mind
As RVers, we have driven thousands of miles and we have encountered problems along the way. Being proactive and protecting your investment provides peace of mind and makes traveling more enjoyable. We would be happy to discuss some things you can do to ensure safe practices that can help eliminate down time and frustration. We always encourage products like: tire pressure monitoring systems, voltage regulators, voltage meters, surge protectors, stabilizer/sway bars, etc.
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