As the weather starts to get colder and colder, you’re probably looking to put your RV away for the winter. Unless you plan on taking it out throughout the season, it’s easiest to lock things up and set it aside until the sun comes out again. But you don’t want to just walk away from it without taking some steps to ensure it’ll be ready to go in the spring.
Pete’s RV Center has provided you with some of the top winterization tips to tackle this very issue. Check them out for yourself and then contact us with any additional questions or concerns you may have. We have locations in South Windsor, Connecticut; South Burlington, Vermont; and Plainville, Massachusetts, with experienced staff who are happy to help all those across New England, including the cities of Manchester, New Hampshire, and Albany, New York.
Locate Your Owner’s Manual
Before you get started, the first thing you need to do is locate your owner’s manual. The tips we’ll give you can work for many RVs in a general sense, but the one place you’ll find specific tips for your model is in your owner’s manual. If you don’t know where yours is, visit the manufacturer’s website where you can usually download a copy of it.
Cleaning
The best thing you can do before putting your RV in storage is to clean it, inside and out. Pull out all items that you don’t want to leave in the camper, including food, and scrub it down. Wipe down the counters, clean the bathroom, and vacuum or mop the floors. Wash the exterior and apply fresh lubricant to all moving parts.
This will also give you the opportunity to look for parts of the RV that may have gotten damaged over the camping season. There are certain repairs you may not want to let wait until spring. If this is the case, contact your trusted service technician and get your camper spruced up before you lock it away for the cold months.
Appliances
Don’t forget some of your appliances will need some special attention. Your fridge will need to be defrosted, which means shutting off the power, or unplugging it, opening the doors, and laying down some towels to collect the melted water as it warms up.
Of course, the best place to check for proper winterization protocol related to your RV’s appliances is the owner’s manual.
Where to Store Your RV
This can be the biggest challenge, especially if you have a big rig and not a lot of space. Of course, if you can store it somewhere on your property, this is ideal. This can be a large garage, barn, or other covered area.
If you have space but no cover, it’s still preferable to pull your RV into your driveway or into your yard if there’s a little bit of space to spare.
You can also look into other options, like a storage unit that specializes in RVs. This will cost extra, but you can be sure that it’s secure.
What you don’t want to do is leave it on the street. This leaves it vulnerable to thieves, no matter how close to your home it is. Not to mention, in many places, it’s illegal to leave a vehicle on a public road for an extended period of time and you risk it getting towed.
For all those repairs you want done before you put your RV in storage, contact our service department here at Pete’s RV Center. Our trained experts will make sure your rig is ready for the next camping season in no time. You can also ask us about some of our RVs for sale if you’re looking for an upgrade. We’re happy to help all those across New England, including the cities of South Windsor, Connecticut; South Burlington, Vermont; Plainville, Massachusetts; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Albany, New York.
