Five tips to tune up your RV for camping season

RV season is here! Our favourite season of the year. Before we get too excited, we have a few things to do to prepare our RVs for the spring and summer. Aside from routine de-winterizing, your travel trailer could probably use a little TLC if you want to kick off the camping season smoothly.
Here’s a few extra checks you can do to tune up your RV before hitting the road.

1. Run systems
There is nothing worse than getting to your campsite on a spring weekend to discover that something isn’t working. Whether it’s electrical or otherwise, having the comforts of home in your RV makes spring camping a whole lot easier! To play on the safe side, test run all your RV’s systems before hitting the road.
‘ Run the water faucets
‘ Start the hot water heater
‘ Test electrical outlets
‘ Run the generator
‘ Let the fridge cool for 24 hours
‘ Start the furnace
‘ Test slide-outs, pop-ups, and awning

This step also includes checking filters and vents for each system.

2. Needy repairs
Interior: The obvious damages on doors, drawers, and fabrics are easy to spot. Take inventory, and tackle those kinds of little fixes first. It will feel good to check multiple items off your RV tune up to-do list. Your interior will look like new in no time!
Exterior: These damages might go unnoticed, until creepy crawlies come through your vents, or the air conditioner quits. Grab a ladder and check out the entire exterior of your RV. Roof vents and air conditioners are standard accessories to check on any RV. If you have a park model, however, accessories like the satellite dish probably needs a once over. Leave no trace of winter debris.

Another often overlooked problem spot is sealants and moldings around windows, doors, and storage. Dryness and winter temperatures can cause cracks, and cracks mean your travel trailer won’t withstand spring showers. Check the sealant around any slide-outs as well.

3. Check exterior lights and wiring
Don’t forget to check exterior lights: bulbs, batteries, damage, and debris. Check wires for damage, as well as outdoor plugs. Pack a variety of bulb and battery replacements if you want to be extra prepared for the start of the season!
If you will be travelling with your rig, test the hitch electrical connections for working brake and signal lights a couple days before you plan to head out. That way, if something isn’t quite right, you have time to fix it.

4. Good cleaning inside and out
Finally, after everything is fixed, patched, and triple checked, get down to some spring cleaning. Sanitize your water system, including holding tanks and filters. Grab the ladder again to scrub the sides and roof. If your RV sat outside all winter, the groove between the awning and the roof probably needs some extra attention.
Inside, clean to the backs of cupboards and under all the cushions as an extra spring cleanup check. It’s not pretty, but warm, dark places are the perfect home for rodents. Leave all the windows open for the day to circulate fresh air when you’re finished.
Bonus cleaning: Organize the exterior storage compartments to make room for the new toys you collected over the winter.

5. Fill tires and tanks
Filling the tires after winter storage is a must-do for your rig’even if it is permanently parked. Low pressure on parked tires can upset the level of your RV, which affects appliances like the fridge and air conditioner. Low pressure tires on travel trailers’well that just won’t be fun when you notice something feels off on the highway.
Even if your first RV trip of the season is setting up camp at your regular spot, it’s a good idea to fill all the extra tires, water tanks, gas tanks, and recharge batteries as backup.
Finally, you’re ready to go! Pack up the kids, and hit the road.