Spring is almost here! For us in the upper portion of the country, our rigs have been hibernating either in a nice climate-controlled shed plugged into an electrical source or left outside in the frozen tundra , hopefully with a cover that at least keeps the mountains of snow from melting and trying to sneak into the rig.
We’ve posted articles regarding de-winterizing and exterior maintenance, however, there have been some new materials that have been introduced in the RV industry as well as some new products that will help with maintenance. Here is a list of what I feel are the main items that need to be addressed before you hit the road this summer.
1. Inspect, Clean, And Condition Your Roof
Most RV owners don’t think about the roof until they have a leak inside the rig. “Out of sight, out of mind” is pretty common, and once you see a leak inside the rig, the damage has already been done! Recently, we brought in a 1996 Forest River Salem at the RV Lifestyle and Repair Club to do some renovations, and it had a floor leak. In an RV, there are very few floor leaks rather than floor damage from a leak that started on the roof and channeled down to the floor where the damage was actually visible.
It is important to inspect the roof material for pinholes, cracks, or cuts and tears that would allow moisture to penetrate. Rubber membrane materials such as EPDM, TPO, Alpha System,s and others recommend cleaning with a mild detergent and conditioning depending on the material. Check with your specific material manufacturer.
The most important maintenance you can do in my opinion, is to check the sealant at the roof to the sidewall joint, front cap, and all around anything that is attached to the roof, such as TV antenna, roof vents, sewage vents, and such. All have a self-leveling lap sealant around the edge, but this can get dried, brittle, and crack, allowing moisture to penetrate.
2. Check Your Tires
“The wheels on the bus go round and round”, but only if they are in good shape! Tires are the most critical component of an RV, but they are also the most neglected. Few owners check the pressure every time they hit the road, and most just do a visual check or the thump with a trucker’s bat! If your tires are 10 psi less than the recommended pressure, it reduces the carrying capacity by 25%! Check the sidewall for weather checking, which is cracking due to exposure to the sun, and anything over 1/8” is a failure waiting to happen. A tire may look good visually with good tread, but there are hidden dangers, such as cracking between the tread bars, inside blisters, and age. Check the DOT marking on the side, as the last 4 digits indicate the month and year the tire was made. Anything over seven years is suspected of failure due to heat and component degradation. If the tires are always covered when not in use and the pressure is checked regularly, you might get more life out of them.
3. Check Your Propane System And All Appliances For Leaks
Most RV owners take their propane systems for granted. It either works or it doesn’t, and then they start to pay attention. Spring is a good time to check the LP system for leaks, inspect the DOT Cylinders or ASME tank, and check and clean appliances.
DOT Cylinders are used on travel trailers and 5th Wheel RVs and come in 20lb, 30lb, and 40lb cylinders typically found on bigger rigs. They are typically removed and refilled at an LP filling location,n at which time they are required to inspect the cylinder for rust, damage, age, and an Overfilling Prevention Device (OPD Valve). This is a rectangular-shaped valve and limits filling to 80%.
According to the RV Safety And Education Foundation (RVSEF), DOT Cylinders were originally required to be re-certified after 12 years, then in 2017 it was changed to 10 years but went back to 12 years in 2020 so there is quite a bit of confusion especially since some of the documentation has not been updated. Also, the cylinder must be recertified every 5 years after that, but the NFPA code still shows 7! Here is a link to the article by RVSEF.
ASME tanks on motorized do not have to be recertified, just inspected for rust and damage.
The bottom line is that now is a good time to visually inspect the cylinder for dents, rust, and especially hoses and connections going to the cylinder and tanks, as the rubber can get weather-checked and cracked. If it is over 10 years old, get it recertified.
Checking for leaks can be done the old-fashioned way with a leak testing solution at every connection however, that takes a long time, and there are some new gadgets that make it simple. An LP sniffer like this one is a great tool to verify connections quickly and in a general vicinity rather than at all individual connections. You can find it online or at Home Depot.
An LP Safety product that I came across recently is Gas Stop, which is a 100% automatic shut-off in case of a major leak or regulator failure and is also great for detecting a minor leak anywhere in the system right at the dial on the tank or cylinder. It is easy to install and can also be used to determine the level of LP in the tank or cylinder. Check out the video on our site here.
4. Water Heater Prep and Sanitation
More rigs today are equipped with a six or ten-gallon 120-volt and LP water heater. When you put your rigs to bed for the winter, you drain the water lines and water heater tank and can either add RV antifreeze or blow out the lines with compressed air. In either situation, most RVers drain the water heater completely and, rather than fill the six or ten-gallon tank with RV antifreeze, opt to use the water heater bypass valve and leave the tank empty. If you have a 120-volt/LP model, it is critical that you do not operate the water heater on 120-volt power without water in the tank! It’s easy to do. You bring the unit out, plug it into shoreline power to charge the battery, and check all the appliances and the 120-volt switch for the water heater is in the outside compartment, and you don’t see it. The heating element gets cherry red and shorts out and ruins the water heater. Make sure the 120-volt switch is off or you have water in the tank.
The water heater drain plug is not at the absolute bottom of the tank, rather about 2” above, so there is typically about 2” of water sitting in the bottom of the tank. This is not an issue with freezing as there is plenty of room in the tank for expansion; however, that hard water from the campground source has calcium, rust, and lime that will sit there for several months and can get really skunky! This is a good time to use a water heater flush tool to go into the drain hole and blast out all the junk in the bottom of the tank.
This would also be a good time to sanitize the fresh water tank, lines, and water heater with either a ¼ cup of bleach in 50 gallons of water or the Thetford Fresh Water Sanitizer.
5. House Battery System
If you have flooded lead acid (FLA) batteries, hopefully, you stored them properly and did not let them drain down and freeze. This is a good time to check the fluid level and fill the breather vent in each cell with distilled water. With either FLA or Absorbed Glass Matt (AGM), pull the positive and negative cables off the battery and thoroughly clean them with a wire brush or, better yet, a battery cleaning tool. Reconnect the cables and spray with a protective spray such as CRC Battery Terminal Protector
If you have Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, you should have pulled the negative cable, and since these don’t gas at all, there should be no corrosion. However, it is a good idea to inspect all connections and cables at this time.
And with any battery, give them a good charge at the recommended rate, voltage, and time according to the manufacturer before using them.
About the author: Dave Solberg: Managing Editor, RV Repair Club
For the last 25 years, Dave has conducted RV maintenance and safety seminars, developed dealer and owner training programs, written RV safety and handyman articles, authored an RV handbook reference guide and logged over 100,000 miles on the road in an RV.
RV Repair Club is your go-to online resource for enthusiasts who want quality RV maintenance, repair, and upgrade information – a community where passionate RVers can come together to gather knowledge and share their experiences.
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Lewis C. ~ “I recommend Coach-Net every chance I get!”
Regardless if you are washing a trailer, fifth wheel, or motorhome, step one is to assess and make any necessary changes to your cleaning area. Make sure you have adequate drainage. Park on a relatively flat surface since you will be climbing up and down a ladder. Plus, close all vents, windows, and doors tightly to prevent any water from entering the unit.
Just like with the RV’s surface, use a cleaner that is meant to be used with the type of tire rim. Cleaning tires is altogether a different story as some products do more harm than good to the rubber. Using a mild detergent is the safest route. In addition to washing the rims and tires, use this time to thoroughly inspect your tires for wear and tear.
Opting to wash your RV regularly keeps your home-on-wheels looking its best. It can also help prevent unnecessary water damage or other disasters since you are inspecting the condition of the RV multiple times a year. The dirty truth about keeping your RV clean is simple. Be good to your rig, and you will reap many more miles and adventures than you could possibly handle!
After washing your windows, we highly recommend finishing off the job with a coat of 
