According to RV owners, the typical RV owner tends to spend $500 to $1,000 per year to maintain their RV. This is a daunting number that many people may not think about when they buy an RV.
Buying an RV is already a huge investment, not including all of the expenses that come after. This is why RV maintenance is so important to help you save money when it comes to owning an RV.
Many of these maintenance expenses could be avoided by caring for an RV the right way. Keep reading to find out some easy RV maintenance tips to help you avoid expenses later on down the road.
1. Keep the Roof Covered
The roof of an RV is possibly the most vulnerable part of your RV. This is because the roof is often exposed to sunlight and the elements, including rain, snow, and hail.
The roof of an RV is also one of the biggest expenses that you could be hit with if it ends up needing repairs. Without the proper care, an RV roof could cost you thousands of dollars in maintenance and repairs if it is neglected.
You should try to check your RV’s roof several times a year to check for damage or any weak areas. You should also keep your RV covered to protect the roof from being exposed to the elements.
You can protect your RV roof by parking it under RV carports or by using RV garages. These things can help you to prolong the life of your RV’s roof and keep it in better shape for years to come.
This simple trick can make a huge difference and reduce the wear and tear on the roof when you aren’t using your RV.
2. Check the Seals
The seals of RVs are something that you should be checking regularly as you use your RV. This is because RV seals are very susceptible to becoming worn down or letting in moisture.
Seals that become loose or leaky are very common in RVs and can result in severe issues. This can put your RV in danger of developing moisture and growing mold and mildew.
Even if the seals are done correctly, they will degrade over time and need to be maintained. This is a natural progression as you use your RV and as it is exposed to the elements.
To avoid having to deal with water damage due to bad seals, you should check all of the seals of your RV. This includes checking the roof, door, and window seals at least twice a year.
3. Care for Your Tires
The sun’s UV rays can be a huge threat to the tires of your RV over time. UV rays can deteriorate your tires and result in them needing to be replaced much sooner than they should be.
This is another reason why you should try to keep your RV covered in RV carports or RV garages. Storing an RV is a big part of maintaining it and keeping it in tip-top condition.
You should also frequently check your tire pressure to ensure that your RV is safe to drive on the road.
4. Maintain the Water Waste System
Maintaining the water waste system in your RV is very important in helping this system to run as it should. Different types of RVs will have different systems requiring different types of maintenance.
You will need to make sure you are using the right chemicals in your water waste system to keep it running smoothly. Without these chemicals, the water waste system could back up or start to corrode.
These are costly issues that can be easily avoided by maintaining your water waste system and using it the right way.
5. Check Your Brakes
The brakes on an RV are very important as RVs are incredibly heavy vehicles. This makes RVs harder to stop as the brakes have to work much harder to keep this vehicle in one place.
Because RVs are so heavy, this can create a huge amount of wear and tear on the brakes over time. This could result in RV brakes needing to be replaced more frequently than other vehicles.
Part of your RV maintenance should include lubricating the wheel bearings and checking the brakes. If you find that you do need new brakes, you should do this as soon as possible.
6. Maintain the Awning
The awning of an RV is one of the easiest things to forget about when it comes to RV maintenance. Though this can be a huge expense if left uncared for.
The awning of an RV is something that is frequently exposed to the elements as well as many other things. The awning is at risk of collecting moisture, resulting in it growing mold and mildew.
You should check your awning to make sure that it is dry and clean so that it does not start to grow anything. You should also remove any debris to avoid the awning becoming damaged.
Even the smallest tear can become much larger over time, requiring an awning replacement. This can be a huge expense that could otherwise be avoided with regular maintenance.
Important RV Maintenance Tips You Should Know
RV maintenance is a huge part of owning an RV and keeping it in tip-top shape. If you do not maintain your RV, this could later result in costly repairs and replacements.
The good news for RV owners is that these expenses can be avoided with a few maintenance tips. This way, you can keep your RV running as it should and lower how much money you need to invest into caring for it.
Do you want to start taking better care of your RV? Contact us today at Elite Metal Structures for a free quote on an RV carport or RV garage.