Category: RV Help

I was checking around for some basic information on how to determine the age of tires. So in my research I came across this article below which is well worth the time it takes to read it. I usually promote blocking up your rig so as to reduce the sidewall load and risk of fracturing the sidewalls when sitting for extended periods of time. This article coincides with my thoughts on sidewall failure from various other sources.

It also supports my belief that the shiny tire thing coatings may be  reducing the life or your tires and putting you at risk.

Please read this article and you will hear it from people who manufacture tires and not just my opinion on the subject. RV Tire Care

 

I recently teamed up with the great people at Wholesale Warranties Inc., if you are considering extended coverage for your RV, please take the time to get a free quote, you may be pleasantly surprised with all they have to offer.

Wholesale Warranties Inc.

 

Here is a surprising bit of advice that I came across that explains a reaction I would never have considered. Check this article out:

www.doityourselfrv.com/rv-tire-blowout-tip/

Happy Camping

This week is turning out to be a busy week inspecting RV’s for Wholesale Warranties, they are the largest provider of extended warranties in the RV industry.  My part is to make sure that the client and the company are not getting into an RV that has major problems. 

I also check to ensure that there are not any signs of hidden or lurking problems that could show up in a year or more. Doing my best to take care of my customers and their investment.

So with that said, I started out at the end of last week with 1 inspection and one repair on my calendar for this week, by days end yesterday I had a total of three RV inspections to do and the AC unit to finish repairing. 

Today is another day and I’m hoping to add to my list of work to be done for friends I know and those I don’t know yet!

I must also give my friend Doug Groen a big thanks for connecting me with Wholesale Warranties!
Take care and happy camping!

Recently it was mentioned to me that some of my neighbors might like to be able to take a look around their lot and see what the temperature is either inside or outside their shed or RV if it’s on the lot. I have been looking into several devices for doing just that. I am thinking of cameras that are movable and multiple temperature sensors.

The idea here is that once these gadgets are installed, you can connect to them from anywhere you are and see whats happening on your piece of paradise here in South West Florida. So if your are someone here at the trail and have an interest in gadgets like this, let me know and we can discuss ideas and costs. I’m open to other ideas you might have, so drop me a note and we can take it from there.

Happy camping!

 

So there are lots of people who leave their RV stored in Florida during the summer while they retreat to the north to avoid the heat and humidity. But what about the RV, is it ok not to keep at least a high temp setting of 85 degrees or there about to minimize moisture inside and prevent mold and mildew? 

I would love too hear everyone’s opinions on this, cool the rig to avoid problems, or just stock it up with kitty litter and other moisture tapping stuff in hopes to avoid excess moisture and mold growth.

Cool or not to cool.

So the climate plays a role in this also and how good your seals and gaskets on the RV are also play a role in this picture. If everything is in good condition and fairly new, then it may not be such a big deal, but when you aren’t around and it’s closed up, do you really know how good the seals are? 

Yes it also depends on available power to run the ac and your budget. So that aside, what would you do, do you have any stories to share?

Really like top hear from you!
BTW my opinion is if I could afford to leave a rig stored in Florida and be someplace else and I had power to it, I would run the air to preserve the condition of the unit as best I can and minimize the risk of damage and expense of getting rid of mold! 

Well?

I was asked about storing a few items while away from an RV for a couple of months but stored on their own RV park lot.

Where can I keep propane tanks?

Because propane tanks can leak it is never a good idea to store them inside of your RV at any time.  Any area such as your pass thru storage or basement of the RV does not vent directly to the outside. If the propane gas leaks for any reason, it could fill your RV which could lead to an explosion.

If you are storing them while you are living in it the gas could possibly be fatal for you if your alarm failed to operate. always store propane outside, or in a well vented space and preferably away from anything that could cause a spark or open flame that the gas could be exposed to.

How do I store my fresh water, flushing hose and drain hoses while away.

Needless to say it is best of they are clean and empty before storing them anywhere.

For the drain hose, its best once rinsed clean etc. to store it in a large trash bag away from other items, this helps to reduce the risk of bacteria spreading to anything else, and also helps to ensure that it does not get filled with bugs while you are away.

For clean water hoses, empty them, coil them up in a neat coil without kinks in them, then connect to the ends together to help keep critters out of them also.  as long as they are empty and the ends connected together they should stay clean and healthy.

Next step is to store them into a clean area away from direct sunlight which can cause decay of the hoses.

 

 

Periodic cleaning of the return air filters inside your RV can make a huge difference in how well your air conditioners work in cooling your rig.  Without adequate air flow, the systems do not work well, and you suffer from the heat and the air conditioner won’t work as well as it could.

If the filters are removed instead of being cleaned or replaced, you will start clogging up the cooling coils in the air conditioner and in the long run it will mean less comfort for you and a costly cleaning or repair bill. If you don’t know how to clean the filters, get help, it’s well worth the expense.

I have seen where someone out there in RV world is offering custom made air filters that look more like the filters you find in a sticks and bricks home, but I’m not sure they are recommended by the RV air conditioner manufacturers. The likelihood is that these types of filters will block up quicker, and are not cleanable, which means you need to replace them instead of cleaning, which simply adds to your expenses. Additionally, if your RV is like mine, there really isn’t any room in the duct work to properly install or allow for the air to flow through a filter like that.

I believe the idea behind them is to offer the same air quality as a high grade Hepa filter, if that is something you need, then you may wish to consider finding them on the web.  You could also consider any of the many free standing air filtration systems that will do a similar job with the exception that it is one more thing in the RV.

If you need air that clean, I would stay away from the UV style free-standing  units, from my experience they also produce ozone, which is a funky odor you may not like, and about a year down the road you will find that you have to replace some expensive parts as well. So simple is better, and beside which unless it is a recommended health need GET OUTSIDE! that’s why you are RVing isn’t it?  To see all the beauty and wonder of God’s creation up front and personal, this is something that can not be done in your easy chair in front of the big screen tv. Enjoy the beauty, take care of your RV and HAVE FUN!