Keep it clean: Keeping your rig clean inside and out plus a good coat of wax helps keep your RV looking good and will extend the life of the rig. Everything works better clean and won’t wear as fast when things are grime and dirt free.
Tires: Tire care and maintenance is very important for your safety. Before each trip I check several things with my tires. I perform a visual inspection for any defects, imperfections, or anything that looks out of the ordinary. Inflate to the recommended pressure when cold. Don’t forget to check the spare. Try to cover and minimize exposure to the sun.
Safe Water: Ensuring clean, safe drinking water in your RV is important to your health and requires sanitizing your fresh water system. Proper care and maintenance is a must. If your RV has been sitting in storage or has not been used for a while, the fresh water storage tank, hot water tank, and water lines are a great place for bacteria to grow. I sanitize each spring even though we are regular users, and it’s a great time to check the hot water tank anode rod.
Lubrication: Locks, slide-outs, door hinges, hitch… Keep about everything that moves well lubricated. I use an industrial-strength dry silicone lube in most applications.
Tighten: A moving house on wheels is exposed to many movements on each trip. One thing I can promise you is things will come loose. Once in a while, give things a check with a screwdriver or wrench. Anything outside can come off while driving, keep a close eye on these types of items. Inspect underneath for anything loose or broken. Before each trip using my torque wrench, I always check the tire lugs.
Detectors: Regularly check and replace batteries as necessary in any smoke detector that has them and run tests. Check power to any other detector such as propane or carbon monoxide sensors.
Generators: Exercise your generator. My owner’s manual recommends about 2 hours of run time every 30 days with one air conditioner running. Don’t forget to perform the recommended maintenance for your generator.