Did You Know?– Facts from America’s RV Expert
Terry Cooper the Texas RV Professor
Preparing Your RV for Winter Storage
Well you have decided to let the wheels sit idle for a little while. Below is a checklist or a reminder sheet of things you might want to look at before you put your RV away for the winter as you take a break from the highway.
As in all things that are done well, we need a system or a procedure that we need to follow so we do not forget anything. With each coach being a little different sometimes a standard checklist for one make and model may not apply for your specific unit.
The following checklist is to help you develop your own list for your specific RV. This list may not be a comprehensive list but will help you set up a plan to prepare your unit for the cold winter months.
Personally I like to start at the top and work my way down. I prefer to go from the outside to the inside of RV.
Roof Area – Think Safety !!!!!!
Use Dicor or one of the other approved roof sealants. (Limit your usage of silicone caulk. Silicone caulk does NOT adhere to rubber roof material)
Roof patch material can go a long way to seal damaged areas to buy you time so you can determine if you need a roof replacement.
Take photos of any damage
____ Wash the roof and exterior of your coach with non-petroleum based cleaners. ____ Inspect the condition of the roof material. You are looking for surface cracks or the alligator look of the membrane material
____ Inspect the seals and seams. Pay particular attention to the edges and seams on the front and rear of your coach for separations or any scrapes that may occurred in your travels.
____ Inspect around the vents and skylights. A small crack or pin hole here can cause big $$ in wood rot and water damage repairs.
____ Inspect around the TV and radio antennas. If you have satellite look for areas of water pooling. Pay particular attention to the rubber boot that is around the coaxial cable going from the antenna into the roof. Cracks and splits allow water in.
___ Inspect the refrigerator vents and sewer vent caps. Look for damaged or missing components.
___ Repair any damage, cuts or tears to the roof material. Use a good roof repair patch kit to close up roof holes. Be sure to seal around the edge of the patch with a butyl caulk like the Dicor brand.
Air Conditioner – Upper unit(s)
___ Check the coils for bend or damaged fins. A simple straightening of the fins can greatly improve the efficiency of the unit.
___ Check the cover for cracks or damage.
Exterior Walls and Doors
___ Look for evidence of wall damage or delamination.
___ Inspect around the awning rail and support brackets. Pay particular attention to the areas where the lag bolts go into the wall. These areas are places that water comes into the sidewalls and creates interior rot and wall separation.
___ Look for any areas that the awning may be trying to pull away from the sidewall/roof area.
___ Inspect around the tops and sides of the windows and doors. Look for dried or missing sealants.
___ Inspect the gutter rails. This may the time to see if you need to install the scuppers on the ends to carry away the water.
___ Access doors and water heater doors areas. Inspect for areas where the sealants are missing or have dried and pulled away. Water will run down the wall and behind these door frames causing wood rot.
Slide-Out Units
___ Extend the slide outs and monitor their movement. Look for any areas that are dragging or not running smoothly. Apply a rubber seal lubricate – NOT tire dressing or auto dashboard treatments as they will cause the slide-out seals to deteriorate.
___ Inspect for damage and the condition as you would a roof. Slide out roof materials are usually the same as the coach roof.
___ Inspect the corners and edges of the “box”. Cracks and separations allow water to come in.
___ Inspect the trim and gaskets. This is a good time to put gasket lubricate on them. ___ Inspect the slide-out drive mechanisms that are under the slide out. Apply silicone spray on the gear packs and gear teeth rails if your unit has them. Grease is not the lubricate of choice due to dirt and grime will attach itself to the grease.
Nose Cones and Rear Caps
___ Inspect for any crack or holes.
___ Inspect the seams and joints. Sealants may have dried and cracked. The nose cone seals/joints are very prone to movement due to the wind that buffers it as you travel.
Jacks and Stabilizers
___ Look for bent or damaged units.
___ Lubricate the moving parts with silicone spray.
Interior of the Coach
Top to bottom and front to rear inspection. Room to Room.
Now is the time to really look behind and inside of the cabinets and closets for any water leaks and soft spots in the ceiling and walls.
___ Inspect the ceilings and walls. Water damage may show up here.
___ Inspect cabinets and doors. Look for damaged drawer glides, latches and hinges. (Remember that one dragging drawer you have fought all Summer? Now is the time to repair it.)
___ Inspect the cabinets for separation or any water damage.
Fresh Water System
Only use non toxic antifreeze (NOT automotive type antifreeze) – typically you need 2 to 3 gallons for the average coach.
Water heater by pass kit.
Determine whether you are going to use the water pump to pull antifreeze into the water lines or to use the backfill method from a faucet.
Turn off the water heater – allow the water to cool. Think Safety!!!! ___ Disconnect the fresh water city water hook up
___ Open the drain valve to the fresh water tank
___ Open the hot water and cold water drains. In some cases there may be a plug rather than a valve.
___ Remove the water filter cartridge or use canister plug to by pass the filter assembly. ___ Open the drain plug on Water Heater and drain the tank. Flush out the tank so all sediment in the lower sump area is removed.
___ Flush the toilet. By operating the toilet you are releasing water that is inside the flush mechanism. This flushing mechanism is prone to freezing.
___ Disconnect ice maker inlet hose and allow antifreeze to flow out the tube to flush out any water. Then disconnect the outlet hose going up to the refrigerator. Allow water to flow backwards out of the refrigerator ice maker and out of the refrigerator back compartment.
___ Unscrew shower hoses and allow water to drain out. * Don’t forget to drain shower hose of the exterior shower or in the docking station.
___ Open all faucets through out the coach.
Waste Tanks
___ Drain the tanks. Black first and then the Gray and Galley tanks ___ Flush Rinse the tanks with a wand or tank washer
___ Inspect the valve assemblies. It may be time to replace the blade valve and gaskets. ___ From the monitor panel check the sensor probes for correct reading. You may need to re-rinse the tanks to clean the probes. If after rinsing and you still have a problem you may need to troubleshoot the sensors and possibly the monitor panel.
Antifreeze Installation
___ Turn the Water Heater By-Pass valves in position to by-pass the tank so antifreeze will not go into the water heater.
___ Use the water pressure pump or the back fill method now draw the antifreeze into the water lines.
___ Let water flow out of both hot and cold sides of the faucet. Close the each faucet as antifreeze appears.
___ Flush the toilet to draw antifreeze into the flush mechanism. ___ Pour antifreeze down each drain into the P-Traps
Propane System
___ Turn off the DOT cylinders or the ASME tank
___ Remove DOT cylinders if local codes or storage facilities require.
Appliances
Water Heater
___ Should still be turned off from draining, but make sure it is not operating ___ Install wasp screens over the vent
OR
___ Cut cardboard to cover and tape the opening then close door.
Furnace
___ Turn off the furnace at the Wall Thermostat ___ Install wasp screens over the vent
OR
___ Tape over or foil over the inlet and outlet of the furnace
Refrigerator
___ Remove all perishables from the refrigerator ___ Turn off the refrigerator
___ Install spacers to block the door(s) open for air circulation. ___ Install cardboard insert in the air intake of the side wall vent Or
Range
___ Turn off the range
___ Clean the surface area and the grease catch panel under the burners. This will help keep rodents out by removing their food.
Electrical Power Systems
12 Volt DC System *batteries will lose approximately 1 volt per month they sit dormant.
They need a trickle charge whether they are in the RV on sitting on a work bench waiting for Spring.
Option #1 Leaving Batteries in place - * the batteries must remain charged to stay alive
___ Fill the batteries with distilled water ___ Fully charge the batteries
___ Hook up a solar panel trickle charger to maintain the batteries OR
___ Hook up a battery trickle charger that is powered by 120 volts
Option #2 Removing Batteries
___ Fill batteries with distilled water
___ Place batteries on a trickle charger to maintain their voltage level
120 Volt AC
___ Turn off panel box circuit breakers
___ Unplug coach power cord from pedestal power source ___ Cover or store the cord out of the weather.
Generator
___ Clean
___ Start and run the generator to draw stabilizer into carburetor ___ Plug exhaust pipe with tape or steel wool
___ Unscrew spark plug(s) and spray engine fogger oil to lubricate cylinder * this is one of those personal preference issues.
Placement of Coach
___ Place coach tires on plywood sheets or plastic panels to prevent ground to tire contact.
OR * another personal preference issue
___ Lift coach up off the ground to not allow tires to touch
___ Install tire covers to block sun light UV deterioration of the side walls of the tires. ___ Install coach canvas cover over the body of the coach. * another personal preference issue.
Motor Home Specifics
___ Test engine antifreeze strength. Service per manufacturer recommendations ___ Check windshield washer fluid – drain and/or fill with non toxic antifreeze ___ Top off fuel tanks
___ Add fuel stabilizer
___ Start engine up and draw fuel stabilizer into the fuel carburetor or fuel injectors ___ Unscrew spark plugs and spray engine fogger oil to lubricate cylinders * this is one of those personal preference issues.
___ Block exhaust pipe(s) with tape or steel wool
Again, this list is to help guide you as you develop your own Winterization and Storing Checklist.
Good luck and just remember……..
