Are you getting excited? The third month of the year is “marching” along and it’ll be camping season before we know it. The change in the weather and the singing of the birds and the nearly irresistible urge to clean out the closets means spring is on the way – and our attention naturally turns to the RV and where we’ll be heading this year.
Maybe you did some off-season or winter camping this year, but more than likely, you put the RV carefully into storage last fall and are now simply waiting for the snow to melt enough to pull that baby out. Once you do , and even before that moment, there are several things you should do to get ready for RV season.
- Book your campsites. It’s well-known that you can start booking your sites at national and state parks in Michigan six months in advance of your anticipated camping dates. That being said, you’re already behind if you want to camp at some popular destinations, such as Sleeping Bear Dunes, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and Silver Lake Dunes, among others. Many private campgrounds are already getting full for the season, too. You will probably have better luck if your camping dates are during the week instead of the weekend, and honestly, who wouldn’t prefer being outdoors to being in an office?
- Air out the camper. Sitting for months can leave the interior of an RV smelling stagnant, or worse. Once you pull out the camper from its winter storage, then open the doors and windows, dust off the exterior, remove any debris from the roof (which should have been protected anyway), and taking a close examination of all seals, seams, and zippers. Open the RV completely, including all the slide-outs (also a good test of function) and by utilizing (if you have them) hydraulic jacks. Leave it open for a while. While that’s going on, give any protective encasement a good wash and lay it out to dry before packing it away. A clean cover is a happy cover – and it’s better for your RV.
- Check the tires. If you take care of your RV’s routine maintenance, it’ll treat you just dandy. This includes the tires. Let’s face it, you can’t get anywhere without them and the safety of everyone depends on their ability to function properly. Prior to camping season, and before any camping trip for that matter, you should check the tires for wear and tear, re-inflate as necessary, and grease the bearings. Better yet, rotate the tires.
- Flush out the water system. The majority of RVs have some type of water system, which you winterized last year. now, you need to flush the system out with fresh water until there is no more discoloration. You can further sanitize the lines by adding a quarter cup of bleach (per 15 gallons your tank holds) and run it through the tank, flushing again with fresh water after letting it sit for a few hours. Next, check and run every tap and faucet. Check for leaks. It’s better to know there’s a problem now rather than at a campsite several hundred miles from home.
- Check batteries. Before inspecting batteries, make sure to disconnect any hook-up power and that all switches are in the OFF position. Check all connections, that they are clean and there isn’t any corrosion. Look for cracks in the battery, which could have happened in a deep freeze. Look at the battery fluid levels, too. Make adjustments and replacements as necessary.
- Check propane tanks. Check that the tanks are in the OFF position. Take a look at the hoses, regulators, and valves. If they look to be aging or drying out, replace. Regardless of whether you need to replace something, test any appliance – fridge, stove, furnace – that relies on propane to make sure it’s getting the energy it needs to operate.
- Test detectors. Your detectors might be chirping when you pull the RV out of storage if you forgot to take the batteries out of them. Replace the batteries and test every detector.
- Cleaning time! Sure, you gave the RV a good clean before putting it into storage (didn’t you?), but there’s nothing like a camper that you know is clean from top to bottom. Wipe out drawers and cupboards, wash surfaces and floors, wipe out any appliances, sweep and vacuum. Make that interior squeaky clean.
Now you and your RV are ready for camping season!