There’s not even snow on the ground yet, and here we are talking about winter. For shame!
But let’s face it – a lot of us are done RVing for the year. We need to start thinking about storing our friend and making sure it is ready to go come spring. If you think that means throwing the cover on and parking it, we’re here to tell you that it is important to put a little more thought into making your RV winter-ready. If you don’t take the time now, you may regret it come spring, when all you want to do is get on the road.
Here are 4 reasons why it is important to winterize your RV (and to do it before it’s too late in the season!):
Prevent burst pipes
Just think back to science class in high school – what happens to water when it freezes? It expands, and that expansion can cause serious damage. When spring comes and all you can think about is camping, the last thing you want to deal with is broken water pipes. In order to winterize your RV, you need to ensure all fluid lines are properly drained and that you have pumped antifreeze through the appropriate pipes. This is important to do in the fall, before we hit below-freezing temperatures.
Prevent damage from mice
It doesn’t matter if you think mice are adorable or terrifying – you don’t want them burrowing in your RV over the winter. Properly sealing your RV and using anti-rodent products that will discourage little Mickey from entering your home-on-wheels will save you a lot of damage and clean up in the spring.
Maintain your tires
Ensuring your tires and wheels have long, full lives is one of your responsibilities as a RV parent. The cold weather can cause damage to your tires that can be easily prevented. For every 10 degrees of temperature drop, tires will drop 1-2 pounds of pressure. This decrease in pressure puts strain on the tire walls. You might want to consider hoisting your RV on jacks to relieve pressure, or at least monitoring tire pressure throughout the winter.
Extend the life of your battery
Batteries don’t do well in the cold. Leaving your battery plugged in or unplugged all winter are equally bad ideas. Overcharging will cause it to lose its charge-holding potential, as will having it discharge at low levels for long periods. Removing your battery and storing it safely and separately will help your battery last longer.
Don’t have time to do winterizing yourself?
The good news is that RV City is here to help you winterize your RV. We are hosting drive-thru winterizing events at both the Nisku and Leduc locations to ensure your RV is ready to camp come spring. You can either book ahead or come early on one of these Saturdays before we fill up:
9 am to 4 pm
September 29
October 13