While the coldest part of the year is still a couple months away, this year’s winter is predicted to be colder than normal. Night temperatures in the Livingston area don’t usually drop below freezing, but who knows what this year will bring?
Regular RV maintenance is the easiest way to avoid having a costly repair and winterizing your RV is a part of that. Whether you’re preparing to store your RV for winter or taking it on a winter excursion, there are a few steps you should take beforehand.
For Storage:
Before storing, wash RV thoroughly, check tires and lugnuts, and all other areas for cracks or wear and tear. Fix these issues now as mildew, rust, or corrosion will only worsen in storage. If storing your RV outside, buy a tarp of breathable material and consider tire covers as well. If you’re storing your RV inside, a good safety practice is to remove your propane tank. Remove all food and other pershiables and thoroughly clean all surfaces. Check the ouside for any cracks, holes, or openings that squirrels or mice could get through. Preventing rodents from getting inside is cheaper and easier than getting them out, cleaning up after them, and making repairs. Drain all tanks and flush out the black and grey water tanks. If storing outside and not connected to shore power, you should also remove the battery to prevent it from freezing. Don’t forget to reguraly look inside and check on the RV. Any issues you find will be better being fixed sooner rather than later.
For a Winter Adventure:
The easiest way to keep the cold out of your RV is by insulating the windows, entry door, and stairwell to keep that cold air from seeping in. This can be done in a few ways- by making curtains, installing snaps or Velcro around the windows and doors, with bubble wrap, or by leaving towels/blankets in the cracks. To save money on propane, invest in space heaters. Some RVers keep two with them: one for the front and one inside the bedroom. If the temperatures are going to drop below freezing, you should not leave your water hose connected, as it WILL freeze. Also, the bay that holds your water tanks and connections is the most important bay to keep warm. Look for a mini space heater (200 watts or so) to keep these pipes warm. At night, keep your bed warm with a heated mattress pad.