After you have invested in your RV dream, whether it be a motor home or a tow behind, you can easily get lost in the euphoria of your new toy and the many wonderful memories that will come from this great experience. Perhaps you didn’t take copious notes during the delivery process or could not find the time to read all the owner manuals that are now neatly placed in a cabinet prior to heading down the highway to explore the new adventures that await you.

We thought it might be interesting to talk with the managers and certified technicians that staff the largest service center in the RV industry to find out the helpful tips that they have for their customers. Their suggestions   will enable you to have many trouble-free experiences with your RV, as well as make sure that you do not spend a lot of time, or money, on repairs that could have been avoided. The insight and suggestions that they provide sound simple, however a large percentage of the many problems these technicians troubleshoot every day are in these areas. So let’s jump in and see what words of wisdom can be found in the service bays and repair facilities here at Lazydays.

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Dust off your user manuals
This one surprised even us, but it is the collective advice of several technicians that we interviewed so we put it at the top of our list when compiling this data. Believe it or not, these technicians feel that only 10 percent of RV owners actually read the collection of manuals that the manufacturer assembles and makes available when they deliver the new RV. It was also interesting to note that the more experienced the RVer was, the less likely they were to pull out the manuals and review them thoroughly before heading for the open road. When you consider the valuable amount of information that can be found between the covers of these manuals, one should be sure to perform a read-through before the need for an expensive service visit occurs rather than after.

Roof maintenance required
Even though many new RVs are being delivered without ladders to the roof, this does not mean that you can just forget about that part of the RV. In fact, inspecting the roof on a semi-annual basis is one of the most important preventative measures you can take to avoid serious and costly repairs that can come from years of neglect. Clean the roof to remove debris and prevent algae from growing. Once clean, reseal around all roof vents, antennas, air conditioners and anything else that has been attached to the roof and sealed. This, too, should be performed every six months. Always be sure to use the proper cleaning materials and sealants for the type of roof (rubber, fiberglass or metal) on your RV. Preventative roof maintenance is vital and when not performed semi-annually it can become an expensive, inconvenient service problem.

Adhesives come and go
Like the roof, but a lot easier to inspect, are the windows, doors, slideouts and storage compartments that can be found gracing the exterior of your motor home or tow behind. Butyl tape is installed by the manufacturer around these openings and then sealed. This deteriorates quickly and short-term window leaks can cause long-term damage. You should also inspect and reseal all adhesives around the gravity fill doors, all compartments and especially the slideouts, where you must check for tears and areas where water can breach the seal and find its way inside your RV. You will also want to check all of the hose fittings and valves in the waste management systems as well as look inside the compartment with a flashlight to check the connections on the dump valves and water fittings. One small crack in the sealant of these systems can cause more than $5,000 in damage.  

Power can be a painful experience
You can’t take your electrician along with you, so you must be mindful of this before you plug in your RV at a campground or RV resort. Never, ever plug your home-on-wheels into an outlet without first checking the voltage coming out of the receptacle. We know it’s exciting to arrive at your destination, but you should always invest a few extra minutes into ensuring that you aren’t running the risk of blowing out your electrical circuits. In just minutes, 240 volts of electricity surging through your RV can destroy thousands of dollars worth of appliances, as well as your entertainment systems. This type of damage is not covered by your warranty and can easily take weeks to repair. One of the best after-market investments you can make to protect your RV is the purchase of a voltage meter, which can be picked up at your local RV accessory store. For maximum protection, purchase a voltage regulator equipped with a surge protector. By doing so, you will prevent damaging electrical currents from damaging your pocketbook. When checking the receptacle, if you detect a problem do not plug your cord into it. Go immediately to the campground office and have the receptacle checked, request a different site, or hit the road once again and find a safe haven for your RVing enjoyment. Our technicians report hearing this type of frightening and costly story four to five times every week.

Generate fun, not failure
The last thing you want to do on a hot, humid day is turn the generator on only to find that it is not working. Generators need to be used regularly so that they will perform at peak efficiency during those critical times when you really need them. A generator should be exercised at least two hours every month with a minimum 50% load placed on it. If your RV is going to be stored for long periods of time, you should drain the fuel from the tank or use an appropriate fuel additive to assure protection. It was interesting to learn that it is less costly and more fuel efficient to turn off the dash air conditioner and run the generator and roof air conditioners while driving. Generators also need to be inspected and serviced annually to make sure they are providing the correct amount of voltage. Don’t let generator failure ruin the fun you have come to expect from your RV. Reading your owner’s manual is critical, especially for anything relating to power in your generator, inverter and chargers.  

Not enough light on the subject
One of the most reported problems from customers, and one of the easiest to correct, is the lack of lights and other 12V accessories working in the RV. Quite often, when asked if the 12V disconnect switch is off, customers have no idea what the technician is talking about, or are convinced that the switch was checked and is ok. They will then drive to the dealership only to learn that the 12V switch was indeed disconnected or in the OFF position. This is something that is sometimes overlooked during the walk-through and something easily forgotten. All manufacturers put this switch in a different area and some travel trailers do not have one at all, so you must take the cables off the battery if you want to disconnect this service. Don’t be insulted if, while talking to you on the phone, the technician pleads with you to go over and turn the switch to the OFF position and then back on again. One of the reasons this is done is because discharged and recharged batteries can kill the connection to the 12V disconnect switch. Even though the switch is still in the ON position, it is actually disconnected due to the low power drain that killed the connectivity. Thus, turning the switch off and then on again is actually required to get your 12V systems working again. This happens quite frequently when the coach is stored for long periods of time.

The more you use it, the better
It is better to use an RV too much than store it too often and for long periods of time. You can’t just shut it down and then go back months later and expect it to start up and provide trouble-free operation. When you put your RV into storage, you must make sure the batteries are full of water and check the water in the batteries at least once a month, refilling them when necessary. You should also put your slideouts in and out at least once a month to make sure their motors don’t freeze up. This will lube the seals and also allow them to get exercised at the same time. Lastly, you should run all LP appliances at least once a month to keep the gas lines operational and the spiders and wasps away.
Below are a few more tidbits of information that can assure you many miles of RV enjoyment. Remember, an RV is a complex house on wheels and there are a number of household chores that must be performed in order to avoid unnecessary repair nightmares.

• Check all appliances at least once a year. Clean the burners and check thermal couplers on  the LP side of appliances.

• Conduct a performance check on all air conditioners at least once a year. Be sure to change the air filters.

• Keep the fins and blades clean on the back of the refrigerator. After each trip, take everything out of the refrigerator/freezer and prop the doors open.

• Flush the holding tanks (black, grey and fresh) after each trip. Use a wand attached to a garden         hose to rinse the black holding tank, removing all debris from the sidewalls. This will prevent bad readings from sensors.

• Understand the amp ratings of all appliances.
   If appliance usage surpasses the 30-amp rating of your RV, fuses will blow.

• Don’t always run the refrigerator on electricity; occassionally run it on LP.

• Always leave enough space for air to circulate around the food in the refrigerator. Unlike a home        refrigerator which takes warm air out, an RV refrigerator puts cold air in and it needs room for the cold air to circulate.

• Use distilled water in your batteries and brush the terminal connections to keep them clean.

• Check tire pressure before and after each trip and check for cracks in the tire sidewalls.

Be sure to read all of your user manuals, not just the manuals for the radio, television and entertainment systems. With these manuals, you can arm yourself with the knowledge needed to do the preventative maintenance now rather than pay to have significant repair work done later. It’s all in the cards. Well, it’s all in the manuals!