After coming back from a long road trip in your car or RV you may be needing to look into RV storage or car storage units if you aren’t planning to use the vehicle again for awhile. However, you can’t just put the vehicle into self storage units without any preparation whatsoever. If you are utilizing RV storage, then there are some things you will want to take care of before you put it away for a season. Here are some storage unit tips that should help you out before you have to store your RV.
- The first thing you want to do is make sure the RV is washed and waxed before putting it into RV storage. This will ensure that the RV is protected from any sun rays that get through. It will also make sure that the dirt build up is kept to a minimum. Wax makes cleaning after storage a lot easier to.
- Once the RV is cleaned and waxed and in seemingly perfect condition, you’ll want to look closely at all of the seams and seals and caulking to make sure that there is no cracked or worn areas. Now would be the time to repair if that is the case. Putting your RV into RV storage without fixing these cracks could be detrimental to your finances. If any water damage occurs during the storage period, it could get into the RV through these openings and cause of a lot of money in damages. Once water or moisture gets into the RV it can cause mold and mildew to grow and make the entire RV smell musty when it comes out of storage. If you leave the rooftop vents open this will help as far as ventilation goes without allowing moisture to re enter.
- Depending on where you live, you could have a bug or rodent problem when putting your RV away. In order to avoid any critters getting into the RV, you’ll want to make sure that all openings are blocked off by screens. Rooftop plumbing vents, the exterior fridge panel and the exhaust are great living spaces for these bugs and are always such a hassle to get rid of after they have settled in. Rats and mice are the worst problems because they chew through electrical wires and leave feces everywhere. Make sure that all food sources are gone from the RV before putting it in storage. All nesting materials should also be taken out, even things like soap and paper towels. Steel wool and spray foam are good deterrents also.
- Make sure that all electricity is turned off by using a battery disconnect switch. Then you won’t have to worry about your battery being dead when you go back to pick up the RV. Speaking of batteries, you should always charge the battery fully before it goes into storage so that it will survive through the season.
- The season plays a big part in how the RV is prepped when you’re talking about plumbing. If you aren’t worried about cold weather or freezing then there isn’t a lot to do. Same with if you are only going to be storing for a short period of time like a few weeks. Simply flush the waste tanks and add about a quarter tank of water with half a cup of bleach and run it through the pipes to clean them. If you are going to be storing your RV through freezing weather then you will need to remove all the water from the system and the water heater tank. Add antifreeze as a precaution. Any other liquids that could freeze should be removed.
- You always want to check with your RV insurance company to make sure that you have everything that you need to cover yourself. Most storage lots only cover the minimum legal requirements which is almost nothing.
- Lastly, you need to check your tires. You may think it’s not a big deal since the RV is just going to be sitting for awhile, but it’ exactly because of that that tires must be checked. Storing tires improperly can cause major blow outs. Make sure your tires are up to code and in shape.