5 Things You Must Do Before You Leave For Your RV Trip
The excitement of your upcoming RV trip is mounting! You have carefully planned each detail. The campground, the menu and the itinerary. Everything should run smoothly…you hope. Here are 5 important things to do before you leave for your trip.
Sanitize your fresh water tank.
Filling your fresh water tank is a necessity for your road trip. You will love the convenience of pulling over and using your own bathroom. If you plan on boondocking overnight somewhere, you will need water. If you bought a new or new-to-you RV you will need to sanitize your fresh water tank before you use it. It's also a good idea to sanitize the tank before your first trip of the season. Bacteria and mold can grow inside the tank when it has sat unused for awhile.
Turn on your RV refrigerator/freezer 24 hours before you stock it.
An RV refrigerator takes about 24 hours to achieve the desired temperature. Stocking food and drinks too early could result in spoiling, making you sick. If it's not possible to cool the refrigerator/freezer ahead of time, consider placing bags of ice inside to maintain a proper temperature.
Check your slides and landing gear.
A few days before you leave, test your slides and landing gear. This will allow time for repairs if necessary. Another tip is to condition your slide seals. This will lengthen their life and help the slide work well. You can find our recommended product here.
Check your RV battery.
Make sure that your RV battery is fully charged and in good working order. If you want to use your RV bathroom while traveling you will need to use your battery for lights, sink, etc. Sometimes a campground will temporarily loose power and you will need to rely on your RV battery. Please note that an RV battery will not run everything in your camper.
Check the air pressure in your tires.
Always check the air pressure in your RV tires as well as your vehicle tires before you leave home and again before you leave your campsite. This is something so simple and can prevent so much. A blown tire can cause extensive damage to the side, underbelly or back of your rig. It can also injure other drivers.