The Basic Facts You Need to Know About RV Repair –
Whether you are already an avid RV owner or looking to buy an RV soon, chances are you have already had to have repairs done or you will soon enough. RV’s are a great way to explore our beautiful country and unlock your own adventure, but the one caveat to traveling a lot is the wear and tear it has on our pride and joy.
Every year more than 25 million people travel in their RV and for good reason! An RV is basically a heavy vehicle with your home inside, it allows you to travel and see your country with the comforts your home has to offer. However, after driving up and down that mountain range a couple of times, chances are it might need a few repairs. So we’ve compiled a list of some common RV repairs.
Here is a guide on common RV repairs and how to prevent and protect against them. You’ve come to the right place! Let’s get started.
Common RV Repairs
Although we are going to discuss some common repairs you can make with your RV, it is always suggested that if you don’t have experience with RV repair and maintenance, then you should first consider going to a professional RV repair center.
With that being said, let’s get into some common repairs and how to prevent them!
RV Roof Leaks
Roof leaks happen all the time when it comes to RVs. With the constant motion and exposure to the different elements outside, the sealants tend to crack and separate over time.
Needless to say, this can cause some serious damage to the inside of your RV! It can create mold if undiscovered for a while, or leak on to your electrical system and either short circuit your RV or start a fire.
Preventive Care:
- Store your RV with a UV resistant and waterproof cover or inside of an indoor storage unit
- Apply a coat of roof sealant once a year to help prevent leaks from happening.
Plumbing Issues
There is nothing worse than having an issue with your toilet or pump while traveling in your RV. When you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go, and you need that thing to work!
Preventive Care:
- Using too much toilet paper or not enough water can keep it from flushing properly
- Never leave the black water drain pipe open, this causes all of the liquid waste to drain and will leave the sticky stuff stuck inside.
- Using a snake line can usually unclog a toilet easily, however, if this doesn’t work, it might be time to call an RV repair shop near you
Electrical Problems
Doing repairs on an electrical system without prior experience is always going to be a bad idea, you can easily harm yourself and your RV. Unless it’s a simple project, take your RV to an RV repair center. However, there are a few simple projects you can tackle while trying to maintain your RV.
Preventive Care:
- If a switch or panel button stops working, replacing one of these is fairly simple and can be done after watching a short DIY video.
- The outlet boxes in RV tend to wiggle loose after a while from the vibrations of constant travel. These can easily be replaced as well without having much experience.
- RVs typically come with lead-acid batteries, although there is nothing wrong with this, switching to using lithium batteries can make maintenance much easier and they have a much longer life span.
SLIDE OUTS
Although slide outs offer a ton of more space for you they tend to run into a few issues periodically such as corrosion and technical errors. Performing regular maintenance however can help prevent these issues.
Preventive Care:
- Use lubricant as much as possible on your RV slide-out arms.
- Leaks happen quite often with slide-out, checking all the seams and seals before and after all trips should become part of your inspection routine.
- Apply UV-resistant 303 to your slide-out periodically to help extend its life!
RV HVAC
When you’re traveling across the states into all kinds of different weather conditions, having working AC and heat is not just a luxury, it’s a necessity. So making sure this is running is essential!
Preventive Care:
- Replacing air vent filters is a simple job and could be the problem if your AC is blowing air but it isn’t cold.
- Pay attention to your thermostat, if this doesn’t appear to be working properly, then this may be causing your air conditioner to not work properly either and this can usually be fixed with a few simple hand tools.
- If you do need to replace your HVAC system, this should definitely be done by a professional at a trusted RV center.
RV Tires
Hopefully, you won’t ever have to experience a tire blowout while driving your RV, however, they do happen and quite often too. With a little bit of work though, you can help prevent this and avoid spending a ton of money on new wheels!
Preventive Care:
- Always check your tires for damages and their air pressure before and after every trip.
- Provide your tires with a little TLC and protect them with a tire protective lubricant.
- When storing your RV, always use a cover that covers the tires as well, this will help protect them from the environment and extend their lifespan.
RV Life
Traveling in an RV with your kids or even by yourself is a great experience, but accidents and problems do happen. With a bit of planning ahead you can help avoid frustrating experiences and cut down on expensive repairs.
If you do need help with repairing your RV, contact our professional RV center near you and get your RV fixed so you can get back to traveling and experiencing the adventure!
