How to Winterize Your RV

The busyness of the holidays along with the cold and inhospitable seasonal weather makes winter a natural off-season for most RV owners. But if you’re going to put your RV away for winter, there are a few tips that are important to keep in mind.

Below, we’ve listed our best tips for winterizing your RV. These tips will help to keep your RV secured from the elements, pests, and any damage that could occur so that when you take your RV trip in the spring, you’ll be able to count on it being in as good of shape as you left it.

If your RV needs some extra TLC before the winter season, bring it to Broadmoor RV in Pasco, Washington. We proudly serve the areas of Seattle, Spokane, Wenatchee, and Richland, Washington.

Interior

It’s best to start in the interior of your RV when getting ready to store it for winter. Start by opening up and emptying the cabinets. You’ll probably want to keep a few items like tableware or basic camping supplies in your RV, but for now, it’s important to do a quick inspection of the cabinets to make sure there are no holes or cracks through which pests could enter and do damage. The cabinets are just one place where pests can enter your RV and it’s important to check them thoroughly. If you find any gaps or cracks, you can fill them with some expandable foam or even silicone sealant. Once you’ve sealed up the gaps in the cabinets, put whatever items you were planning on storing back into the cabinets but leave the doors open so that moisture and humidity can ventilate better.

Next, remove the batteries from all the small devices around your RV. If these get wet at all during the winter, they can potentially corrode and do damage to the devices. Plus, removing the batteries will keep them from draining energy. Finally, take a moment to defrost your freezer and clean out the fridge. Make sure it’s totally clean and dry inside. If there are any residual odors inside, put an open box of baking soda inside.

Exterior

Many RV owners don’t necessarily have a lot of options for where they can park their RV, but if you do have options, try to find a place that is free from overhanging limbs and branches. If a winter storm comes, these branches can break and fall on your RV, which can cause some serious damage. In areas that routinely dip below freezing, it’s best to park the RV on pieces of wood to give the tires some clearance from the concrete. Frozen concrete can actually damage the tires. Make sure the tires are properly inflated and then cover them with UV covers.

Here in Central Washington, we get a significant amount of snow. An RV cover can be a good investment. When snow builds up on your RV, it can melt and then refreeze. If it gets into any cracks or gaps and then refreezes, it will expand and cause damage to your RV. An RV cover will keep the snow and water off your RV, and it will also protect it from the bleaching effects of UV light.

Water Tanks

As previously mentioned, when water freezes, it expands, and if it’s in a confined space, it will tend to break out of that space. For this reason, it’s crucial that you prepare your RV’s water systems. A non-toxic antifreeze solution added to the tanks will help to keep them from having this problem and will keep the pipes from bursting, too. If you’re going to have people staying in your RV on occasion, try using a water tank heater.

Protecting your RV from the elements during the winter season is important. If you have more questions about RV winterization, make sure to stop by Broadmoor RV Superstore. We’re located in Pasco, and we proudly serve the areas of Seattle, Spokane, Wenatchee, and Richland, Washington.