How To Maintain Your RV While Stationary 

Andy Murphy on top of his stationary RV
Kris & Andy Murphy's family take a selfie
Kris & Andy Murphy's family take a selfie

ANDY & KRISTEN MURPHY

NEW RVER AMBASSADORS

Andy and Kris live full-time in their RV, exploring the United States with their two boys and a baby on the way. Andy works a remote job in software while Kris roadschools the kids. The Murphy family loves taking pictures and writing about their adventures as they go.

Regardless if you RV full-time or want to take an extra long summer RV trip, you may find yourself parked at a campground or RV park for an extended period of time. When your RV is stationary for multiple weeks at a time, there are some important things to check and monitor to ensure the health of your rig. Here are five things to always check if your RV is stationary during an extended or seasonal stay.

  1. Cover Your Tires

    Putting a cover over your RV’s tires will help drastically reduce the amount of UV light that reaches them. UV light can dry out your tires and shorten their lifespan, so it's important to keep them covered, especially if you plan to park in a sunny, dry climate.

  2. Monitor Your Fluids

    What fluids you check will depend on if you have a towable or motorized RV. If you have a towable RV, be sure to check all of your holding tanks, propane levels and any extra gasoline you may carry. If you have a motorized RV, you’ll also want to check your tanks and propane, as well as all fluids related to your engine, power steering, transmission, and brake system.

  3. Check Your Roof Sealant

    Being outside and in the sun for extended periods of time can dry out the sealant on your RV’s roof and may cause leaks and water damage. We recommend getting up on your RV’s roof* every three to six months and checking all of the sealants—this includes your roof’s edges, any air vents, vent pipes, and screw heads. Having some extra sealant on-hand is helpful in case you do find a crack or split. *Always check with a dealer on a safety method to access your RV’s roof.

  4. Regularly Wash Your RV

    Keeping the outside of your RV clean is important for the health and durability of your paint, siding, windows, and awnings. Doing a thorough wash can also help you spot any cracks, holes or scratches that may need fixing. Be mindful that some campgrounds may not allow you to wash your RV at the campsite, so you may have to travel to a car wash or designated cleaning area to do so.

  5. Do A Daily Walk Around

    A simple, easy way to check on the health of your rig is to do a daily, or weekly, walk around. This entails circling your RV and checking on things like hoses and connections, slide outs, tires, steps and stairs, even exterior lights. Things may fall out of place or get stuck due to weather or lack of use, so it’s important to keep a consistent eye on your RV to ensure everything is working properly.

Toy Haulers

Many people think of toy haulers as the wild-child of the RV world.  Sometimes that’s true. While the toy hauler originated as a mobile man-cave complete with diamond plate walls, this popular RV type has evolved into much more. Today you might want to think of toy haulers as open-concept living spaces with multi-purpose utility.

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