Summer is all about vacations, road trips, and enjoying the
beautiful weather. It’s also that time when you get out under an open sky, hit
the road, and enjoy your RV to its fullest on your next vacation or camping
trip.
But, as any longtime RV owner will tell you, summer isn’t
all sunshine, rainbows, and full gasoline tanks. Summer comes with unique
challenges for RV maintenance; if you’re not up on your game, maintenance
issues can sneak up on you as the months pass you by. If you want to ensure
that your RV continues looking and performing well, it will help to keep a few
key strategies in mind for preventing damage during the summer trips.
Protection from the
Sun
The most obvious challenge of summer is the sun. It brings heat
and longer days in the summer, but it also brings UV rays that can damage your
RV. The sun causes damage to the paint and exterior of your RV the same way it
can burn and damage your skin.
Keeping a clean and waxed RV is important, especially in the
summer. You want to protect your RV from roasting under the hot summer sun.
These tips and tricks will keep your RV protected from those harmful UV rays:
- Covers.
Windshield and dashboard covers are essential if you’re going to bring your RV
out under the hot sun and still expect to drive around comfortably. This is
especially true during peak hours, when many people park their RV under the sun
to enjoy a lunch break. - Tire
maintenance. Tire maintenance isn’t only important in the winter. Cover up
your tires if you’re going to be leaving them out under a dry, hot sun for an
extended period of time. Sometimes, you can’t even tell there’s tire damage
until you get to higher speeds—which is the worst time to discover tire damage
because chances are you’ll be left stranded on the side of the road.
Storing an RV in the
Summer
Sometimes, you’re going on a vacation that doesn’t require
the presence of an RV during the summer months. In this case, storing your RV
to keep it protected isn’t only recommended; it’s essential.
An air-conditioned storage facility is generally your best
bet. If that’s not possible, you’ll want to leave it under shade—especially
during peak sun hours. Storing it indoors is obviously the best solution; however,
you’ll want to guard it from the sun as much as possible with shades, covering
up the tires, and plugging any holes underneath so that small animals can’t
sneak in when you’re not using it.
If you know how to handle the heat, you should have no
problem ensuring that your RV stays well protected and comfortable even in the
hottest months. All it takes is a little know-how and a few common sense steps,
and you’ll keep your RV in top shape for many years to come.