Winterizing your RV? Avoid These 5 Common Mistakes!
Photo by Frankie under Unsplash License
It’s Time to Prepare Your RV for its Winter Hiatus!
Winter’s just around the corner, and once again you face the task of preparing your RV for its annual hiatus. RV winterization can be tedious, but taking shortcuts isn’t an option. However, if you want to keep your vehicle in the best possible shape until your next summer trip, you’ll need to winterize it properly.
Mistakes to Avoid When Winterizing Your RV
The last thing you’d want is to miss a few essential details while getting your precious RV ready for winter storage. Goodwill Car Donations has compiled the following common RV winterization mistakes that you should avoid:
- Overlooking your RV’s tires
When temperatures reach near freezing, the pressure inside the tires expands, causing premature wear and tear. For this reason, you wouldn’t want to be that RV owner who forgot to winterize their tires. Otherwise, your tires will continue to expand until they eventually burst. Unless you’re willing to run the risk of spending your hard-earned money on expensive RV tire replacements, it’s best to lower the pressure on each of the tires before putting them away for winter.
- Leaving water on the tank and pipes
RV owners should not forget to drain the water from their RVs when putting them away for winter. Water left in the tanks and pipes of a motorhome can expand when the temperature drops. Consequently, the pipes and septic tanks could burst, causing damage to the vehicle and creating a biohazard.
In draining the pipes and tanks of your RV, you’ll want to use an air compressor to eliminate even a small amount of water remaining inside them.
- Skipping the antifreeze
After removing all the water from the pipes and tanks, you should apply antifreeze to protect them. Since antifreeze lowers the water’s freezing point, it prevents damage caused by ice formation. You’ll want to run it through every hot and cold line, including the toilet pipes.
However, avoid using too much antifreeze to avoid wreaking havoc on your engine’s wiring and electrical system. Two gallons of antifreeze should be enough no matter the size of your RV.
- Leaving your RV uncovered
Keeping your RV covered during winter is always a smart idea. The sun’s UV rays in winter can be as damaging as they are in summer. Be sure to cover the tires as well. Doing so will save you the expense of purchasing new tires when winter’s over.
- Forgetting to drain all the fuel in the generator
RV owners often use generators to have electricity. If you use one, be sure to drain all the fuel before storing your RV for the winter. Failing to do so could result in clogging, which would reduce your generator’s efficiency and functionality. Worse, retained fuel and constant clogging might irreversibly damage your generator, requiring you to buy a new one.
Reach Out to the Needy in Your Community!
If you’ve grown tired of winterizing your old RV or if it’s time to retire it, consider handing it over to us at Goodwill Car Donations. We’ll turn your unwanted vehicle into a life-changing tool for the struggling disadvantaged folks in your local area.
We’ll sell it through an auction and use the proceeds to support the life-enhancement programs of the Goodwill organizations serving your community. These IRS-approved 501(c)3 nonprofits are dedicated to raising the quality of life of individuals who are saddled with disabilities, lack of education, job experience, or essential skills, and other limiting personal circumstances, such as being a former inmate or welfare-dependent.
Your local Goodwill nonprofits provide their beneficiaries in your area with job and skills training, employment opportunities, scholarships, livelihood assistance, disability benefits, family support, educational services, financial assistance, and other essential support services.
In return, we’ll collect your vehicle for free no matter where you had it stored or parked in the country. We’ll also send you your vehicle’s 100% tax-deductible sales receipt, which you can use to claim the highest possible tax deduction in the next tax season.
Above all, you’ll experience the joy of knowing that you’re empowering the needy to use their full potential to attain healthy and productive lives.
We accept nearly all vehicle types, including those that are no longer in condition.
For more details about our easy and convenient donation process, visit our FAQs page. You can also call us through our 24/7 toll-free hotline at 866-233-8586 or leave us a message here for your inquiries or concerns.
Photo by Markus Spiske under Unsplash License
Make a Difference Today!
Use your unwanted vehicle to transform the lives of your less fortunate neighbors! Call Goodwill Car Donations at 866-233-8586 or fill out our secure online donation form now!
Last Updated: March 6th, 2023