We all make mistakes, it’s inevitable. Some of these mistakes can seriously ruin a vacation or cause expensive damage to your RV (Recreational Vehicle). Even experts that have been RVing for years can slip up and make mistakes.
Yet, when you are aware of common things people do or don’t do when RVing, it can help you avoid doing the same thing and potentially ruining your vacation or your RV.
Take a look at some of the things you need to be aware of when you have an RV, no matter what type of RV it is.
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Pay attention to your black water storage
Boondocking is great for the freedom you have to really go anywhere. You have far more choice in destinations when you don’t have to worry about finding a campsite that has hookups.
The problem is that people underestimate how big their waste tank is. And it fills up much faster than they think. Having an overfilled waste tank can spell disaster.
Make sure that if you are boondocking for a while that you expand your RV’s waste tank to accommodate any overflow.
Getting a portable waste tank is essential along with planning ahead to be at a place where you can empty the tank before it overflows.
Don’t use the built-in carbon monoxide alarm
Go out and get yourself a carbon monoxide alarm that you can actually rely on. The ones that come built-in will inevitably go off when you’re low on your battery if you are boondocking and not hooked up.
Then you end up discounting the alarm since it goes off when there is no emergency. This is potentially dangerous, so it pays to have a monitor that is not hooked up to your power and works independently.
Check your tires before every trip
We take out car or truck tires for granted, since they are very consistent. RV tires have a lot of variables at play that make them less reliable and need to be checked often.
They can wear down much more quickly due to being overloaded on one side of the RV over the other, from traveling too fast on gravel roads, and natural wear and tear.
Always check the pressure of your tires before you set out. And take a look for worn threads and damage around the rims. Getting a flat while on your way to your destination can put a big damper on your trip.
Know your range
Understanding your mileage is very important since you are likely to be in rural areas without many gas stations where you can fill up. Check how far you are from the last fill station to your destination to know if you have enough gas to make it there and then back.
In case you misjudge, have an emergency tank of extra gas to make sure you can seek out a few extra miles. Each type of RV has different mileage per gallon as well as different terrain. If you are traveling uphill, you will use way more gas than you realize.
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