Last updated on March 5th, 2019 at 04:11 pm
Before you settle into your RV campsite, consider these basic, common sense RV camping quick tips.
- Use Checklists. It’s easy to forget to do something! Roof vents, steps TV antennas, and storage compartments left unlocked are just some of the things most often forgotten.
- Check tire pressure before every trip. The most frequent cause of tire failure is under inflation.
- Emergency Roadside Assistance is worth every penny and can save you hundreds of dollars.
- Consider joining a Discount Camping Club. Depending on your RVing lifestyle it is possible to save up to 50% on campsite fees. Check them out carefully as they are not right for everyone.
- Weigh your rig. Overloading your RV is easy to do as things accumulate. Weigh each wheel separately to balance your load. Learn How to Weigh a Travel Trailer or Fifth Wheel RV
- Measure the height of your RV. Add 6 inches for safety. You WILL get into situations where a building canopy is too low for you to fit. See Always be Conscious of Low Overhangs
- When parking at a curb that the top of the vehicle may be hanging over the curb due to slope of the street. It’s easy to hit a light pole, or tree that’s too close to the street.
- Get a pair of small FRS radios to communicate with each other during parking/backing of the RV and to keep in touch around the RV park.
- Don’t leave the black tank “open”. Only dump black when tank is 2/3 full or more otherwise you stand a good chance of having a clog.
- Are you towing a vehicle? If you tow with all 4 wheels down, you will not be able to back up more than a few feet. This is usually a problem at the worst possible time. Try to avoid situations where you will have to back up. If you suspect you will have to back up disconnect your towed ahead of time.
- When you hook up to a water faucet with your hose, let the water flow for a few seconds to clear any rust or sediment that may be in the water line and ‘freshen’ your water hose. The process also eliminates air in the hose.
- A water pitcher with a charcoal filter works well to take the smell and bad taste from campground water. We use a Brita brand pitcher.
- Most power inverters makes what is called “modified sine wave” AC power. This should work for micro wave, TV, computers etc. but if you are having problems you may want to get a ‘pure sine wave’ inverter.
- Save gray water space by washing your hands etc. outside. If your don’t have an outside ‘shower’ use a plastic milk jug for water and poke a small hole in it. When not washing, plug the hole with a golf tee.
- Don’t buy the expensive RV toilet paper. There are plenty of store brands that will work at a fraction of the price.
- Check for water leaks frequently and if you find one get it fixed promptly. Water is an RV’s worst enemy.
- Save propane by not running your water heater all the time, and turning the furnace thermostat down at night.
- Carry a step ladder so you have a way to clean windows, wash the rig, and make repairs if necessary.
- Consider joining an RV campers club. You’ll find a club for just about every interest, vehicle type, and lifestyle. RV clubs are a great way to meet new RVers with similar interests, and they often organize RV camping outings and trips.
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