In order to ensure that your RV is protected throughout the harsh winter months, you’ll need to winterize its exterior.
Winterizing your RV’s exterior will prevent water from entering through
the side walls & roof of your rig. It will also prevent rodents and
insects festering through openings in your RV’s underbelly. All of
these unfortunate events could potentially ruin your entire RV and leave
you a very unhappy camper come springtime. If these damages don’t ruin
your entire RV, they will cost a lot of money to fix!
Find and repair damages to your RV’s exterior
1. Thoroughly wash and inspect the exterior of your RV using the appropriate cleaners. Make sure you clean off all the pine pitch and debris to keep your RV’s paint color looking brand new for future use.
2. Use a non-abrasive cleaner on the sides of your RV and a dedicated roof cleaner for the roof.
3. Once you finish thoroughly washing your RV, you want to make sure you check all of the following spots for damages:
3. Once you finish thoroughly washing your RV, you want to make sure you check all of the following spots for damages:
- Roof seams and seals
- Vertical seam seals
- Vent covers
- Exterior window seals
- Exterior lighting seals
- Slide-out room seals
TIP:
Cleaning your RV’s exterior will reveal damages you need to address
immediately, because water may enter your RV, and this will leave you
with an unpleasant surprise come spring.
4.
If you find any cracks, tears or damage to your RV’s exterior, you will
need to repair them.
Note:
It is important that you use a sealant compatible with the material of
your RV’s roof. RV roof materials can be fiberglass, metal, EPDM, TPO
or ALFA.
