RV Dewinterization: 11 Essential Things to Consider

It’s rapidly turning into spring and that means it’s time to think about how to dewinterize your RV so you’re ready to go camping whenever you have the urge, and the weather permits. But RV dewinterization is not as simple as just flushing the antifreeze out of your water lines and adding water to your RV  fresh water tank. Of course, clearing the water lines is a critical first step, which we’ll describe later, but there are additional steps in the dewinterization process to get your RV ready for a carefree camping season. To help you through this process, just follow this list to make sure you  don’t forget anything. 

1) Water Lines

Flushing the antifreeze out of the water lines is essentially just the reverse procedure you used last fall when you winterized your RV.

It’s an important process to get your motorhome or travel trailer back into a usable state, but it’s a little more complicated than just hooking up a water supply to your water system and adding water. This process also includes checking all the water filters, flushing water through the shower, sink, and toilet plumbing, checking for leaks and defects, and making sure that all the appropriate valves are open or closed (as needed) and your new filters are in place.

Don’t forget to check the fresh water tank holds, hot water heater, and to test the water pump. Explore additional tips and insights on RV water system dewinterization in our companion article, where we provide a detailed breakdown through easy-to-follow bullet points. Click here to read more!

2) Batteries

Having RV batteries in good working order is more involved than just flipping the battery reconnection switch.

Before doing that you should inspect the batteries. Look for obvious signs of corrosion, check the charge level in each battery, and add water to wet cell batteries as needed, (following the manufacturer’s instructions). If your RV can be connected to shore  power, plug it in and leave it for several hours to restore the charge to full capacity. If the batteries are several years old, showing obvious signs of wear, or won’t hold a charge, then it’s  time to replace them. Defective house batteries will affect multiple systems in your camper, (things you might not even suspect) and on a camping trip, any system malfunction will undoubtedly be inconvenient and aggravating. This is the voice of experience, speaking.

Over the past 25 years of RVing most of the problems we have had (even problems that didn’t seem to be related to the batteries) almost always stemmed back to poor battery performance. If the batteries need  to be replaced, just do it, you’ll thank yourself later.  

3) Roof and Undercarriage

Check the roof and undercarriage for cracks, damage, and evidence of rodent or insect infestation.

Even if your RV was stored under cover it’s still a good idea to get on the roof and  inspect it for damage. It’s equally important to inspect the undercarriage. On the roof look for holes or tears in the roofing material, check the air conditioner and vent covers, and inspect the caulking on all seams. Water damage can quickly lead to dry rot so be aware of the overall strength and condition of your roof and test it for any spongy spots. When you’re inspecting the undercarriage look for loose attachments, sagging floors, or evidence of an infestation of insects  or rodents. 

4) Tires

Inspect the tires and check the air pressure.

Because RVs sit for long periods of time the tires often rot internally before the outside tread is gone. They may appear to be fine on the outside  with a decent amount of tread, but they pose a huge blowout hazard if they’re rotten on the inside.

Consequently, the procedure of dewinterization of your RV’s tires is to visually inspect the tread and sidewalls (look for cracking), measure the air pressure with a tire pressure gauge, and determine the age of the tires. If the tire pressure is low (which is highly likely since it’s been stored for months) then use  an air compressor to inflate them to the recommended tire pressure.

However, these steps to  evaluate the outside condition may not be enough, if your tires are over 5 or 6 years old. In that case, take your RV to a tire professional and have them remove and inspect the tires for signs  of rot on the inside. Even if the tires still have ample tread they could be worn out and need to be replaced. This is not something to be taken lightly. Yes, RV tires are expensive but having a  blow out at highway speeds, could be deadly. Don’t take any chances with this critical safety  issue. It’s better to replace them a little too early than a little too late. 

5) Caulking

Inspect the caulking on the roof and joints inside and out, and replace the caulk, as needed. 

The roof and sidewall joint caulking could become brittle over the winter months so take your time to carefully inspect all the caulk and replace any that is damaged. The outside caulk is a  vital component to prevent water damage, but equally important is the caulk on the inside of  your RV around the shower, sinks, and toilet. Any leaking water anywhere, seeping into the substructure, will eventually lead to mold, or dry rot, or both, and these dangerous conditions need to be avoided. 

6) RV Insurance

If you paused your RV insurance as part of your winterization process, then don’t forget to restore your coverage.

Many RV insurance policies allow you to pause the coverage when your RV is in storage. (On a side note, I don’t recommend this unless your RV is stored in a garage on your property because a lot of terrible things can happen to your RV while it’s in some semi public storage location, including theft, vandalism, and weather damage). But if you did pause your RV insurance, then don’t forget to contact your agent and reestablish your coverage before taking your RV out on a camping trip. 

7) Generator

If your RV has a generator, check that it will start and that it is in good working order.

Most motorhomes and fifth-wheel trailers have an RV generator built into the construction. Generators are a handy tool to have on boondocking trips or in a power outage. But like all small engines they need to be serviced to keep them in peak operational order. Even if you don’t have many hours of use on the generator you still need to have it serviced periodically so it will be available in an emergency or on an outing where no other power is available.

As a side note, some motorhome generators will not start if your gas or diesel tank is less than half full because both the engine and generator use fuel from the same tank. This is a precaution that keeps you from using all your fuel in the generator, then not having enough left over for your trip home. If the generator does not start, check your fuel gauge to be sure low fuel is not the reason for the malfunction. 

8) Engine

Like the generator, if your RV has an engine, then your dewinterization process should include an oil change and a service appointment.

When you service the engine before the new camping season starts it will give you a whole season of worry free camping. It would also be a good time to replace the brakes if they’re getting old and squeaky. Once summer is in full force, mechanics get busier, and it will take much longer to get this work done. And you certainly don’t want your RV to be out of service duringthe peak of the season when you should be having fun, not waiting for service technicians. 

9) Rodent Repellent

Remove insect or rodent bait.

If you used rodent or insect bait as part of your winterization process then be sure to remove during dewinterization. Certainly, in the cold winter months  you don’t want rodents to establish a nest in your RV, so using rodent bait may have been a  prudent choice. But these products are a threat to human and pet health, so every trace of the  bait must be removed from your RV. When handling the bait avoid the fumes and dispose of it in a pet safe receptacle.

Additionally, while you’re busy flushing out the antifreeze, checking the roof, batteries, undercarriage, and caulk, you should also air out your RV by opening the windows and turning on all the vents to pull out any remaining fumes. 

10) Clean the Inside of the RV

Clean the inside of the RV and inspect it for moisture damage, mold, and evidence of rodents. 

Even if you cleaned the inside of the RV during the winterization process it still needs to be cleaned again before taking it out for your first annual camping trip. RVs can get dirty even if  they haven’t been used for several months. While you’re cleaning, use the time to inspect it for  moisture and mold. If you find either, then a more comprehensive inspection, to find the source of the moisture is in order, and you’ll need to clean up the mold and/or repair any leaks.

Also, while you are vacuuming, dusting, and removing cobwebs look for rodent dropping which indicates that you have unwanted intruders in your RV. Check below drawers, in the pantry, in cabinets, and under the sinks, since these hard to reach hidden spaces are popular nesting  sites for these annoying pests. Clearly, you’ll need to take steps to eradicate any rodent or insect infestations before they get any worse or they do any serious damage.

11) Restock

Replace camping gear, dry goods, food staples, and seasonal apparel.

Now the fun begins. You’ve got all the tedious mechanical service work done. You’ve inspected, checked, or replaced batteries, tires, caulk, roof fixtures, undercarriage attachments, water lines, and serviced the generator and engine. You’ve cleaned the inside and verified that you don’t have  any mice or mildew, and you’ve filled the propane tanks, gas, and freshwater tanks.

Now you get to start restocking your RV with all the stuff you removed last fall in the winterization process. If you took your camping and sporting gear out of the RV to prevent theft or weather damage you can restock that now. The same is true for dry goods (beans, soup, canned goods, etc.) and staples like ketchup, mustard, spices, mayonnaise, and barbeque sauce.

Finally, it’s  time to load up all your appropriate seasonal apparel that you’ll need for any spring or summer camping excursions.

And after you’ve done all this, your RV is dewinterized. Now it’s time to turn on the refrigerator,  stock it with whatever beverages and all the food you’ll need for your first camping trip of the season. Then get out a map and just go someplace new and exciting. Your first RV trip of the season is finally here!

Now you’re ready for Dewinterization!

Don’t be discouraged by this dewinterization list! It may seem like a daunting process but it’s worth it. Starting out a new camping season with all the maintenance already done means that you can focus on new adventures and having fun in your RV. However, if all this just seems overwhelming and you no longer have any motivation or desire to get your RV ready for a new camping season it may be time to consider selling it. Selling an RV doesn’t have to be an intimidating process.

All our staff here at National Vehicle are experts in helping for-sale-by-owner RVers get their RVs sold for the best possible price with the least amount of hassle. If there’s a possibility that you are ready to sell your RV rather than go through the aggravation of dewinterization then the best place to start is here. Contact our team of experts to get a free valuation and find out what your RV is really worth. There’s no cost or obligation! And once you know its value you can decide if you want to de-winterize it for another season or sell it.