Category: RV Living

Buying From RV Dealers – How To Protect Yourself

This article is about how you can protect yourself when buying from RV dealers.

This is an important subject in light of a disturbing trend that’s going on in the RV dealer industry. And we’ll talk about that a little bit later.

But first, I’ll say that RV dealers are a very essential part of the RV buying experience for many.

Because they make things so convenient and easy when buying an RV. You can go through several models quickly and choose the one that fits you best.

They may even be very helpful with your financing, your warranty, accessories, etc. So you can usually get it all done quickly and easily. And that’s a good thing.

Watch my video about how to protect yourself when buying from an RV dealer

Table of Contents

Buying From RV Dealers – A Warning

But RV dealers can also come with a bit of a warning too. So there’s some things you need to know about them and we’re going to talk about that in this article.

However, I don’t want to lump all RV dealers in under one big bad umbrella. Because that’s just not right.

There’s some very good RV dealers out there. Dealers that are very concerned about you as a customer. And they want to treat you right. They want you to have a good customer experience.

Unfortunately though, that’s not always the case. And there are quite a few RV dealers that are not customer oriented. And that’s a sad fact.

These dealers are more focused on their own bottom line than they are on
your customer experience.

A Word About RV Manufacturers Too

But if you’re buying a new RV, you’ve got to understand that if you have issues with it, it’s not always just the dealer’s fault.

The sad truth is that in this industry, there’s many manufacturers whose quality control is not what it should be.

And again, this is not all manufacturers. So I don’t want to lump all RV manufacturers in under one bad umbrella either.

There are some manufacturers that are really working hard to do the right thing. But there are not enough enough of those these days to assure that you will usually get a good new RV.

We keep hoping it’ll get better. But there’s just a disturbing downward trend out there. And it does not seem to be improving from year to year right now.

In fact, it appears that maybe some of these manufacturers have come to a decision. And that appears to be that it’s actually cheaper for them to just send RVs off of the assembly line with issues and then fix them later on.

Instead of imposing good quality control guidelines on the assembly lines before they go out the door. So what happens then?

Well that means we have a lot of RVs going out of the factory with sometimes serious issues. It’s just a well-known truth in the industry.

Buying From RV Dealers – What About A PDI?

So now the RV comes to the dealer. And what does the dealer do with these new RVs from the manufacturer? Well they’re going to tell you that they do a great pre-delivery inspection (PDI) on each RV.

They’re going to tell you that they perform a 400 (or more) point inspection before you get the RV. But the sad truth is that often this does not happen the way they proclaim.

So when you buy your RV from the dealer, it has left the factory with issues. And now the dealer hasn’t really imposed good PDI guidelines before it goes out the door to you.

So the result is that you have this new RV now that has issues. And you own it.

Buying From RV Dealers – Finding Problems

So eventually you’re going to take this RV out on your first camping trip. And no doubt, you are going to be very excited on your first trip in this new RV.

But suddenly you find out that it has all these issues and problems. Issues that you expected were going to be solved before you took delivery.

So you make your list of problems and you go back to the dealer. And you tell them about all the things that need to be fixed.

Now, to most dealers credit, they are going to fix those issues under warranty. I don’t hear a lot of people say that it doesn’t get fixed.

But unfortunately, you’re going to go through a very frustrating process before it does get fixed.

In fact, here’s what often will happen in many cases after you have taken delivery of that RV.

RV Dealers Service Department Delays

At this point, they have no real financial incentive to get you into the service department quickly.

So you go to the back of the line for their service department. Then what happens is it’s often weeks or months before your RV gets all those issues fixed.

Well, now you get it back and you’re excited again! You’re going to go back out camping again, because now you have got a good RV, right?

Unfortunately, many times that’s not the case. There are even more issues that become apparent now. And you’ve got another list to go back to the dealer with.

Why? Because they still haven’t done a really good overall pre-delivery inspection. Or even any kind of inspection at all to find and note all of the problems on the RV.

Instead, they just fix what you find each time you use the RV. So now you bring it back and you go through the same process again.

This means that you go back to the back of the end of the service department’s line again. And finally they work you through for service once more.

So you get it back again and you find even more problems you hadn’t seen before. And unfortunately, this can be repeated many times.

I’ve even heard of people buying new RVs that go through this process for a year or longer. And sure enough, eventually they get things fixed under warranty.

Getting Problems Fixed Under Warranty

So I’m not saying the manufacturers don’t fix these issues. Or that the dealers don’t take care of them.

Of course, some are better than others. But usually it does get taken care of.

However, think of all the frustration, time and energy being wasted. While you have to bring this RV back for service over and over again.

And not having the RV that you really paid for until maybe a year or more down the line.

Now all of this comes back to one simple thing. That a good inspection process is not being done by the RV dealers themselves. And of course, the original problem is the quality control issue at the manufacturer.

And apparently, dealers have caught on that their service department can become a real profit center in these situations.

Because the service department does all the work, they do it under warranty. And they’re getting paid for it.

If it’s a used RV that you bought instead, then they’re probably going to be repairing it. And then you are footing the bill for it.

So the service department becomes a very valuable profit center there in the dealership.

Buying From RV Dealers Can Be Frustrating

Now clearly who are the ones that are suffering in this scenario? Well it’s not the manufacturers. Because the manufacturers are selling RVs as fast as they can put them out there.

And it’s not really the dealers either. Because the dealers are selling them as quickly as they hit the lot.

No, it’s the consumer. It’s the RVer. It’s you that takes it on the
chin because of lack of customer service in this area.

You are the one being put out. You are the one who doesn’t get the product you pay for until months or even more down the line.

How You Can Protect Yourself

Now here’s an important question. How do you protect yourself from this kind of situation happening to you? From being a victim of this whole process? How do you stop that?

Well I feel strongly that nobody should have to buy an RV that has
hidden issues and problems. I just don’t believe it’s necessary.

Especially if the buying public is educated and knows what to do. Unfortunately though, many RV buyers really don’t know what they should do before buying an RV.

They’re just going through the process blindly in many cases. That’s why I wrote an ebook guide on this subject.

It’s called, “How to avoid buying an RV money pit“. And in the guide I explain how to find the right RV for you. And how to establish which RV is going to fit your camping style and your travel style best.

How To Avoid Buying An RV Money Pit

I also explain how a buyer is able to do a pre-inspection on each RV that they see. And this pre-inspection can be done by almost anybody.

You don’t have to be a previous RVer. And you don’t have to have any special tools or abilities.

Just follow the checklist and guidance that I provide in the ebook. And then you will know what RVs are worthy of your consideration, and which ones you can just weed out.

You don’t have to be wasting a lot of time with RV’s that you really shouldn’t be considering in the first place.

Getting An RV Inspection Is Important

Now the ebook guide is very helpful. And I do recommend it highly. But I do not believe that the guide should supplant an inspection by a certified RV inspector. I really believe that is still necessary.

You see, the guide helps you make sure you don’t call in an inspector until they are needed. Not until it’s an RV that’s really worthy of consideration.

So you don’t have to waste money by inspecting RVs that should never be considered in the first place. That’s the purpose of the ebook guide.

Alright, so now you call in the certified RV inspector. And that inspector goes through the RV you are considering for purchase.

Usually, he will come out with a list of issues that need attention. And the list will be sometimes quite extensive.

Then it will be very clear what needs to be given attention to on that RV. What preoblems it has that needs to be fixed.

So now you have a list you can go to the RV dealer with. And you can tell them you love this RV and you’d love to have it. But you won’t take delivery until all these items are covered and taken care of.

Getting RV Dealers To Provide Good Customer Service

Well do you know what happens then? Instead of going to the back of the line, you now suddenly go to the front of the line. Because the dealer
wants that RV sold.

So they’re going to put you in the front of the service department line. They’re going to get all those things fixed all at once before you take delivery.

And this is before you go on your first camping trip in the new RV. So now you get the RV that you deserve right off the bat.

You’re not waiting months or years down the line to get it. Instead, you get it right then.

So this is a way that you can put all the odds on your side. You are essentially weeding out the problem RVs first. And then focusing in on those that will be best for you.

RV Inspectors VS RV Dealers

Now remember too, that certified RV inspectors work for you. See, there’s a problem when the dealer tells you to just trust that they do a great RV PDI.

Well that’s kind of like the fox guarding the hen house. They have the incentive not to take the time to do such a great PDI beforehand.

But when you call in an RV inspector, they’re hired by you. So they’re
working for you.

They’re going to be looking for things to protect their customer. And that’s you. So it puts the odds of getting a usable RV on your side instead!

RV Dealers – A Disturbing Trend

Now let’s discuss another disturbing trend. That some RV dealers are trying to deny RV inspections on RVs that are on their lot.

Why would a dealer want to do that? How does that help the customer?

Everybody knows, especially with new RVs, that quality control is not what it should be. So wouldn’t they want their customers to get the very best product possible at the time of sale?

And if it calls for a certified RV inspector to verify that it’s in good shape. Or find the issues and have them fixed, wouldn’t that be the best for the customer?

What If The Dealer Denies An RV Inspection?

So what if a dealer is denying you the opportunity to have an RV inspection? Well, what kind of dealer is this? Is this really someone that you should be doing business with?

I can’t answer that question for you. Because everybody has to make their own decision in these matters.

But I can tell you what I would do. Suppose I was trying to do business with an RV dealer. And that dealer denied me the opportunity to thoroughly inspect an RV that I’m considering.

Well then, that RV dealer will see me going out the door. And I would not be back. That’s how I would handle that situation.

Now why is that a good thing to do? Well you see my friends, too many RVers have not done this.

They’ve given in to the dealer. They’ve let the dealer set the terms on all of the buying process. And as a result, the internet is filled with complaints from RV buyers.

Things that happened to them as a result of the buying process that they weren’t happy about. Obviously, you don’t want that to happen to you.

So I recommend that you consider seriously what I’m talking about in this article to protect yourself.

How To Get RV Dealers To Change

Also consider this. Dealers and manufacturers are never going to change until they have to. Not until the tide is so swiftly against them that it’s too hard to resist.

Suppose more and more people tell the dealer “I’m not buying from you if you don’t allow me to verify that this is a quality product.” Well, if enough people do that, then you’ll see some changes start to happen quickly.

There will definitely be some different processes that would go into effect in the RV industry at that point.

But the more that dealers are allowed to impose their own rules on customers. The more they can restrict the customer’s ability to get a quality RV. Well then, the more it hurts the consumer. You, the RV buyer.

Conclusion

And let me say this, buying an RV is a serious financial commitment. I mean they usually cost more than your car.

They’re probably the second biggest purchase that you’re going to make behind your house. Some of them are are very expensive too. Therefore we’re not talking about just a few dollars here.

So you need to protect yourself when going through the buying process at RV dealers.

And hopefully what I have covered in this article today will be helpful for you. And has given you some ideas on how you can better protect yourself when buying an RV from a dealer.

Well that’s it for now. Have safe and happy travels my friends. Until next time….

Make Money While RVing – Here Is How You Can Do It

The following is a podcast transcript about how to make money while RVing:

Hello everyone and welcome to the RV inspection and Care podcast. This is podcast number four.

Before we start, let me invite you to please subscribe to my podcast. There’s going to be a lot of great RVing topics and subjects coming up soon.

Click here to subscribe to my podcast

And interviews as well, so be sure you subscribe and don’t miss any of it!

Right now, let’s get along to our topic for today’s podcast. And that is, how do you go about making money while traveling in an RV?

Now this is a huge topic. And there is great interest in this particular subject.

The good news is that there’s never been as many opportunities to be able to work and travel full-time or part-time in your RV as there are today. That’s the great news!

That’s because of modern technology, generally speaking. So let’s go ahead and talk about the options that we have for working as we travel.

Watch my video about how to make money as a fulltime RVer

Table of Contents

Make Money While RVing – Online Work

The first section I’m going to talk about is online work. Because I know what the dream is.

A lot of folks have a dream in their mind about what it’s going to be like when they travel in their RV.

They feel that by working online they can just take their laptop and sit in their comfy chair by the campfire and make money online.

This is while they’re traveling from campground to campground across the country on a never-ending vacation. Well that sounds great, doesn’t it?

I’m sorry to say that it is very rare that something like that actually happens. The reality is that working online can be very challenging.

So let’s talk about the options that we have there. First of all let’s talk about freelancing. What is freelancing anyway?

Make Money While RVing – Freelancing

Well, it’s generally offering your services that you can provide for others on a short term basis. You offer that service to one person after the next.

So here are a few suggestions of things that you can do. Perhaps being a virtual assistant.

Or maybe helping with web design, if you know how to build web pages or websites. Those are great things to freelance.

If you have experience as a programmer or you can code well, that’s a real opportunity for freelancing there.

You see, all of these things are more or less things that relate to technology.

And therefore they don’t require any physical location to be able to perform your service. You can find work online for that.

There’s a couple of websites I want to mention here too. One is upwork.com and the other is fiverr.com.

On both of these sites you can go and advertise your abilities and your skills. And then you can schedule jobs as they relate to your services.

And you can do this as a freelancer. So this is one way to make money online.

Make Money While RVing – Remote Work

The next way that you can make money online is by remote work. Here we are more or less talking about working for a company somewhere.

And the company doesn’t require for you to actually be in a location. They they don’t ask you to come in to work. You can just connect in through the internet.

Well if you can work remotely at home, there’s a very good chance that you can take that work on the road as well.

Now there’s just a couple of things that we just talked about so far. And that is freelancing and remote work.

And they’re both going to require that you have a good internet connection as you travel.

That may sound pretty easy to do. But let me tell you from experience, about one of the biggest challenges that RVers face.

And that is how to maintain a really good internet connection no matter where you go.

But you’re going to have to do that. Because you can’t be out of connection with the people that you’re working for.

Sell Things Online To Make Money

All right, let’s move on to the next thing you could do online. And that is that you could start a business that sells things online.

You could use websites like Etsy or Ebay or Amazon and sell things.

Now there is a little bit of a drawback here. Because to sell things you have to have inventory.

And as you know, traveling with your RV you have to keep your weight down. And space is usually at a premium.

The things that you carry with you then have to be kept in small spaces. So inventory can be a little bit of an issue.

That means that you need to choose things that won’t take up a lot of space. And won’t weigh an awful lot, but you could still sell online.

You also have to figure out a way to ship them as you’re going across the country too.

Now with Amazon you can do something called FBA or Fulfilled by Amazon.

What that means is that you send whatever you have to sell to them. And when the person buys, it then is shipped from Amazon. Meaning that it’s fulfilled by them.

So that’s a way you could do it. The whole idea is that you need to have some product or thing that you sell. And then you need to have a platform to sell it on. And then a way to fulfill those sales.

Make Money While RVing – YouTube & Blogging

Now the next thing that you could do online is you could make YouTube videos like yours truly. And you could maybe make a blog like I do and so on.

You know that’s what a lot of people kind of have in their mind. They say “Hey you know what? We’ll go on youtube! We can head across the country, and we’ll have all these fabulous adventures. Then we’ll make videos about it and we’ll blog about it. And people are going to just follow us like crazy.”

Well, that is a really nice idea. But in practical reality it doesn’t happen as easily as it may sound.

Yes, you can do those things. And yes, there are those who get great results in very short periods of time.

I mean I’ve seen some YouTube channels that just explode. And they have a hundred thousand or more subscribers in a matter of just a few months.

But please let me caution you… that is not the norm at all.

Instead YouTubing and blogging is a long, slow slog in most cases with most people. I’m talking from experience.

I never expected my YouTube videos or my website to just blow up into popularity right off the bat.

And it’s definitely been more of a long term investment in time and energy.

So if you are thinking of trying this type of thing, just make sure that you have the correct mindset.

And if you do, then yes, it is a viable way to make money. Just expect to be very patient.

And expect it to take some time before you’re really being supported by it.

A Caution About Being Self-employed

Now all the things that we’ve talked about so far, are about working for yourself.

It’s not the case with when you’re doing remote work. But these other things, yes you’re working for yourself.

So let me interject something here If you haven’t been self-employed before or just worked for others, there is a whole other facet to this thing that you need to learn about and work on. And what is that?

Well, when you are working for yourself, you are now responsible for the accounting of what’s going on with your business.

All the money you take in, all the money you put out, you now have to keep track of that.

And either you become the accountant or you need to pay someone to do that for you. It’s an expense then.

Also it’s not only accounting you need to learn, but you also need to learn about taxes. Because taxes aren’t going to be simple anymore.

If you work for someone else, it’s very simple to fill out your taxes at the end of the year.

When you’re self-employed though, there’s a whole other thing to taxes.

You also need to learn about things like insurance and licenses and so on.

I’m certainly not trying to discourage you. And I’m definitely not trying to be Duane the Downer on this.

But I am trying to give you reality before you look into having your own business online. Or anywhere else.

Just think about what I’ve just told you. And make sure you’re looking into these other auxiliary parts that go along with being self-employed.

That way you’re preparing well. Not just for the business itself, but for all that goes with it.

Make Money While RVing – Offline Work

Okay now we talked about online ways of making money. Let’s talk about offline work too.

Offline work is something that a lot of people hesitate and hold back from.

But the reality is, you’re probably more likely to get that kind of work on a consistent basis than online work. At least to start with.

Make Money By Workamping

So let’s start with our first option and that is workamping. And what is workamping anyway?

Well, it’s kind of a catch-all term. And it essentially means that as you go across the country you work for short stints for others as you travel.

An example might be doing jobs in campgrounds or becoming part of a campground staff.

There’s a big demand for that. So that’s something you could do. On the other hand, you could also work at amusement parks.

It tends to be seasonal work but it is work that can be done offline. Or you could go to work during the harvest seasons, like the beet harvest.

That’s a a very popular one for a lot of RVers. They get paid really well for a short period of time.

Amazon during the holiday season is another one and so on. Actually there are lots of temporary ways to make money as you go across the country.

You just need to kind of familiarize yourself with the options that are out there. And there are websites where you can find that kind of work.

You just need to put a little effort into finding those sites and locating the options you have. If you are interested in pursuing that kind of work.

Make Money While RVing – Sell Things Offline

Now the next way that you could work offline is that you could once again sell things. But instead of just selling them online, you could sell them offline.

For instance, you could go to small craft fairs, festivals, farmers markets etc. You get the idea. You’ve seen those folks that are selling their wares.

Well, you can make money if you get the right products. And if you promote it the right way, and you’re in the right places. So that’s another way to do it.

You could even combine that with online advertising or selling as well. So it is a way to make money while on the road.

Now let’s move on to two more ways of making money offline while you are RVing. And these are, in my opinion, a little under-utilized.

Become a Certified RV Inspector

One way is to become a certified RV inspector like me. Yes, the organization that usually does that is NRVIA.

Make money while RVing by getting certified as an RV inspector from the NRVIA.
Duane is Certified by the NRVIA

And you can go to their school and take the classes that are needed for certification.

You’ll learn all about how to inspect RVs and they’ll certify you. And then you’re off to the races. This is especially good for married people in my opinion.

It works great for us! Because my wife, Cheri, can do the inspection on the inside of the coach while I’m working on the outside.

Then whoever gets done first can help the other one. So it works very well for a married couple.

Why? Because you’re actually getting two people working at the same time.

So it cuts your time on the inspection in half. And that’s really good.

Now the great thing I’ll say about the inspection process is, it’s a great job to do as you travel.

Because as you go across the country, the NRVIA gets requests for inspections all the time.

And they note where you are in the country. So if a request comes in from your area, then you’ll get information from them.

And then you have the chance to get that job or that inspection.

Making A Full-Time Income On The Road

But don’t expect that this is going to be a full-time income as you travel across the country.

I’m just trying to be realistic with you here. Does that mean that there are no full-time RV inspectors? By no means.

There are some that really do a lot of inspections every year. But they tend to be those that are in an area where they stay in that area.

Usually they’re in an area where there’s a lot of RV activity. Places like Florida, Arizona, maybe Texas and California which have very high RV traffic.

So they can stay there year round and make a full-time living being RV inspectors.

But please do be aware of one thing when you’re on the road and you’re traveling. Especially through these smaller states where RVing is not quite as popular as it is in others.

That is that you’re probably not going to get nearly as many requests for inspections there. At least that’s been my experience.

But on the flip side of that is that we’ve gone all across this country. And we have gotten inspections and requests almost everywhere we’ve gone. So that’s very good news on that front.

Make Money While RVing – Become a Certified RV Repair Tech

Now let’s move on to the next way of making money offline. And this is the one that I think you can do to make a full-time living. It’s also very easy to do for almost anybody.

And that is going beyond becoming an RV inspector and becoming an RV repair technician as well.

Let me tell you, there is demand for this everywhere you go right now.

Now the NRVIA certifies inspectors. But the NRVTA certifies repair technicians.

So you can go to their school and they’ll teach you all about how to repair RVs. Yes, it costs money but it’s an investment in your future.

Now once you are certified, then wherever you travel, you can perform repairs on RVs.

And I can tell you from my experience that I go into lots of campgrounds. And there’ll often be one, maybe two or more RV repair techs in that campground.

From my observation, they also seem to stay really, really busy.

How To Get Business As An RV Repair Tech

You know, you can put a little sign in the front of your RV. Or just put some on your rig itself that says you’re an RV repair tech.

And then you’re going to have people come to you asking about problems they’ve got with their RV.

I see a lot of these techs that spend time going from one RV to the next in the same campground.

But there’s also other ways to get jobs as you travel the country as a repair tech though.

There are websites where you can get leads from people that are looking for a repair tech in their area.

Right now the whole RV industry is exploding. So the repair tech industry is just out of sight.

I think that you can pretty much set your schedule at this point. And you can have as much work or as little work as you wish to have.

There’s so many new RVers out there. And so many RVs that have gone on the road in the last few years, that the work is there.

So if you are ready, you are prepared, and you are certified, you can definitely make money doing that as you travel. And make a really good full-time living doing so.

Now what we’ve covered today is just a few of the methods you can use to make money on the road.

I can’t go on and on though because this podcast would just become way too long.

But the things I’ve covered today are what I feel are some of the major ways that you can make money as you’re traveling in your RV.

Make Money While RVing – Words Of Advice

However, here’s a few pieces of advice. If you’re starting a business, expect it to take time to build.

Do not expect a business to just immediately go boom and you’re going to be making all this money.

I have started a lot of businesses in my life. And I have had them become very successful.

But there’s a common feature from all of them. And that is that when you start them out, it’s the hardest part.

It’s never easy in the early going, so understand that. And that leads to another point of advice.

Economize as much as you possibly can when you are operating your own business on the road.

At the start, yes, you’re going to have ups and downs as your business begins.

So economize, try to cut back on your expenses as much as you possibly can.

And that way when you go into the lean times, they won’t be nearly as difficult to deal with.

When Should You Start Making Money?

Here’s another suggestion. Before you go on the road. You know, before you decide “okay let’s hit the road!” Get your business established first.

Don’t go out there and then begin your business. Get it off the ground while you’re stationary. It’ll be a lot easier that way.

I did that myself. And I’m really happy that I did. I also see other people that have done that as well.

And those that do focus on their business before they go out on the road seem to do so much better as a result of that.

Make Money While RVing – Learn As Much As You Can

Read as much as you can on this subject. I mean just become a voracious reader about ways to make money while traveling.

Talk to others who have done it. Talk to RVers who are making money on the road.

How do they do it? What are the suggestions that they can offer you? What are the things that they can tell you?

You don’t want to make the mistakes they made. And you can learn from those other RVers who have already traveled down the road you are embarking on.

Multiple Streams Of Income Are Best

Here’s another personal piece of advice. I feel like it’s a great idea to have multiple streams of income as you’re traveling in your RV.

In other words, you don’t rely on just one thing to make all your money.

Remember, if you put all your eggs in one basket, and the basket goes down, you’re in trouble.

But if you have multiple streams of income. Or in other words, you’re doing two or more different things to bring in money while you travel.

Then if something gets a little lean for a while, you’re not just wiped out.

You have something else that you can do that’ll help make money in those lean times. That’s a personal recommendation from me.

Make Money While RVing – Stay Open To New Ideas

Also, as you go, if this is something you really want to do, then stay open to new ideas.

There’s a lot of things out there that you’re never going to find out about till you actually get out there and start doing it.

And you will meet new people and learn about new ways to do things. Then you may find something better than what you have started out with to make money.

And if you do, well then that’s when you can begin to make a decision. Ask yourself “do I want to make the switch now or do I want to keep doing what I’m doing”?

The point is, don’t be close-minded. Be open-minded and open to new ideas as you go.

You never know what you may learn about how to make money while RVing.

Conclusion

Well I hope what I’ve covered so far today has been helpful for you.

I tried to share a honest assessment about how to make money while RVing. And ways that you can do that.

So I hope I’ve given you some ideas that will help you think more about making preparations for life while traveling in an RV.

Well, that’s it for now. Have safe and happy travels my friends. Until next time….

RV Safety Tips And Information That Could Save Your Life

In this article we’re going to be talking about a very important subject. And that is RV safety tips.

And we’ll cover items and procedures that can save your life.

Now I know that there’s a lot of folks that are a little hesitant to talk about safety issues.

Either it kind of bores them or they may feel a little uncomfortable talking about things that could possibly happen.

But as RV inspectors, it’s amazing how often RV safety items are not getting the attention that they deserve.

Maybe the owner is taking care of all the other items that are mechanical. Or maybe they are maintaining all of the RV appliances.

But very often they are not thinking about the safety items in the RV. And that’s really not a good thing to do.

Watch my video about the best RV safety tips

Table of Contents

Why Talking About RV Safety Is Important

You know, most of my articles and videos are usually about how to save money with RVing.

Or how to make your time spent RVing more enjoyable and that kind of thing.

But this article’s information is some of the most important that I can share with you.

And that’s because I’m really not going to be talking about saving money in this article. Instead, I’m going to be talking about saving lives.

So this is very, very important information to consider.

RV Safety Hazards When RVing

Now there’s several things that could become issues that can arise around an RV. And the first that could become very hazardous is fire!

I mean that could happen anywhere, almost wherever we go in an RV.

But you also have to be careful about inhaling too much LP or propane. That’s because propane is a big part of RV living for the most part.

You also need to be concerned about inhaling too much carbon monoxide as well.

Carbon monoxide is formed whenever there’s combustion of any kind of fuel.

And because there’s usually a few different kinds of fuels on an RV, there is the possibility of that being an issue.

Also there’s the whole subject of road safety. As you know going down the road, there’s the possibility of a tire blow out.

And that could cause a loss of control or you could get in an accident, things along that line.

So clearly there are hazards that we need to be aware of and that we need to prepare for.

And that’s what we’re going to talk about in this article. Ways to prepare so that we don’t get into a major issue and problem.

Or if a major incident does unfortunately develop, we know exactly how to handle it when it happens.

RV Safety Tips #1 – Smoke Detectors

Now the first thing we want to talk about is fire safety. And with fire safety, the first line of defense really is your smoke detectors.

So, along that line many wonder how many should you have?

Well for us, we have a 40-foot motorhome and I’m not comfortable with just one. We have one in the front and one in the back.

There is one important thing to note here. And that is no matter how many you have, you need to make sure that they’re not only there.

But you’ve also got to make sure they’re actually working and functioning.

To do that there’s usually a test button on it somewhere. So when you press the test button, you are making sure that the power is available for that smoke detector to actually work.

Now if it does not test as working, usually it’s just a battery or maybe a couple of batteries.

And if they need to be replaced, replace them right away!

Smoke detectors do no good if they don’t have the power to actually be able to function.

Now the other thing is, you need to make sure that smoke detectors are not out of date.

And it’s generally recognized that there’s a 10-year life span for most smoke detectors.

However, make sure that you consult the manufacturer for the ones that you have and follow their directions.

Generally speaking, in most cases it’ll be about a 10 year life span. And if they’re beyond that, don’t take the chance, just get rid of them.

Get some new ones. They’re not that expensive anyway, and once again, it’s really about saving your life.

RV Safety Tips #2 – Fire Extinguishers

Now the next line of defense on fire safety is fire extinguishers. If a fire breaks out, you want to be able to curtail it as quickly as possible.

The number one place to have a fire extinguisher is right by the entry door to the RV.

And that’s where you’ll notice almost all manufacturers put them, right by that front door. Why?

Well because that enables you to use the fire extinguisher both inside and outside. It’s quickly accessed for either place.

But now once again, if you have a bigger RV, you may consider having more than just one.

For instance, we have three fire extinguishers in our RV. There’s one by the front door and we have one in the very back closet too.

But we also have one right in the middle of the RV underneath the sink.

The point is to make sure you have a fire extinguisher that’s easily available to you.

And that you can access it within just a few steps from anywhere you may be in the RV.

But, as with smoke detectors, you need to make sure that these fire extinguishers are not out of date.

Generally speaking, most fire extinguishers are out of date after 12 years.

However, once again, make sure that you follow the manufacturer guidelines on that extinguisher. And if it needs replacing, replace it immediately! Again, lives are at stake!

RV Safety Tips #3 – Exit Windows

Now there is a third point we want to make about fire safety. And this is one that I see a lot of folks do not follow.

They may be good about smoke alarms and great about fire extinguishers. But they don’t know where their exit windows are in the RV.

You know we all generally think, if a fire happens I’ll just run out the door. But what if there’s a fire by the door?

Well that makes things a lot more difficult. So manufacturers of RVs usually place an exit window somewhere.

This is a window that is easily removed. And one where it’s big enough that you can actually get out of your RV.

For us, in our RV, we have two of them. So, you need to know where they are. How do you do that?

They’re very often actually labeled and say “exit window” on them.

Or another dead giveaway is red levers on that window. If you see red levers where you pull them to push the window out, that’s usually where your exit window is.

So know where they are! And make sure everyone who’s going to be traveling with you in your RV knows where they are as well.

Again, it could really save a life!

RV Safety Tips #4 – LP Detectors

All right, let’s move along now from fire safety to LP or propane safety.

The RV manufacturers usually put an LP detector on every single RV out there.

You’ll find them usually kind of low to the ground in the RV. The reason for that is because propane often stays low to the ground.

And since it stays in a lower area, they put it down closer to the floor. Usually it’s on a wall or maybe a cabinet.

But it’s often going to be within about a foot or two from the floor. And when you find it, once again there’s a test button.

Usually that test button allows you to make sure that the detector has power, and it’s actually able to function.

If it’s functioning, the next step is to take the screws off. There’s usually one on each side of the detector.

After taking those off, then pull the detector out and look on the back plate.

And what you’re often going to find there is the manufacture date of that detector.

Now this is important because you don’t want one that’s beyond its lifespan.

Typically LP detectors are designed only to last for about five years.

Once again, check the manufacturer guidelines for the one you have. But most are around five years.

If it is beyond its lifespan, take that one out and get another one in there right away.

Is Your LP Detector Actually Detecting LP?

Now there is one more thing to do. So far, you have made sure you’ve got a current LP detector. And you made sure that it’s got power coming into it.

But all of this still doesn’t tell you if it’s actually working . So here is what I do to test a LP detector while I’m inspecting an RV.

It’s a little trick that inspectors like to use to test LP detectors. It helps make sure that they’re actually detecting LP gas like they should.

All you need to do is use a little butane lighter which is a very common thing to purchase.

First you pull the trigger and ignite the flame. After the flame is lit, while still keeping the trigger depressed, blow out the flame.

Now because the trigger is still depressed, there’s a little bit of butane that’s coming out of the end.

All you need to do then, is put the end of the torch down by the sensor of the LP detector.

It’ll still be emitting that little bit of butane. And usually within two to three minutes the detector will pick up on it and it will sound the alarm.

If it does, then you know everything’s working the way it should. Now if it doesn’t, have it examined by a qualified RV technician or just go ahead and replace it.

You don’t want an LP detector that does not detect. So this is a little trick that RV inspectors use to make sure that LP detectors are actually working.

So there you have it for LP safety. Make sure that you’ve got a current detector. And that it has power, and that it is actually detecting LP or propane properly.

RV Safety Tips #5 – Propane Leaks

Now next on our list is that we want to check for LP leaks too. You can forestall a lot of problems if you know that a leak is starting to happen.

So look for wherever there’s some kind of connection for the propane line coming out of the tanks. For instance, maybe going into the hot water heater or the furnace.

Or wherever else you find an LP line that has a connection.

Then get some soapy water that will allow you to be able to test those connections. Or there’s also solutions that are actually sold on Amazon for that purpose.

Now you never want to test those connections with any kind of flame. But what you can do is take that soapy water and spray it on the connection.

Initially you’re going to see some bubbling take place just from the soap that’s in the water. But that’ll fade very quickly.

Then before the water in the soapy solution actually evaporates, look for bubbles.

See if you see any bubbles happening while there’s still solution on there after that initial bubble up.

If you do, there’s a leak there. And that’s something that needs to be addressed right away by a qualified RV technician.

All right, so we’ve covered LP safety. Now let’s move along to talk about carbon monoxide detectors.

Why Carbon Monoxide Is Dangerous In An RV

We mentioned before that carbon monoxide takes place whenever there’s any combustion of fuel.

Well often, especially if you have a motorhome, you’re going to have a few sources of combustion.

Number one, you have your engine. So the engine itself is combusting fuel as it’s moving down the road.

Also, you could have other kinds of things running that could produce carbon monoxide.

You could have carbon monoxide being formed by your generator when it’s running.

Or by the propane that’s being used by your hot water heater or by your furnace.

All of these are things that can create carbon monoxide. And if you aren’t careful, sometimes these items may not be working like they should.

So some carbon monoxide can begin to build up inside in the living area and could be lethal to you.

RV Safety Tips #6 – Carbon Monoxide Detectors

So you need carbon monoxide detectors or “CO detectors” to warn you.

Now in order to do that you’ve got to have enough for the size of your RV. They’re similar to smoke detectors in that respect.

You need to have enough for your RV’s size. And once again, make sure they’re not expired.

When it comes to CO detectors, it’s generally a five year life span. But again, check with the manufacturer of the one that you have and follow their guidelines.

And make sure that you test them to verify that they’re actually working. You want to be sure that they have some kind of power going to them.

And if batteries need to be replaced, go ahead and do that immediately.

With CO detectors and smoke detectors, they need to be RV approved too.

So don’t go down to Home Depot and buy ones that are used in residential homes to put in your RV.

You really need RV approved smoke detectors and CO detectors.

Now sometimes the CO detector will be combined with the LP detector.

But if it’s not in your LP detector, make sure you have a separate CO detector.

RV Safety Tips #7 – Your Tires

So far, we’ve covered a lot of RV safety topics. Now let’s shift gears a little bit to start talking about road safety.

This is an area where I often see more problems than almost anywhere else. There are many RVs on the road not being handled safely.

The first way to make sure that you’re practicing road safety is to take care of your RV tires.

You know, tires are the thing that actually is gripping the ground.

So that’s the one thing that makes your connection with the road. And if something goes wrong with that, well you can easily lose control.

So the first thing you want to know is: what should the tire pressure be for the weight of my RV? That’s number one.

And the manufacturer of your RV tires usually makes a chart for this purpose.

Then you need to make sure that you keep your tires at the correct tire pressure.

And if you have a tire pressure monitoring system, well that makes it pretty easy.

In fact, you can at a glance make sure that the proper tire pressure is in your tires.

But if you don’t have one of those, then make sure that you regularly check that tire pressure manually. And that everything is what it really should be.

RV Tire Age Is Very Important

Now you also don’t want to run on tires that have aged out. And the truth is that RV tires usually age out before they wear out.

In your car, you run your tires so often that they usually wear out before they age out. But not so on RVs.

So there’s a need for you to monitor the age of your tires. How do you do that?

Well on the tire sidewall just look for a four numeral code.

Know your RV tires date code for RV safety tips
A typical RV tire date code

It may be difficult to find sometimes. But if they’re located on the outside of the tire, that’s when it’s easy.

There are other cases when it’s on the inside of the tire because that’s just the way it was mounted.

Now after locating this four digit code, notice the first two digits of that code. This is the week that the tire was manufactured.

The second two digits is the year of its manufacture. And check to see if that year of manufacture date is more than six years old.

Why? Because most tire manufacturers recommend that you replace them at six years of use.

So make sure you know the age of your tires. That way you won’t be driving on tires that have aged out. That could be potentially a very serious safety hazard.

So monitor the age of your tires very, very closely.

RV Safety Tips #8 – Highway Speeds

Now the next point we want to make on road safety is to drive at a safe speed.

I can’t tell you how many times that we’re going down the road and we get passed like we’re standing still.

By RV’s, big RV’s, going 80 to 85 miles an hour and sometimes more. I can tell you that those tires were not made to be traveling at that kind of speed.

So it’s better to slow down a little bit. Most tires for RVs are made to travel somewhere between 60 and 65 miles per hour.

Maybe a little bit more at times, but don’t make a habit out of it.

If you run those tires at the right speed, then heat doesn’t build up excessively in the tire. And that is what often causes a blowout in many cases.

So that’s the number one reason for driving at a reasonable speed. It’ll make sure that your tires have the optimum conditions for traveling.

Keep Your Distance On The Highway

But there’s a second reason that you want to slow down and keep a normal speed. And that is because your RV weighs a lot.

So since RVs have a lot of weight behind them, what happens if you’ve got to stop them quickly?

Well the longer you have to do that, the better the likelihood you will stop safely.

I personally like to have plenty of space between us and the vehicle in front of us.

That way if anything happens, then I can stop that RV as quickly as possible. And without fear of running into something when I do.

So it’s important to make sure that you keep that space between you and the next vehicle.

By the way if you’re traveling at a little bit slower speed that kind of happens automatically. Because people just go around you and pass you and go way ahead.

And that’s great because that gives you plenty of room in case something does happen.

So for road safety make sure that you keep a safe speed. And that you keep those tires in really good condition as you’re traveling down the highway.

Why RV Safety Is So Important

Well my friends, RV safety is just not that exciting until your life is in danger.

And then it becomes very exciting! But the wrong kind of excitement at that point.

That’s the kind of excitement we can all live without, right?

We just don’t want to be in those stressful kinds of situations. And remember you can’t unring that bell when tragedy has already struck.

So the solution is prepare well beforehand. Put safety first!

And that’s the way that very often you can avoid different kinds of bad situations. Or maintain control if they do happen.

Now we don’t want to say that you’ve got to live in fear of RVs. Or worry about traveling in RVs. That’s going a little too far in the other direction.

But what we can say is this. If you practice the safety procedures that we have talked about today.

And if you keep them as part of your regular RV maintenance routine.

Then most likely that will ensure that you can safely enjoy your RVing adventures pretty much anywhere you want to go.

Have safe and happy travels my friends… until next time.