Top Tips for New RVer’s
Within the past few years, RV travel and living has boomed. Millions of people are traveling either temporarily or full time, leaving the life of sticks and bricks. This can be an amazing adventure, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t learning curves. We have a few tips and ideas to help you navigate RVing. From what to look for in RV parks and just simple tips that might save you down the road. A lot of our staff are full time RVers, so this is coming from experience, but we are no experts! Do your research!
But here are our thoughts:
The dreaded Tanks! Everyone has their own way of dealing with their tanks. On the road or not. Or whether it’s leaving them open or closed during a certain time of year, if you’re stationary. Here are a few things to keep into consideration when it comes to your tanks.
First, you typically have two different types of tanks, a black and grey tank. Black is what your waste from the toilet goes, the grey holds your shower or kitchen water. In general, keeping your black tank closed is ideal during any time of year. This keeps the smell from surrounding not only the outside of the RV but the inside as well. During summer months, an open tank will start “cooking” and makes the smell more intense. During winter, depending how cold your area gets, leaving the black tank open can lead to what most RVers call a “poopsicle.” It is exactly what it is called. This causes a block in your sewer system and you cannot empty any of your tanks or you risk your pipes to burst. No one wants waste spewing everywhere when it thaws. Not to mention that is a giant health hazard. A friendly reminder, since this is not a normal house with normal plumbing, it is HIGHLY recommended to use RV/septic safe toilet paper. There is nothing worse than a clogged pipe.
The Grey tank is a similar story but not so intense. Some keep it open during summer, some don’t. It’s all up to preference. It’s not as hazardous as black tanks but you should still be wary of any spills. Again, these are not typical pipes like in a stick and brick home. Do not let excess food waste go down the drain, such as, oils and grease. Trying to unclogged or break those down is more difficult than it seams. You do not want to ruin your piping and tanks.
How do keep your life easier with your tanks? These are for both travelers or stationary rvers!
1- use rv safe toilet paper
2- use toilet pods to help break anything down so any and all waste will exit the tank when you dump it. There are some products for the grey tank as well!
3- If you are on the road and about to dump, MAKE SURE ALL THE VALVES ARE CLOSED before attaching the hose, so you don’t get waste all over you.
4 - empty them regularly to keep from any overflow into or outside of the RV.
Our next tip for you involves water! This is a great tip for both full time travelers or stationary. When your RV is at your site, you typically aren’t going to be there 24/7. You aren’t always going to be there if something goes wrong. When you leave your RV for an extended amount of time, a few days, a week, etc. a good habit to get into is shutting off the water flow at the spigot. As a very well traveled RV park, we hear horror stories of people leaving their water on and coming back to inches of water covering the floors, which causes severe damages. Or pipes end up freezing during the winter and the water pressure causes bursts. Our own operators came home one winter to an icicle in their Travel Trailer due to being away and not shutting off their water when it wasn’t needed. So if you’re planning on being away from your tiny home on wheels for an extended amount of time, SHUT THAT WATER OFF!
Water is a big deal when it comes to RVs. But there is another element that is just as important, maybe more! POWER. Know what kind of amp your RV runs off of will not only help you find parks that provide that kind of service, but so you can get familiar with what and how much you can run at once. Knowing how to connect your RV to power is huge. One wrong move and you can fry your RVs electrical system. You need to invest your money in a high end surge protector. There are so many to choose from and different price points, but you get what you pay for. Research is going to be your favorite word. A surge protector does just what the name says it does, protects you from sudden surges of power. Instead of your RV getting toasted, it’ll be stopped at the surge protector.
Awnings! Being at an RV park here in Northern Utah, we get our fair share of gusty winds. They can come out of no where, so the last thing we hate to see is guests leaving their awnings out and also not being at their RV. This is a huge no no and can cause serious damage. Making sure you are physically at your RV when your awnings are out will save you a ton of heart ache and money. Knowing your awnings capabilities is important, some awnings can withstand bigger gusts, while others cannot. We have even seen awnings flip the whole camper or take out a whole side. There are a lot of things you shouldn’t be leaving unattended when it comes to your RV, and awnings are a huge one. So keep those awnings in when you are away! It is not worth the temporary shade!
Apps! A common problem we see throughout the RV world, especially with the size of rigs getting bigger, is finding either a safe route to get to a campground or even finding a campground that can accommodate your rig/needs. Luckily, there are an amazing amount of apps out there for RVers. Being a big rig friendly campground ourselves, we ask our guests how they find us every time they make a reservation. The top apps or resources we hear about are:
RV Trip Wizard
All Stays
Good Sam
RV Life
Big Rigs Best Bets
RV Parky
Campendium
There are more than a fair amount of different apps for RVers. Those are just a few we hear about frequently when we ask our guests how they found us!
There is always learning curve when you are getting to know your RV and how everything runs. You will have many trial and errors, but don’t let that get you down! There are a lot of great resources out their for beginners. Facebook has an endless amount of groups specifically for RVers of all levels.
Do you think you are ready to hit the road? Our last few bits of advice might save you in the future!
Do you know the weight of your rig? Do you have a vehicle that can tow it comfortably? You better! We know that not everyone can afford the newest and biggest tow vehicle that are available, but making sure you have a capable tow vehicle is a must. Do your research!
What else do you need to research? Parks! When deciding where to stay, you need to make sure it can accommodate and provides the amenities you are looking for. That when those apps above become very useful! Knowing the layouts of the park can save you headaches and time. Finding out that you cannot get into the site you paid for is not the surprise you are looking for. We love being spontaneous, but doing a little digging might come in handy.
These are just a fraction of what we can advise you on! Again, do your research, see what works best for you and your adventures. Just remember to go with the flow, learn from your mistakes! Help others that need it and share your stories. Your advice may save someone down the road! Happy Travels!
The Aspen Grove RV Park Team