Welcome to the Beginner’s Guide to RVing from RVtravel.com. The information we present here every Monday through Friday is for brand-new RVers – those in the market to buy their first RV and those who just purchased theirs. If you are an experienced RVer, this material may be too basic for you.
This newsletter is funded primarily through advertising and voluntary subscription contributions from our readers. Thanks to all of you!
Monday, September 12, 2022
If you did not get an email notifying you of this newsletter, sign up here to get one every time it is published.
DID YOU MISS reading this morning’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter? Good stuff there.
RVing Basics
What about getting mail while on the road?
Many mail forwarding services will send along your mail for a small fee. Some RVers have their mail sent to a relative who forwards it on. Some big RV clubs offer mail forwarding services. Both the Family Motor Coach Association and the Escapees offer economical and popular programs. We highly recommend America’s Mailbox in South Dakota. If you don’t frequent RV parks but prefer boondocking, your mail can be sent to a local post office through their General Delivery service. There’s no cost for this, but it’s best to call ahead for details — some offices have limited General Delivery pick-up hours.
Is traveling with a pet a good idea?
It’s common and popular. Most campgrounds and RV parks allow pets. Some private ones will charge a fee per pet or even not accept some aggressive breeds. Most have strict leash laws. But always remember when traveling with pets to be considerate of your fellow campers. If you bring along a dog that barks a lot when lonely, do not leave it alone. The noise will spoil the solitude of nearby campers. And please pick up after your dog. Read more on our Facebook group, RVing with Dogs.
Advertisements
Afraid of water damage in your RV? You need this!
This essential water damage tool helps home and RV owners measure moisture content in wood, concrete drywall and subflooring. Use the pin sensors to find the moisture content in your home. The easy-to-read LCD display will help you know if you need to dry the existing materials or replace with brand-new ones, and can be used as a water leak detector after flood damage. You’ll want to buy this here.
Quick Tips
“Enlarge” your shower
Feeling “closed in” in the shower? If your shower is equipped with a shower curtain, get a curtain tension rod, mount it a few inches outside the existing shower rod. Run the curtain over the top of the new rod, then back into the shower stall. There are also extended curtain rods available. Gives a few extra inches of space for your shoulders.
How to help avoid mold and mildew in your RV
When winter camping in a humid area, mold and mildew can creep in. Electric dehumidifiers are noisy and eat lots of power. Keeping the air moving in your rig can often chase off the mildew creatures, so try running a fan to keep the air circulating. And don’t let your furniture come up against an outside wall if you can help it.
If you could tell someone new to RVing just one thing, what would it be?
From the editors: We asked our readers this question. Here is one response:
“A couple of suggestions: Try to carry items that will fill multiple purposes – for instance, a pizza pan will bake cookies, heat garlic toast, cook premade foods, sit under a pie that might boil over in the oven, AND cook a pizza. It is more space/weight efficient than carrying multiple pans.
Second: Learn to camp happily without hook-ups (dry camp) so that you have an understanding of your declining resources before you are under the stress of NOT finding a campground when and where you want to stay. Walmart parking lot one-nighters aren’t horrible!
Third: Always carry a small amount of water in your tanks – so you can use the bathroom or wash your hands in ‘your own’ bathroom – especially in this coronavirus world.” —Lil
Random RV Thought
To people who live in one place and seldom travel, the view out their window is much the same every day. Seasons change, the weather changes, but the scene remains mostly constant. RVers and other travelers who move often from place to place thrive on the change of scenery, waking up one day in one place and then the next day in another. For avid travelers, a change of view is necessary and addictive.
“What’s the best modification you’ve made to your RV?”
From the editors: We asked our readers this question. Here is one response:
“I built a storage/hanging closet where the overhead bed used to be. Yes, there are new class C models that have it already but I bought used so I had to make the change. I also put struts on the bed platform. The platform had screws holding it down. We now use under-bed storage for off-season clothes and extra blankets, etc.” —Don Nedrow
RESOURCES:
• If you’re a member of Facebook, be sure to sign up for our groups RV Buying Advice, RV Advice and Budget RV Travel. For a list of all our groups and RVtravel.com newsletters, visit here.
• If you buy a defective RV and are unable to get it fixed or its warranty honored, here is where to turn for help.
• If you need an RV Lemon Law Lawyer, Ron Burdge is your man.
• Why you should never finance an RV for 20 years!
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
Advertising: Advertising@rvtravel.com
Help desk: Contact us.
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
RVtravel.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2022 by RV Travel LLC.
Escapees mail service is another option.
Just a note on the MaxAir vents. Do not try to save a buck and get the Camco vent covers. They are much lighter material and not uv resistant. The set I bought lasted less than a year and the plastic was so brittle one blew off on the road and the other blew off in the wind at a campsite and shattered on the ground. I replaced them with the MaxAir vents and two years in the plastic feels like it did when new. They are also much thicker and sturdier. Well worth the few extra bucks. I guess the old saying “you get what you pay for” is spot on.
Expanding on the Random RV Thought, “the law of the Yukon is that the scenery only changes for the lead dog”, if you know what I mean.
And having worked in the Yukon, you would know, eh? 😆 Have a good night, Impavid. 🙂 –Diane
We have a small class C RV and we summer in the Rio Grande Valley where the temperature is in the 90’s with at least that much humidity. We keep a small dehumidifier that uses less than a 60 watt light bulb in our RV. It only runs when the humidity is above 60%. The best part is it has a drain so I run it down the sink drain. Does a nice job for us. Got it on Amazon.
Chuck, Can I say here while the Amazon Prime Day is going You all can order a $99 Ancestry DNA kit for $49 here and RV Travel gets a penny. Such a deal.
Where can I buy the struts for the bed platform mentioned above?
What size etc?
Thanks
Look for Hatchlift Products RV Bedlift Kit. They sell them on Amazon and other fine retailers.
Showers are designed for hobbits. The floor is raised for the P-trap, and often shower heads are chest high.
That is a fact for sure!
Not chest high if you are height challenged. Finally a shower that isn’t a foot above my head & stinging my face.
We had a “basement model” class A motor home so the p-trap was under the main floor.