Take the 2024 RV Maintenance New Year’s Resolution Challenge!

UPDATE: How did you do?

OK, folks. We have given you more than a month to get to your New Year’s Resolution RV Maintenance jobs. How did you do?

As for me, I did get my recoating the RV roof task done. Not as quickly as I had hoped, but I did get it done in January (barely). Since I was passing right through Quartzsite on my way to New Mexico, where I had planned to do the work, I just had to stop. I was having so much fun that I stayed more than a week until my internet gave out and I had to move.

I arrived at my campground near Deming, NM, and got the roof scrubbed and prepped (the hardest part), but then Mother Nature delayed the rest of the project for over a week-and-a-half, as every day was either windy or rainy.

Finally, as January 2024 was coming to a close, I was able to complete this important RV maintenance project. I did it all by myself with no help at all. If I can do it, you can too.  Read all about how to reseal your RV’s EPDM roof here.

And be sure to tell us about your progress on your RV maintenance projects in the comments below.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

As the New Year approaches, many of us will be making resolutions. I say, why not make one that will benefit your RV?

The goal is to tackle one or more RV maintenance projects you have been procrastinating on in order to get ‘er done so you are ready for next season!

Don’t feel bad if you have been putting off a pain-in-the-you-know-where maintenance project. We all do it. But we shouldn’t, because neglected RV maintenance can turn into big expensive problems down the road.

How to join the RV Maintenance New Year’s Resolution Challenge

Make a resolution to finally do that nagging, not-fun RV maintenance and/or upgrade project that you KNOW you should have done last year. You can opt to do it yourself, or pay someone to do it, but resolve to stop putting it off. Your RV will thank you and reward you with better performance and a longer life.

Once you decide to participate, post your plans in the comments below to cement the commitment to get it done. We will check back in with everyone in mid-January to see how it is going.

What RV maintenance should you do?

There is no end to the RV maintenance tasks or RV upgrades you could do, so it will depend on what you need.

With a little bit of guidance and the right tools, you can do about 80 percent of RV maintenance and repair tasks yourself.

RV repair guru Dave Solberg has guided me through several DIY solutions and he has an EXTENSIVE collection of RV maintenance posts here that can help you too, should you opt to go the DIY route.

For me, it is WAY past time to recoat my RV’s EPDM roof. And while I am doing that, I might as well reseal everything. Inspecting and, as needed, resealing roofs, windows, doors, and anywhere water could potentially enter your rig is ALWAYS a good idea.

I am determined to do it myself. And if I can do it, so can you. I will be documenting the experience of resealing and recoating my roof, by myself, in a series of posts coming soon, for those who want to follow along. Wish me luck!

Other potential RV maintenance projects:

• Seal doors and windows 
• Flush out the water heater and change the anode rod
• Air conditioner maintenance
• Pack and seal your wheel bearings
• Replace your toilet’s seal
• Clean and polish your RV’s fiberglass front cap 
• Sanitize your plumbing system
• Add a water filter 
• Add a water softener
• Clean out the black water tank 
• Upgrade your vents with Fantastic fans
• Replace worn, ugly vinyl trim 
• Upgrade your batteries to lithium
• Sidewall maintenance 
• Refrigerator maintenance
• Seal the roof 
• Clean your awning
• Replace your awning

Strategies to actually get it done

Most New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside pretty quickly. If you want to make sure that does not happen in this instance, here are some strategies to keep you on track:

#1 Plan for success

No matter what you choose to do, you will likely need tools and supplies. Make a list of EVERYTHING you will need to complete your project and make sure to have it on hand before you get started.

For me, that meant obtaining supplies from RV Roof Magic. But beyond that, I need to make sure I have everything on hand that I will need to use those special supplies. So I researched the project, watched a bunch of videos on the RV Roof Magic website, and wrote down every tool, gadget, and accouterment needed to complete the task.

Be sure to think of each and every aspect of your project from conception to cleanup when making your supply list.

Take an inventory of what you have versus what you will need and fill in the blanks.

The last thing you will want when you are ready to start work is to discover you forgot something and you have to go to a store or, worse yet, wait for a mail-order item. That is just an invitation to procrastinate—and if we weren’t already procrastinators we would not need a New Year’s resolution!

#2 Get educated

Do you have the knowledge and skills needed to complete your project? If not, now is a good time to read articles and watch videos so you are ready to go to work in the new year. Even if you are paying someone to do the work for you, I can’t stress the importance of knowing at least a little bit about the project before taking it in for the repairs. Difficult as it might be to believe (GASP!), there are indeed unethical RV repair people and shops out there who will try to sell you on things you may not need. The more educated you are, the less chance of that happening.

#3 Find help if necessary

Will you need anyone’s help? If so, regardless if it is help from a friend or from someone you hire, coordinate your schedules and make a plan. Without it, it’s far too easy to kick maintenance tasks down the road.

#4 Keep yourself accountable

When are you going to do this work? Map out a time and put it on your calendar. In ink!

Giving yourself a deadline and sticking to it can be one of the most effective follow-through strategies you can use. Consider incentivizing yourself with some kind of small reward for completing your plan.

Tell your significant other or family and friends about your resolution. You can also leave a comment on this post with your intentions. Sometimes putting things out there publicly will inspire you to stay on track. And you won’t be alone. Know that folks all over will be working on their rigs with similar intentions.

We will do a follow-up post on the RV Maintenance New Year’s Resolution Challenge in January to see how everyone is doing.

For now, post a comment below and start gathering supplies, researching, and planning your New Year’s RV maintenance projects!

Good luck!

##RVT1136