Issue 2289
Welcome to RV Travel’s Daily Tips Newsletter, where you’ll find helpful RV-related tips from the pros, travel advice, RV videos, product reviews and more. Please tell your friends about us.
Today’s thought
“Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Spaghetti Day!
On this day in history: 1896 – Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state.
Tip of the Day
What type of portable heater is best for RVs? Plus heater safety tips
By Gail Marsh
Winter brings cold temperatures, biting winds, and even snow or sleet. Will your RV furnace keep you toasty? How much will it cost to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your rig? Perhaps a space heater can supplement your furnace heat and save you money on costly propane, too. Before you get started, it’s important to know critical safety tips for using portable heaters.
Here are some popular kinds of space heaters…
Ask Dave
Looking for a 33- to 35-foot diesel pusher. Salesman said they “fishtail” too much. What?
Dear Dave,
My question has nothing to do with what I have now, but what I’m looking to buy. I am looking at 33- to 35-foot diesel pushers. One salesman told me that the shorter diesel pushers fishtail too much, and you shouldn’t buy one under 37 feet. Is this true? I really want one that is closer to 33-35 feet, as I’ll be able to find more camping spots for that size, plus I plan on towing a car. —Teresa, Heartland Sundance 262RB
Take an extra 10% off a GhostBed luxury RV mattress!
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RV Tours
Advanced RV custom-built RVs: Amazing bunk bed B Box motorhome
By Cheri Sicard
If, like many RV shoppers, you find yourself consistently disappointed in the astounding poor quality offered by many of today’s RV manufacturers, there’s another option. Custom-built RVs, like those from Advanced RV, can be exactly as you want them.
In the video below we get a tour of one of the company’s builds, an amazing bunk bed Class B Box…
Video of the day
How to deal with gray water tank odor in your RV
By Cheri Sicard
Not all RV odors come from the black tank. Sometimes you can get ghastly gray water tank odor too. The first time it ever happened to me, I was convinced I had a propane leak because of the smell. But it persisted even with the propane system disconnected. Turned out it was the gray water tank odor and thankfully it was easy to fix.
Attach items in your RV without using nails
This new, super-strong double-sided adhesive tape will hang most objects in your RV without using nails. Works on wood, metal, plastic, aluminum or glass surfaces — indoors and outdoors. Use EZlifego tape to keep carpets in place. And it’s easy to remove and use again later. Highly rated. Learn more or order.
Uses for your RV that don’t involve traveling
By Gail Marsh
To my way of thinking, there’s no better way to vacation than with an RV. But if you’re fortunate enough to park your RV on your property with electric, you’re in luck! That’s because RVs aren’t just for traveling anymore! Read about some unconventional ways to use your RV. Do you have any other ideas for them?
Reader poll
Have you ever traveled in Mexico with an RV?
50 States, 5,000 Ideas, the best book for travelers!
This book from National Geographic showcases the best travel experiences in every state, from the obvious to the unexpected. Sites include national parks, beaches, battlefields, dude ranches, museums and more. Entries provide detailed travel information and fascinating facts. The book also includes Canadian provinces and territories. Learn more or order.
Quick Tip
Got a plumbing leak?
The first clue that you may have an RV plumbing leak is your 12-volt DC water pump. With all the RV faucets shut off, if the RV water pump continues to cycle every couple minutes, then the pressure is bleeding off somewhere—which, in turn, makes the pump turn on and rebuild water pressure. Also, when you walk around the outside of your RV, do you spot water puddles where there should be none? (This is much easier to detect if your RV is parked on a hard surface such as blacktop or concrete.) —From RV Roadtrips, the fun times guide.
Coming tomorrow: After the leak—Take steps to prevent permanent water damage
On this day last year…
- Ask Dave: Why do my RV’s brakes feel spongy and weak?
- In the RV Shop with Dustin: Talkin’ RV Tech Short: Tackling the cause of RV squeaks and how to fix them
- Video: Teardrop trailer camping—10 things NOT to bring
- Featured article: Fooling around on the road: A guide to sex in an RV
Website of the day
Act Your Wage. Can You Guess the Minimum Wage the Year You Were Born?
This article from Cheapism is fascinating. It will tell you the minimum wage each year and what that was equal to in 2024.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
We want this! Not only is it cool, but it could REALLY help some of us! If you’re experiencing this, the benefits are huge!
And the Survey Says…
We’ve polled RVtravel.com readers more than 2,500 times in recent years. Here are a few things we’ve learned about them:
• 69 percent say they are living with chronic pain. Of that 69 percent, 54 percent live with it okay, but for 15 percent it dictates how they live.
• 67 percent own an SUV (not a truck!).
• 59 percent say they have earned more than $100,000 in a single year.
Recipe of the Day
Easy Low-Sugar Banana Bread
by Caroline Mgawe from Zermatt, Wallis
Banana bread is great for breakfast or afternoon tea and this is a very moist, tasty recipe. Bananas make the bread sweet so you don’t notice that there is only a little sugar added. We added macadamia nuts to the bread and liked the crunch and coconut flavor. Dense and filling, no one will believe you when you say it’s healthy.
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Trivia
Tesla delivered 1.8 million vehicles in 2023, slightly less than Elon Musk’s goal of 2 million but up about 37.7 percent over 2022.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Heidi (Dachshund) is 10 years old. She loves to go camping with us wherever and whenever we go. She has been camping since she was a puppy. Heidi has gone with us to many states. When we camp, she loves to take walks, explore, and go swimming.” —Ilene Meister
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Sunday RV Travel newsletter. No blurry photos, please! Please do not submit your photo more than once. Thanks!
RV Maintenance Log Book keeps track of everything for you!
This RV maintenance logbook allows you to document and track all repairs and work done on your RV. If you bought your RV used, wouldn’t this have been nice to have with the purchase?! Keep track of everything in your RV – all the work done on it (and where and when), specific part models, your favorite black tank cleaner, the lightbulb bases you use, paints and fabrics, and much more. This will be a lifesaver down the road. Learn more or order.
Leave here with a laugh
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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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.
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Any Jack Russell person has been there at least once if not multiple times. This is “I told you I wanted out”.
And those that own beagles have experienced this dilemma too.
Also declared by many ex wives…
Heidi/ you look like a seasoned rv’er! Keep rockin it! Don
Thank you, Emily and Diane! 🙂
LHWAL- that’s one of the better ones!
If the RV water pump continues to cycle every couple minutes, you might not have an actual leak. The one-way check valve in your water pump could be allowing water to seep back into the water tank causing the pump to cut in.
Bad pump check valve has been my pump cycling issue every time. And, the pump will not cycle when hooked to city or park water, just overflowed my fresh water tank from the tank vent due to the bad pump check valve.
One tip about hard to open jars. Use an old fashion bottle opener (church key), Hook it under the edge of the lid and lift slightly until you hear a hiss. This allows air to enter and releases the vacuum inside the jar created when the contents cooled during processing. Works 90% of the time.
Leave with laugh: Must be a jack russell
your popups are hurting our computers
In what way, Steve?🤔 Have a good day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com