By Jeffrey Torsrud
A new RVing season is upon us and those who are getting their rigs ready for the travel season need to be sure to check their tires, alarms, alert systems, and fire extinguishers. It’s important that you know when you bought things, when they were last checked to make sure they still work, and when batteries were replaced.
Remember, all alarms in your RV should be rated to be in your RV. Your home on wheels will be bouncing down the road and some devices designed for stick-and-brick homes will not work in an RV and should not be used.
Here are important things to check before heading out:
1) Check your smoke alarms (and their batteries) and make sure they work!
2) Check your propane gas detectors and CO monitors! Be sure to check the age on these devices too. They should only be used five to seven years at most, and then they must be replaced with brand-new ones. The propane and CO detectors should be 12 volts and hooked to your 12-volt battery system for continuous monitoring.
3) Check your fire extinguishers. You should have a minimum of three in your RV (at least one in the kitchen or living area, one in your bedroom, and one in your cargo storage area). If you have a tow vehicle, you can keep one in there as well. You will need to remove the extinguishers from their mounts, turn them upside down and tap them with the butt of your hand on the bottom to loosen the dry chemical in them. Fire extinguishers are usually good for six years. You can see how old yours is by checking the date of manufacture on the bottle. I use a label gun to mark everything so that I can see at a glance when the expiration date is.
4) Check the batteries in your TPMS sensors, then check your vehicle and RV tires! Look for any signs of adverse wear and tear. Check the age of your tires. Do you know the last time you replaced them? If they’re more than five years old, you should consider buying new tires. Remember, your life and the lives of your family and friends are riding on them! It has been said many times on RVtravel.com to invest in a TPMS for your tires, both on your tow vehicle and the RV.
Jeffrey Torsrud has been RVing for 19 years. He’s owned 8 different RVs and takes safety very seriously. In fact, he’s been accused of being too safe!
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Steve Peterson:
Yes Steve, good point. However, the LP Lines in your RV must be replaced by a Certified RV Technician that knows how to replace and Check LP Lines.
Also, consider replacing the LP Lines with Steel Braided Propane Lines. They are not that expensive and will last for a very long time!
Should shake the fire extinguishers too to loosen up the content too.
That was mentioned in my Tips for Fire Extinguishers.
I would suggest that you check all LP lines, especially the rubber hoses for cracks and leaks. Both weather and vermin may have damaged them. Also check the regulators, I had one leak after a storage season.