Tips, tricks and maintenance cycles for long-term RV living
June 19, 2013 2:22 PM Subscribe
My father has recently moved into a fifth wheel in an RV park and it is clear that we know nothing about the maintenance and requirements of long-term living for a fifth wheel that doesn't travel. Especially after last week's plumbing related disaster. On the upside, I now have a literal understanding of what it means to be in a s**tstorm. Further complications below the fold.
My father is legally blind and in poor health so the burden of maintenance falls largely on myself, my sister and our spouses. We are highly invested in helping him keep this living situation as he is fiercely independent and quite resource limited. We are doing the best we can, but are looking for a primer on the essentials, especially as related to water and sanitation. And unfortunately, we have some, but not a lot of resources ourselves to help. Mostly what we have is some time and less money. Have you lived long-term in a RV park? How did you maintain the RV and what did you do (or wish you did) to mitigate problems with the vehicle itself? What were your maintenance cycles?
Thanks in advance for any tips and tricks!
My father is legally blind and in poor health so the burden of maintenance falls largely on myself, my sister and our spouses. We are highly invested in helping him keep this living situation as he is fiercely independent and quite resource limited. We are doing the best we can, but are looking for a primer on the essentials, especially as related to water and sanitation. And unfortunately, we have some, but not a lot of resources ourselves to help. Mostly what we have is some time and less money. Have you lived long-term in a RV park? How did you maintain the RV and what did you do (or wish you did) to mitigate problems with the vehicle itself? What were your maintenance cycles?
Thanks in advance for any tips and tricks!
A few tips:
Do NOT keep the black water tank open to drain all the time!! Keep it closed and drain it once a week. Always use tank treatment. RV tissue is not absolutely necessary - Scott brand tissue dissolves easily and is cheaper. The grey water tank can be kept open. If there are separate grey water tanks for bathroom and kitchen, keep the kitchen one open and drain the bathroom tank after you drain the black water tank.
Make sure the trailer is properly leveled. Things settle, depending on the ground and weather so check it every few months and adjust as needed.
Consider building a small porch with steps for the entry, it will be easier for him. Make sure there are good handrails. (Check with RV park for permissions).
Do not leave the awning up all the time, unless there is no chance of sudden or moderately high winds.
In wet climates, a small dehumidifier is desirable. Condensation will rapidly build up on windows, in window frames, and in the roof.
IMO, a studio apt. would be a better choice in your fathers situation, but y ou didn't ask that.
We cook with a toaster/convection oven on the counter, and an electric burner. Smoke and Co2 detecters are a MUST.
There are many websites and blogs devoted to basic RV maintenance.
I am sure I will think of a few more things. Feel free to memail me for more specifics .. we have lived in a fifth wheel for ten years, though we travel, we also stay in parks for a few months at a time.
On preview, JujuB has the answer for your sewer woes.
posted by batikrose at 4:31 PM on June 19, 2013 [3 favorites]
Do NOT keep the black water tank open to drain all the time!! Keep it closed and drain it once a week. Always use tank treatment. RV tissue is not absolutely necessary - Scott brand tissue dissolves easily and is cheaper. The grey water tank can be kept open. If there are separate grey water tanks for bathroom and kitchen, keep the kitchen one open and drain the bathroom tank after you drain the black water tank.
Make sure the trailer is properly leveled. Things settle, depending on the ground and weather so check it every few months and adjust as needed.
Consider building a small porch with steps for the entry, it will be easier for him. Make sure there are good handrails. (Check with RV park for permissions).
Do not leave the awning up all the time, unless there is no chance of sudden or moderately high winds.
In wet climates, a small dehumidifier is desirable. Condensation will rapidly build up on windows, in window frames, and in the roof.
IMO, a studio apt. would be a better choice in your fathers situation, but y ou didn't ask that.
We cook with a toaster/convection oven on the counter, and an electric burner. Smoke and Co2 detecters are a MUST.
There are many websites and blogs devoted to basic RV maintenance.
I am sure I will think of a few more things. Feel free to memail me for more specifics .. we have lived in a fifth wheel for ten years, though we travel, we also stay in parks for a few months at a time.
On preview, JujuB has the answer for your sewer woes.
posted by batikrose at 4:31 PM on June 19, 2013 [3 favorites]
You don't specify what part of the country. Location makes a big difference in not only safety and comfort, but also expense. For instance here in Southern California, the weather is so mild that we don't need to keep the trailer sealed up so tight risking asphyxiation. This saves money since we can safely use the gas instead of electric. Some RVs even have gas fridges which are really cheap to run.
Roof maintenance is something you might not think about, but roof seams should be inspected at least once per year. More often if the climate has seasonal extremes, or debris (like pine needles) accumulates.
posted by markhu at 5:16 PM on June 19, 2013 [1 favorite]
Roof maintenance is something you might not think about, but roof seams should be inspected at least once per year. More often if the climate has seasonal extremes, or debris (like pine needles) accumulates.
posted by markhu at 5:16 PM on June 19, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Sorry for leaving out location, that does make a difference! We are in Portland, OR. Thanks for the answers and resources so far!
posted by Hopeful and Cynical at 9:22 PM on June 19, 2013
posted by Hopeful and Cynical at 9:22 PM on June 19, 2013
Make a concerted effort to befriend the neighbors. Chat with them whenever you see them, invite them over for a housewarming BBQ, etc. Nothing beats local hands-on experienced help, and they will likely already have all sorts of tools and gadgets you can borrow instead of buying everything yourself. I know that I certainly wouldn't have survived my first year of RV living without the kindness of my neighbors.
Once you've gotten to know your neighbors, you might consider hiring one of them to perform all the regular maintenance chores for you. RV parks are often populated by people who are retired or underemployed and who would thus be delighted to earn a little extra cash or barter goods/services each month. This would likely be more efficient than you and your siblings doing all the maintenance yourselves because the neighbors a) are already on site, b) already have the knowledge, skills, and tools to perform the maintenance, and c) can simply tack on your dad's RV maintenance chores to their own existing maintenance routines. It also increases the number of people "checking up" on your dad and available to help him immediately in an emergency.
You should start preparing the RV for winter *now* so that you can work on it bit-by-bit all summer in nice weather instead of scrambling to get it done in the cold and wet come fall. If the RV did not come with an "arctic package" or "four seasons" rating then you are going to have a *lot* of work to do to protect your water systems from freezing. Even if it is rated for four seasons, there's still a bunch of stuff you'll need to do if you don't want ridiculously high winter heating costs because RVs are basically uninsulated metal boxes. IMO, an electric heated mattress pad is a must-have.
Some follow-up information that would help us give more detailed advice:
1) What is the make, model, and year of the RV?
2) Is it rated for three seasons (spring, summer, fall) or four? If you didn't pay extra for a fours season model/package, assume it's only rated for three.
3) Which utilities are included in the monthly site rent and which are metered? In particular, who pays the electric bill?
4) Photos of the site, the underside of the RV (showing where all the tanks etc. are), the water/sewer and electric hookups, the roof, the windows and doors, and any other appliances, systems, or areas you are concerned about would be very useful in helping us figure out what you need to do to what.
I MeMailed you my phone number. Please feel free to call me if you'd like to chat in more detail about retrofitting a three-seasons RV for year-round living or about RV maintenance and living in general.
posted by Jacqueline at 1:15 AM on June 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
Once you've gotten to know your neighbors, you might consider hiring one of them to perform all the regular maintenance chores for you. RV parks are often populated by people who are retired or underemployed and who would thus be delighted to earn a little extra cash or barter goods/services each month. This would likely be more efficient than you and your siblings doing all the maintenance yourselves because the neighbors a) are already on site, b) already have the knowledge, skills, and tools to perform the maintenance, and c) can simply tack on your dad's RV maintenance chores to their own existing maintenance routines. It also increases the number of people "checking up" on your dad and available to help him immediately in an emergency.
You should start preparing the RV for winter *now* so that you can work on it bit-by-bit all summer in nice weather instead of scrambling to get it done in the cold and wet come fall. If the RV did not come with an "arctic package" or "four seasons" rating then you are going to have a *lot* of work to do to protect your water systems from freezing. Even if it is rated for four seasons, there's still a bunch of stuff you'll need to do if you don't want ridiculously high winter heating costs because RVs are basically uninsulated metal boxes. IMO, an electric heated mattress pad is a must-have.
Some follow-up information that would help us give more detailed advice:
1) What is the make, model, and year of the RV?
2) Is it rated for three seasons (spring, summer, fall) or four? If you didn't pay extra for a fours season model/package, assume it's only rated for three.
3) Which utilities are included in the monthly site rent and which are metered? In particular, who pays the electric bill?
4) Photos of the site, the underside of the RV (showing where all the tanks etc. are), the water/sewer and electric hookups, the roof, the windows and doors, and any other appliances, systems, or areas you are concerned about would be very useful in helping us figure out what you need to do to what.
I MeMailed you my phone number. Please feel free to call me if you'd like to chat in more detail about retrofitting a three-seasons RV for year-round living or about RV maintenance and living in general.
posted by Jacqueline at 1:15 AM on June 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
The biggest concern I had was becoming asphyxiated from the by product of the butane gas. Be sure to have a CO2 alarm and attach the alarm near the floor level (below bed level if possible). Co2 is heavier than air, if you place a CO2 alarm on the ceiling, the entire trailer will fill with CO2, displacing oxygen before it alarms.
I only used the gas to heat the water. It was controlled by an on/off switch; it would take about 10 minutes to heat the water. My trailer was equipped with a gas stove, cook top and heater. I used an electric skillet, microwave, and room heater.
posted by JujuB at 4:26 PM on June 19, 2013 [2 favorites]