In several ways, living in an RV is a middle ground between several other lifestyles:
- It’s a hybrid between homeownership and camping.
- If it’s a motorhome, it has all the components of maintaining a small home that goes through regular scheduled earthquakes along with maintaining an automotive.
- If it’s a travel trailer, it also requires owning or renting a pickup truck or SUV to move it around.
To that end, it straddles many of those elements, but with significant differences.
Selecting an RV
In general, a smaller RV is better.
- The larger the RV, the harder it is to drive.
- Many campgrounds have size constraints.
Travel trailers tend to be more affordable than motor-homes, but hold their value longer.
- Since fifth-wheel attachments take time and effort to install, only get a fifth-wheel travel trailer if you own a truck that can tow it.
- Renting a truck may be more affordable than buying one, but only if you don’t move more than once every few weeks.
Motor-homes are all-in-one, which has benefits and drawbacks.
- The auto portion of the assembly won’t be used nearly as much as most other autos.
- Contrary to most other vehicles, motor-homes don’t typically move for weeks or months at a time.
- The RV will typically deterioriate (e.g., rust) before an internal component breaks down from use.
- If the automotive portion of the RV fails, you’ll likely need to pay a mechanic to fix it.
Preparing an RV
Stay mindful of all the various systems included in an RV:
- Appliances:
- Stove – Sometimes built-in, typically runs on propane only.
- Refrigerator – often built-in, may run on propane, electricity, or both.
- Heater – typically built-in near the floor, usually runs on propane.
- When the weather is particularly cold, the heater is at least somewhat designed to keep the water pipes from freezing.
- Air conditioner – runs on electricity, may be central (i.e., top-mounted) or side-mounted.
- Other accessories may be present like TV, microwave, etc.
- Most of the accessories are simply household-grade, and you can often install your own without much trouble.
- Storage – RVs turn storage into an art form:
- Underneath every seat and bed
- Beds, tables, and seats may fold up to make an area multipurpose
- Outside compartments for various needs
- Electrical – typical RVs use 30-amp AC adapters, but larger ones use 50-amp.
- Water – the attachment is essentially a garden hose, but is higher-quality to permit drinking water (since garden hoses may have plastic residue).
- Holding tank (fresh water) – holds ~20-50 gallons, typically from a separate input altogether, needs a pump to draw from it.
- Holding tank (gray water) – holds ~30-50 gallons, takes water from sink, shower, handwashing stations, etc.
- Holding tank (black water) – The toilet feeds out to a ~18-64 gallon holding tank, takes only water from the toilet.
- Propane – runs on standard liquid propane (LP) tanks.
Even after you’ve purchased an RV, you’ll need to get some things prepared before first using it.
- If it’s a travel trailer:
- Install a sway bar on your vehicle to prevent it from rocking when turning.
- Install a brake controller to regulate the trailer’s braking relative to your vehicle.
- If it’s a motorhome:
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle to ensure there aren’t any issues waiting to happen.
If you’re buying it new, you may want to add features that weren’t in the RV.
- Often, the dealer will assist in installing, or will at least give guidance on how to do it.
If you purchased it used, you’ll likely need to add or remove features from the RV.
- Since the exterior is typically made of paneling, be careful with making any holes that go directly outside, since the elements will enter through them.
- When removing features, seriously consider if it will create any openings in the exterior of the RV.
If it’s a travel trailer, always install levels on two sides of the RV.
- The side level will give an indicator on how far to lower the front landing gear, and will help you to balance the landing gear front/back.
- The front level will help you balance the landing gear left/right.
Routine Maintenance
While you don’t need to perform routine maintenance, staying with a maintenance schedule ensures you’re stopping issues from becoming worse.
- You can often go for years not maintaining something, but it may only arise as an issue once it becomes a very expensive problem.
Every 3 months:
- (motor-home) clean battery cables and terminals
- Flush and sanitize all holding tanks
- Clean and service the water heater
- Clean and service the fridge
- Clean and service the furnace
- Clean and service the air conditioner
- Inspect the propane system for leaks
- Inspect the seals and check for adjustments
Every 6 months:
- Inspect and wash the roof
- Re-seal the roof seams and vents
- (Motor-home) rotate and balance the wheels
- Inspect all other exterior seams
Every year:
- Lubricate all exterior door hinges
- Repack wheel bearings
- Lubricate exterior locks and latches
- Inspect awning and topper fabrics
- Clean interior drapes and upholstery
- Service holding tanks
- Perform slide-out maintenance
And, if you have a generator, service it every 50-100 hours of use.
Finding RV Spots
“Boondocking” is living in an RV without hookups.
- It is extremely difficult because you won’t have electricity, and is somewhat similar to living in a large car.
Many public campgrounds and national parks have extremely low rates.
- If you need to, you can rent hookup spaces once every few days.
- Most public campgrounds only allow you to stay a few weeks at a time.
“Full-timing” is when you’re going for over a month (e.g., living exclusively out of an RV).
- There are many full-time campgrounds available, but you’ll usually have to call ahead to reserve them.
Consider looking into an RV club.
- There are dozens to choose from, and they all give a yearly fee that allows membership to visit their selection of sites.
- If you sign up, make sure to
Try to travel with the weather.
- Going through a heat wave or below-freezing weather will create difficulties.
- At the extremes (i.e., <32°F or >90°F), you’ll be uncomfortable, but won’t likely have any real risks if you take all standard precautions.
Moving an RV
Every time you move, even if it’s a few hundred feet away, go through a fixed leaving procedure:
- Check the tires to ensure they’re properly pressurized.
- Take everything off all surfaces or walls that could potentially fall from rocking.
- Power off all devices and accessories.
- Move in all slides.
- Drain the black water sewage, then close the valve.
- Drain the gray water sewage, then close the valve.
- Detach all hookups and store.
- Crank up all long-term landing gear.
- (for travel trailers) Crank up the front landing gear for the truck to back in.
- (for travel trailers) Back the truck and connect it to the trailer.
When you arrive, have a deployment procedure:
- Back the vehicle to align with with the waste station (if present).
- Attach all hookups, lower the landing gear.
- Move out all slides.
- Adjust the landing gear to level the RV.
Living in an RV
Just about everything you’re accustomed to in a normal home is possible in an RV.
The largest constraint, though, is space.
- You’ll likely need to store items away from where you’re typically using them.
- If you intend to live long-term, seriously consider a storage unit to hold one-off or rarely-used items.
However, you can often make more space.
- Hang extra storage racks on inner cabinet doors.
- Avoid round containers, which take up more space than squared-off containers.
- Tightly pack your fridge and freezer.
- Whenever possible, use resealable bags for both food and drinks.
With respect to food, you have a few options:
- Buy pre-made or quickly-made food (e.g., canned food, microwaveable meals).
- Prepare all your groceries in advance, then store them.
- Freeze your food first to let it expand, then store them in freezer-safe and microwave-safe containers.