Roof Maintenance: The Most Important Annual Task
Roof leaks are a common cause of major RV damage. A small crack in lap sealant around a vent or skylight can allow hundreds of litres of water into your walls and subfloor over a single wet season, causing structural damage, rot, and mold that can total an RV. Inspect your roof at minimum twice per year — spring and fall — and after any significant weather event.
- Most RVs have an EPDM rubber or TPO thermoplastic membrane roof.
- Check the membrane for bubbles, punctures, and UV degradation (the surface should be uniformly grey/white, not chalky or discoloured in patches).
- All lap sealant — the butyl or Dicor sealant around every roof penetration, seam, and edge — should be continuous, fully adhered, and free of cracks.
- If you see any separation, reseal it right away with a self-levelling lap sealant approved for your roof membrane (non-sag type on vertical surfaces).
Slide-Out Maintenance
Slide-outs need regular care.
- Clean the slide seals with a rubber seal conditioner every month or two during camping season
- Inspect the slide room floor seal and wall seals for tears, warping, or gaps that could allow water infiltration
- Lubricate the slide rails or rack-and-pinion mechanisms according to your manufacturer's specification (some require dry lubricant, some grease — wrong product can cause damage)
- Check the slide topper (awning over the slide) for tears and debris accumulation — a water-laden topper can apply enough weight to damage the slide mechanism
- Test slide operation on level ground — unusual sounds, hesitation, or uneven movement indicate a problem to address before it becomes a failure
Battery Care
House batteries are lead-acid (flooded, or sealed AGM/gel) or lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). Only flooded batteries need water top-ups.
- Lead-acid batteries: Check water levels every 3–4 weeks during heavy use — add distilled water (never tap water) to maintain plates covered by approximately 3mm of water.
- Keep terminals clean and free of corrosion (baking soda and water neutralizes acid corrosion; rinse and dry thoroughly).
- Store above 50% charge — lead-acid batteries damaged by deep discharge will never fully recover.
- In Canadian winters, bring batteries inside if storing below -10°C — a fully discharged lead-acid battery can freeze and crack at surprisingly mild temperatures.
Keep terminals clean. Do not charge below 0°C if your battery management system (BMS) doesn't include low-temperature cut-off. Most quality lithium batteries have integrated BMS that handles this automatically.
Tires: The Most Dangerous Failure Point
RV tires age out faster than car tires due to UV exposure, long periods of stationary storage, and heavy loads.
- Check cold tire pressure before every travel day — RV tires require specific inflation based on load, listed on the tire sidewall and in your RV's weight documentation
- Inspect all tires for sidewall cracking, tread wear, and bulges before every season and before any long trip
- Have tires inspected every year once they pass 5 years old and replace them by 10 years at the latest, whatever the tread looks like (check the DOT date code)
- Use tire covers when parked for extended periods to protect sidewalls from UV
- Carry a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) — loss of pressure is a precursor to blowout and TPMS gives you warning before failure
- Never exceed the tire's maximum load rating — know your RV's weight and distribute load properly
Generator Maintenance
- Oil change: Every 150 hours of runtime under load or annually, whichever comes first — idling with no appliances running does not meaningfully accumulate load hours and can gum carburetors or injectors; run with AC, microwave, or multiple outlets active
- Spark plugs: Every 300–500 hours
- Air filter: Inspect annually, replace when dirty
- Exercise regularly: Run the generator under at least 50% load for 2 hours every 30 days during storage to keep fuel fresh and seals lubricated
- Fuel stabilizer: Add to the generator fuel system before any storage period over 30 days
Mold Prevention in Canadian Climates
Coastal BC, Atlantic Canada, and Ontario cottage country all present high-humidity environments that accelerate mold growth in RVs. Key prevention strategies:
- Run roof vent fans during all cooking, showering, and on rainy days — create a cross-flow by opening one window and exhausting through a vent fan
- Use a portable dehumidifier during storage or in high-humidity camping situations
- Place desiccant packs throughout the RV during storage
- Leave overhead cabinet doors open during storage to allow air circulation
- If mould appears: clean small patches with water and unscented dish detergent, wearing gloves and an N95 (Health Canada); fix the water source first and never paint over it