Your guide to defeating three of summer’s most annoying RV nuisances
Ah, summer, how we (sometimes) love you. It seems it wasn’t just freezing cold, snowy and dark January when we dreamed of flip-flops, outside BBQing, and evening summer walks. Now, summer is in full swing and with it comes all of the things that annoy us — and we forget about each year!
If you’re an RV owner and enjoying some time in the outdoors, you know that RVing in the summer has its own set of irritations: all manner of flying bugs, smells that never seem to go away, and fixes, upgrades, and maintenance on our truly mobile homes. It seems that for all of summer’s benefits, there are just as many things to annoy us! Well, let’s talk about these three issues.
Bugs
As you know, RVs have tanks that hold all manner of stuff: Freshwater to drink, cook and bath with, gray water from your shower and galley, and black water or waste from your RV’s toilet (sometimes the sink in the bathroom too). These always seem to attract bugs, especially the holding tanks and the area where the pipes exit your RV and travel — via a sewer hose — to the RV park’s septic system. What can you do?
Inside your RV, try to keep at least a half a toilet bowl full of water at all times. This will ensure a good seal that will keep out odors and keep gnats and flies from wanting to go down to your holding tanks. A nice deodorizer — like the special recipe of Pine-Sol and Calgon we recommend — will also discourage bugs from frequenting your bathroom.
In your RV’s holding tanks bay, keep the area clean of waste. We always recommend spraying down the area with water after you dump your tanks and you might even want to consider something like a Yard Guard spray to keep insects on the run.
Odors
Summer’s hot weather means two things: Stuff in your tanks will start to break down quicker and heat and humidity will make it easier to wait until tomorrow to dump full tanks. Those are recipes for extra odors to come into your RV’s interior and make staying in their an annoyance.
Empty your tanks with more frequency and use plenty of water to keep your holding tanks clean. Also, our Pine-Sol and Calgon mixture will reduce odors; you may want to increase the amount you add into each tank (especially any black tanks) from a half cup to a full cup.
Upkeep
As most RVers use their rig more in the warmer months, there’s a tendency for more things to get broken or worn down — and the need to fix, upgrade, and maintain them.
With your RV’s waste holding tanks and systems, now is a great time to do some extra care, cleaning, and even upgrades, like adding a backflush valve. If you’re out attending an RV rally that we’re at, be sure to check out one of our seminars on holding tank maintenance or water heaters. You’ll learn something new and be better prepared to enjoy summer!