In 2021, it was found that more than 93 million American households considered themselves campers. It was also observed that more than half of those households took at least one camping trip the year before. This goes to show just how much American people love to go camping.
Another interesting observation shows that going camping in an RV in the United States is a popular outdoor activity. According to a recent report, 11 million RV owners went camping in 2020, with two million new people renting RVs in 2021. It’s been implied that going camping on an RV (of RVing, as it’s often called) is gradually gaining more popularity.
When you’re camping in your RV, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. You don’t want to be caught off guard by the elements or other unexpected surprises while you’re on the road with your family and friends. That’s why ensuring your safety, and that of your RV is so vital.
Here are a few tips on how to keep your RV safe during an outdoor camping trip.
Get Your RV Insured
Before you go camping or even take your RV for a drive, the first thing you must do is get it insured. You might think that it’s expensive, but it’s actually not the case. You can always get an RV insurance quote that’s cheap and convenient. Plus, these insurance policies are hardly as complicated as you think they might be.
When buying a new RV, you must also ensure that the manufacturer offers an extended warranty that covers your motorhome from bumper to bumper. Manufacturers’ warranties typically last one year longer than any other kind of coverage available for your motorhome. However, they’re fairly pricey and may not cover everything that could go wrong with your vehicle during its lifetime.
If purchasing an extended warranty isn’t within your budget, consider taking out additional insurance on top of this coverage. That’s when seeking the right RV insurance becomes vital. Go camping with your RV only after it’s insured.
Be Prepared for Storms
Weather disasters in the U.S. can cause a lot of damage to life and property. In 2021 alone, these damages cost $145 billion. Thus, when you’re going camping in an RV, you must also be mindful of such weather disasters, especially storms.
You should always be prepared for storms, especially when you’re out in the middle of nowhere. Here’s how you can do so.
- Have a Backup Power Source: If your batteries are drained, you won’t have any lights or running water. That could make things pretty uncomfortable if there’s a storm coming up.
- Have a First Aid Kit with All the Essentials: You must carry bandages and gauges of various sizes, disinfectant wipes, tweezers (for splinters), scissors (for cutting out clothing), a thermometer, etc. Also, carry prescription medication with you, especially if you’re going to be out camping for more than a day.
- Don’t Forget about Fire Extinguishers: It’s always good to have a fire extinguisher on hand in case of emergency situations like fires in your RV kitchenette. It’s also good practice not to leave hot food unattended while cooking inside the vehicle. RV kitchen safety is something that you can’t ignore or take lightly. Even the smallest fires can cause you a lot of trouble.
Install a Security Camera
Install a security camera that is monitored by a central station. It can also be something that captures the footage and sends it to the cloud along with the camera’s local storage. A reliable, backup power source is also key here.
Ideally, you should place the camera inside the RV. You can have secondary cameras that cover the front, back, and sides. However, these are optional.
Know How to Turn Off the Water in Your RV
One of the most important things you can do to keep your RV safe is to learn how to turn off the water in your RV. When you are camping outdoors, there are many ways that you could leave running water open. To avoid this, you should know how to turn off the main water valve and make sure that it is turned off when you leave.
Once you know where the main water valve is located (usually close by), simply unscrew it from its position on the wall or under your sink, turn it clockwise until it stops turning, and then tighten it back up again once finished. This will ensure that no one else can accidentally start using more water than what was intended for them at any given time.
Make Sure All the Locks Work
You must ensure that all the locks work. You don’t want to go on an outdoor camping trip and discover that there is a problem with one of the locks on your RV. The deadbolt lock for each door must work properly. This is crucial in keeping out intruders, as well as making it difficult for them to break into your RV if they do manage to get inside.
On an RV, sliding doors can be a weak point because they are not usually locked by themselves. You will need to manually lock them when you leave your RV unattended so that nothing comes in through this entrance when you are away from home.
Also, keep in mind that most RVs have sliding bathroom doors that don’t have any kind of locking mechanism on them at all. This means anyone could easily get into the bathroom while someone else is using it. Thus, ensure these doors also have their own separate lock system so no one can just walk right through without permission.
Don’t Park Too Close to Other Vehicles and RVs
This may seem obvious, but not all accidents occur when a car hits another car. Many of them happen when one vehicle is too close for its own good. If you’re parking next to another car or camper, make sure there’s room for both vehicles’ doors at least two feet apart from each other (and preferably four feet).
Camping is an amazing experience, especially in an RV. Therefore, make sure to get the most out of it while ensuring your RV’s (and your) safety.
