When preparing your camping trailer for storage, whether for winter storage or longer term storage, it is important to make sure you take all the necessary steps for protecting your investment. Here are some tips to help you complete this important storage preparation to your trailer.

Take Care of the Plumbing

One of the most important parts of preparing your camping trailer for storage is to clean out and maintain the plumbing. Drain and rinse clean the black and grey waste tanks, then place an antibacterial odor control pouch into each tank. This will ensure odor from the tanks does not become a problem inside your trailer.

If you will be storing your trailer outside during winter, you should winterize the plumbing to prevent freezing damage. This includes draining all the pipes of any water, then adding an RV-safe anti-freeze product, which helps protect them further from freezing and cracking.

Remove Pest-Attractants

While preparing your trailer for storage, it is important to remove any food items stored in your trailer to prevent any pests from making the interior their home. Remove food items packaged in cardboard, plastic and paper. You can leave canned food items, as pests cannot get through the metal on the can's exterior.

Inspect Slide-Out Seals

If your camping trailer has a slide out panel on one of its walls, you should retract it during storage. Be sure to first, check the rubber seals around the panel for any cracking and wear. If you discover any damage to the rubber seals, it can cause the slide-out to not seal closed fully, which can cause moisture to leak from outside precipitation into the interior of your camping trailer.

Apply some rubber seal conditioning protector onto the outsides of the rubber seals with a rag. You can find this protectant at your local RV dealer and supplier.

Provide Ventilation

Although it is a good idea to seal up your trailer's interior from any moisture leaks from outside weather, you don't want the interior to be so tightly sealed that it does not allow air flow through the interior. Ventilation of your interior trailer's air with outside air can help your trailer from smelling bad, becoming stuffy, and can prevent mold and mildew growth.

Contact a storage facility, like United Moving and Storage, for more help.

You can install rooftop vent covers from most RV supply retailers for your trailer which allow you to keep these vents open while the trailer is in storage. The vent covers provide for air circulation without allowing in any moisture from rain or snow to enter your trailer.

After cleaning out your fridge and freezer, prop open their doors to allow air circulation, which will help prevent mold and mildew growth. Place an opened box of baking soda to help reduce any lingering odors.

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