Snowbird Season: Getting Your RV Ready After It Sat All Summer in Florida

Fall in Tampa Bay means the snowbirds are on their way back, campgrounds fill up, and RVs that sat through the long summer start getting used again. A Florida summer is hard on a parked RV. Months of strong sun, near-daily afternoon storms, and heavy humidity all work on it while nobody is looking.

Before you load up for the first trip or hand the keys to visiting family, take an hour and walk through it. Here is a checklist that goes from top to bottom.

Open it up first

Before anything else, open the door, open the windows and roof vents, and let it air out for a while. Pay attention to your nose when you first step in. A musty or sour smell tells you moisture has been building up somewhere. Note it and keep going. You will find the source as you work through the list.

The roof

The roof took the worst of the summer, so start there.

• From a ladder, look over every vent, skylight, and the A/C unit for cracked covers or gaps.
• Look at the sealant. After a summer of sun, check for any spot that is cracked or pulling away.
• Clear off leaves, twigs, and anything that collected in the corners.
• Inside, look up at the ceiling around every opening for stains that were not there in the spring.

Seals and windows

Rubber seals dry out and shrink in the heat.

• Check the seals around every window and door. They should be soft and sit tight against the frame.
• Look at the bottom corners of windows inside for staining or swollen trim.
• Open and close each window to make sure it latches.
• Check the seals on slide-outs and look under them for anything that blew in.

Floors near the door and the bathroom

These are the two places floors take the most water. The entry gets tracked-in rain and wet shoes. The bathroom gets splashes and small plumbing drips.

• Walk slowly across the entry area and the bathroom floor in socks. You feel softness better than you see it.
• Step near the base of the toilet and in front of the shower.
• Look at the edges of the floor covering for lifting, bubbles, or dark staining.
• Check under the sink cabinets for dampness.

If a spot gives under your weight, do not ignore it. A soft spot spreads, and it is much easier to fix before it does.

Cabinets and doors that stick

Humidity makes wood swell. After a damp summer, it is common for cabinet doors and drawers to stick or not latch right.

• Open and close every cabinet and drawer.
• Check that latches catch, so doors do not fly open on the highway.
• Look for doors that hang crooked, which can mean a loose hinge.
• If something sticks, let the RV air out and run the A/C for a few days. Swollen wood often shrinks back once it dries.

Look for summer visitors

Insects and small animals love a quiet, parked RV. Look in the corners of cabinets, under sinks, and around the bottom of the RV for nests, droppings, or chewed spots. Check any openings to the outside.

What to fix before guests or a trip

Not everything has to be done right away. Sort what you find into two groups.

Fix before you go:

• Any opening on the roof or a cracked vent or skylight.
• A soft floor anywhere you walk regularly.
• Cabinets that will not latch.
• Windows or doors that do not seal.

Watch and fix soon:

• Slight fading or chalking on the roof.
• Doors that stick a little but still close.
• Small stains that are dry and not growing.

Make it a habit

The best time to do this walk-around is twice a year: once in the fall before the busy season and once in late spring before the summer storms. Taking photos each time makes it easy to see what has changed.

If your walk-around turned up a soft floor, a roof problem, or woodwork that needs attention, we come to you anywhere in the Tampa Bay area. Call or text and we will help you get it ready.