The leaves have started to turn all shades of yellow and red—you know what that means, it's time to put your well-loved summer toys like your boats and recreational vehicles (RVs) into storage. When warmer days roll around next year, you don’t want to be stuck dealing with issues, so winterizing your summer vehicles before snow hits the ground is your best bet.
While many people tend to store their boats and RVs in their garage, driveway, or yard, the benefits of storing them at a secure storage facility during icy months are unmatched. Kelowna’s Space Centre Storage is equipped with many features to protect your assets, but before we get into that, here are some tips on prepping for boat and RV storage.
Boat Storage Tips:
Create a checklist: Get ahead of the game and create a checklist before you begin the winterization process. This will help keep you on track and ensure you don’t miss any vital steps. For a detailed breakdown of what to do, check out our previous post: Boat Storage Kelowna Tips: Winterize Your Boat Like a Boss.
Give the interior and exterior of your boat some much-needed love: All the fun you’ve had this past summer is bound to leave some remnants on the surface of your boat. Be sure to thoroughly clean the exterior with soap and water and make sure its dry before storage. As for the interiors, remove all traces of food so there’s no chance of anything rotting in there for months (smelly surprises are no fun), and wipe down all the surfaces and seating areas so you’re greeted with a fresh space come summer.
Fill up the tank & add a fuel stabilizer: If your fuel tank is nearly empty, the air left inside will contract and expand over winter, allowing it to draw moisture in and degrade the quality of the remaining oil. You should fill up your tank with fuel and only leave a bit of space for the expansion and contraction of air. Top it off with an appropriate amount of stabilizer to keep the fuel fresh while your boat is stored for an extended period of time.
Protect the engine block: Boat engines consist of a ‘block’ that houses its internal components. Before storing your boat, drain the block of any water to prevent freezing-related expansion from cracking the block and damaging the motor. Next, it's wise to protect your boat motor with some antifreeze, preferably a marine antifreeze that is non-toxic to marine life.
Remove and charge the battery: There isn't a bigger party pooper than a dead battery moments before you hit Okanagan Lake, so it's better to be safe than sorry. Take out your boat’s battery and store it away from the cold, charge it fully before boat storage and then once every month after, or you could even use a trickle charger over the winter.
For further helpful information, check out our previous post on Maintaining Your Investment: How Proper Boat Storage Extends Lifespan.
RV Storage tips:
Drain the water system: This is where you’ll thank yourself for saving the owner’s manual, because it’ll effectively give you all the steps on draining all the water from your tanks and pipes. Following that, you should pump non-toxic anti-freeze through the entire water system. If you don’t feel confident attempting this on your own, don’t sweat it, a trained professional at a reputed service centre can provide this service for a fee.
Prep the exterior: Examine your RV’s roof, sidewalls, seams, windows, exterior doors, and access panels and reseal or re-caulk any holes or cracks that you find. This will prevent water from taking residence in unwanted spaces. However, before sealing anything, check with your RV dealer about the correct sealant to use. The wrong one may not set properly and cause water damage. If you are opting for a professional to drain your lines, sealing is a service they can provide along with drainage.
Save those batteries: Disconnect your RV batteries and store them in a moderately cool, dry place. This will ensure they don’t lose charge very quickly. Check your batteries' charge levels every 4 to 6 weeks and recharge them as needed. This is important because a partially charged battery may freeze faster than a fully charged one.
Add a fuel stabilizer: Another pro tip for RV Storage is—Fuel can go bad over time and cause sticky deposits to form because of oxidization. To prevent that from happening, a fuel stabilizer is your best friend. First, add the stabilizer, then the fuel, and run your engine and generator for a few minutes. This will allow the stabilizer to run through the entire fuel system. As always, change the oil and oil filter in your RV’s engine and generator because acids in used oil can cause corrosion.
Safeguard your RV from furry friends: Mice and squirrels would love to make your RV their cozy home for the winter and may chew through wiring, plastic and rubber components. So how do you deal with it? Remove all temptation. Clean out your refrigerator and freezer, remove all food items from the cupboards and thoroughly wipe down all countertops and floors. You could even consider setting up traps, and pay special attention to areas rodents can enter from.
For more ways to keep rodents out, see our previous post, RV Storage Tips: 3 Ways to Keep Critters Out.
Are you looking for a safe and reliable RV storage facility in Kelowna? Come and visit the storage experts at Space Centre Storage. Our RV and boat storage lot has a residence on-site, coded entry and exit, security cameras, patrols, and after-hours motion detectors. Contact us today, and we’ll help protect your summer favourites.