How to store an RV

An RV that sits still deteriorates faster than one that gets used. Here is the whole checklist — most of it takes an afternoon and saves a spring of repairs.

Rent a spot

Tires- the most expensive thing people skip

RV tires almost never wear out. They age out, and Florida sun accelerates it: UV breaks down the sidewall, and a rig parked in the open for a season can develop cracking that no amount of tread depth makes safe.

  • Cover the tires. Wheel covers cost very little and are the single highest-return item here.
  • Inflate to the maximum sidewall pressure before it sits. A soft tyre flat-spots.
  • Get the weight off if you can — leveling jacks taking some load, or boards under the tires so they are not sitting directly on hot concrete.
  • Move it every couple of months if practical. Even ten feet redistributes the load.

Battery and electrics

A lead-acid battery left to discharge fully will not fully recover, and a chassis battery flattens itself in weeks through parasitic draw alone.

  • Either disconnect both batteries or leave them on a maintainer.
  • If disconnecting, top up the water first on non-sealed batteries.
  • Turn off the propane detector and inverter — they draw constantly.
  • Solar owners: a panel plus a proper controller keeps everything alive indefinitely, which is the easiest answer if you have it.

Water, tanks and plumbing

Florida rarely freezes, so full winterisation with antifreeze is usually unnecessary — but standing water is the enemy either way. Water left in a tank through a Gulf summer goes stagnant and grows biofilm that is genuinely hard to shift.

  • Drain the fresh, grey and black tanks completely. Flush the black tank properly.
  • Drain the water heater and leave the plug out.
  • Open the low-point drains and leave taps open.
  • A little RV antifreeze in the P-traps stops them drying out and letting sewer gas back up into the coach.

The fridge, and the mistake everyone makes once

Empty it, clean it, dry it, and prop the doors open. A closed RV fridge in a Florida summer grows mould that permeates the plastic liner, and at that point you are not cleaning it — you are living with it or replacing the unit. Most fridges have a catch to hold the door ajar; if not, wedge it.

First month free

New tenants get the first month free on any unit or outdoor space — including the big RV spaces. Month to month, so you are never locked into a year to get the deal.

Pests, and every opening on the vehicle

Wasps, ants and rodents are looking for exactly the shelter your rig provides.

  • Cover the exhaust, and the furnace and water-heater vents. Wasps build in all three.
  • Close roof vents and fit covers if you have them.
  • Steel wool in any gap where a pipe or cable enters — rodents chew foam and plastic, not steel wool.
  • Remove every scrap of food, including things you would not think of as food: soap, candles, toothpaste, dog treats.
  • Do not use bait poison inside. Something dies in a wall and you will regret it for a year.

Fuel, engine and generator

Fill the fuel tank — a part-full tank sweats condensation into the fuel — and add stabiliser. Change the oil before it sits rather than after, because used oil holds acids that etch bearings over months. Run the generator until the stabilised fuel is through the carburettor, then leave it. Diesel owners: treat for algae, which is a real problem in humid climates.

Covers, and doing them right

A cover helps only if it is a breathable RV cover, fitted tight. A loose cover, or a plastic tarp, does active harm: it flaps and abrades the clear coat in wind, and it traps moisture underneath. If you can’t fit it properly, no cover plus covered tyres beats a bad cover.

Where to park it

You want gated, lit, drained, and aisles wide enough to get in and out without a spotter — plus early gate access, because you will leave at dawn. Our RV spaces go up to 12×45 and the gate opens at 6:00am.

Questions people actually ask

Do I need to winterise an RV in Florida?

Not against freezing, in most years. You still need to drain every tank and the water heater — standing water in a Gulf-coast summer is the actual problem here, not ice.

How often should I check on a stored RV?

Monthly if you can. Ten minutes to look for pests and leaks, check tire pressure and move it a few feet catches almost everything early.

Should I leave the propane on?

No. Turn the tanks off at the valve and switch off the propane detector, which draws power constantly.

Is covered or uncovered storage better?

Covered is better for the roof and the seals. Uncovered plus a properly fitted breathable cover and tire covers gets you most of the way for less.