Kimberly, Author at RV Tailgate Life The best tailgate is an RV tailgate Wed, 04 Jun 2025 22:44:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://rvtailgatelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/cropped-RV-Tailgate-Life-Site_Icon-32x32.png Kimberly, Author at RV Tailgate Life 32 32 Pros and Cons of RV/Boat Storage Lot https://rvtailgatelife.com/rv-storage-lot/ https://rvtailgatelife.com/rv-storage-lot/#respond Wed, 04 Jun 2025 22:44:33 +0000 https://rvtailgatelife.com/?p=6004 In May of 2022, I had a knock on the door. It was the city’s code inspectors that came to tell me that I couldn’t park my RV in my driveway! I had been parking my RV in my driveway for years, so it was annoying that they were coming at me now. They said...

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In May of 2022, I had a knock on the door. It was the city’s code inspectors that came to tell me that I couldn’t park my RV in my driveway!

I had been parking my RV in my driveway for years, so it was annoying that they were coming at me now. They said that I had to park it behind the home, not in the driveway next to the house. I had only two weeks to figure out where I could store it…

Fortunately, I was able to find a RV and Boat storage lot. I actually really liked the lot overall and they were good people running the place. I parked there for two years and then I was able to bring the RV back home after some backyard renovations.

But let’s look at the pros and cons and how to make it work for you…

Pros to an RV Storage Lot

The good news is that my parking area was covered. So while not completely protected from the weather, it was an improvement over being left in the open at my home. I didn’t have to worry so much about water leaks from storms which was a big deal.

Another thing about my parking spot, which isn’t always the case with all RV lots, is that my space came with power! It was 30-amp power, and we couldn’t run ACs or heaters. But by having power, I could keep the fridge cold and the batteries charged without issue. That meant that I didn’t have to unload the fridge between tailgates. Saved a lot of time during football season, when I was using the RV weekly.

I’ll say another pro to parking my motorhome in an off-site storage lot was that my neighbors and others driving by my house didn’t know if I was in town or out of town. When you park your RV at your home, it’s obvious when it’s gone. And that likely means you are gone and no one is at home. Makes it easy pickings for people up to no good.

Now, I have a great setup at my house, making it easy to dump my black and gray tanks after a trip. There’s a sewer cutout in the middle of my front yard. But many RVers don’t have that access. Instead, they have to go to a dump station. My RV storage lot had both a dump station as well as a fresh water fill station.

This made it easy to handle the water system on the RV. Except for sanitizing the system (more on that later).

Motorhome parked in a RV storage lot with a trailer on one side and boat/jet skis on the other.
The motorhome parked in the RV storage lot

Cons to an RV Storage Lot

The biggest problem for me was that the lot was about 45 minutes to an hour away (depending on Atlanta traffic). That’s one way. So at least two hours out of my day roundtrip to the lot. And no, there weren’t any closer to where I live.

This made it difficult for me to pop in for things like maintenance or if I left something in the RV between trips. I had to get way more organized in everything dealing with the RV since it wasn’t convenient for me.

I will admit that I didn’t winterize my RV as well as I should have after the end of the 2022 football season. While I drained all the tanks, I forgot about the water filter. When a freeze hit, the filter casing cracked and that was a fun way to start 2023. I’m just happy that I went to get the RV a week before my first trip that year. I had time to fix it.

And one of the reasons that I got the RV out of storage early in 2023 was because I knew I needed to sanitize the fresh water system. That’s hard to do when the RV is in storage and it takes a 2 hour round-trip to get there. Who is realistically going to drive 2 hours on Saturday to fill it up with bleach and water and then 2 hours on Sunday to dump it? And since the fresh water fill was not at the dump station, it would mean several trips between the two to completely flush out all the bleach from the system. Not ideal.

Can’t Ignore the Cost

No one is letting you store your RV for free. The closer to the city you are, the more it is going to cost you. Most of the lots around me were going for $150-500 a month. The $150 were basic gravel lots with no power. The $500 and up were for full-service indoor, climate controlled spaces.

And if you have a large motorhome, you’ll likely be unable to find parking close to the city anyways. The long-term storage unit places often have a parking lot for RVs and boats, but also have limited space for large units. The ones near me were limited to 30 feet and under. It’ll be cheaper the further out you go, but that increases your travel time to get the RV.

Uncertain RV Security

I gotta admit that one of the issues I was worried about was RV security. Sure, the lot had an access controlled gate with individualized codes to get in. And was completely fenced in. But I still worried.

That’s when I got the Ring system for the RV. So not only was I paying the monthly fee to park, I was also paying a monthly subscription for the Ring system and also I had to buy the equipment.

There are limitations on the Ring system though. I added a motion detector so if anyone came in, I knew it. There were also cameras – one that I ran inside the RV so again, if someone came in, I’d have a good shot of them. I could also check in to make sure nothing happened inside (water leaks, animals, etc). And I had a camera that looked out the front windshield.

But this also left the storage bays unmonitored if someone came up from the back of the RV. I was working on getting additional cameras, which I could setup on the door or windows to cover the sides.

I was always afraid that someone would put something in the gas too since it isn’t a locking gas cap. I still should upgrade to the locking gas cap, because it’s more likely that it’ll happen on the road (like if I had to overnight in a gas station travel spot with truckers who just don’t like RVers) than a facility with RVers and boaters.

What if the Lot isn’t Covered or Have Power?

For many RVers that have to store their RV in a storage lot, you won’t have a covered spot or power. I will say that I was fortunate to be able to find a lot that had both and could also fit my RV (it’s about 37 feet long so it was actually a double spot at my lot).

If you don’t have power, you’ll probably have to turn the power system off. This means turning the fridge off which means emptying everything out of it. It also means that it is going to be hard to run something like the Ring security system. And you’ll have to be careful with the batteries, possibly even removing them if you have a long storage period. That’s a lot of work (and those batteries are heavy if you have to remove them!)

Some RVers have put solar systems in place, to at least be able to trickle charge the batteries.

Why I Brought My RV Back Home

Even though I had a great RV lot with a covered parking spot with 30 amp power, I still wanted to bring the RV back home for storage between trips.

I had to do a giant backyard project (long story, but don’t buy a house with a pool in it – it’s totally not worth it when you’d rather be in the RV traveling that at home maintaining the pool). But when I took the pool out, I made a parking area for the RV that made the city code people happy.

By bringing the RV home, I was able to not only save on the monthly parking fees, I saved 4 hours each weekend that we had a home football game (2 hours to pick it up and 2 hours to drop it off after the RV tailgate).

By having it at home, I was able to get the RV ready on Thursday nights. I could do the grocery shopping and load it up right there. I could fill the water, check the tires, and do many of the other pre-trip checklist steps the night before. That meant I was getting to the tailgate much earlier (day job work permitting).

And there’s also nothing like having the onboard generator available when the power goes off at the house. I can run extension cords to the fridge and not lose the food in there when there is an extended power outage. And if needed, sleep in the RV with the air conditioner (because I need it cold to get a good night sleep).

RV Storage Lots are Great When You Can’t Park at Home

Not gonna lie, the RV storage lot was a great resource to have when the city told me I couldn’t park in my driveway. And while I eventually was able to move it back home after a really expensive and massive backyard project, I was glad to have the temporary parking lot to park the RV.

It was even better that this lot had power and a covered spot. That gave me more options to protect the RV and made things more convenient. Highly recommend this setup for a frequent road tripper.

See Also:
How to RV Tailgate Like a Pro
7 Common RV Mistakes to Avoid
How to Save Gas while RVing

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Can You Take a Home Office Deduction in your RV? https://rvtailgatelife.com/rv-home-office-deduction/ https://rvtailgatelife.com/rv-home-office-deduction/#respond Fri, 09 Jun 2023 20:30:53 +0000 https://rvtailgatelife.com/?p=5990 Do you have a business and an RV? Work from the road? Then you might be tempted to take a home office deduction for a portion of your RV on your taxes. But this is a bad idea. Let’s explore why, despite what at least one “influencer” is promoting on social media. First, let’s get...

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Do you have a business and an RV? Work from the road?

Then you might be tempted to take a home office deduction for a portion of your RV on your taxes.

But this is a bad idea. Let’s explore why, despite what at least one “influencer” is promoting on social media.

Can I use the Home Office Deduction in an RV? With a picture of a Class A motorhome by Tiffin on the Blue Ridge Parkway

First, let’s get a little legal stuff out of the way: RV Tailgate Life does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors.

RVs and Taxes

Many of you know that when I’m not writing about RVs and sports, I spend my time as an attorney. I’ve even got lots of knowledge (hi Masters in Tax) and experience in tax and accounting. So when it comes time to talk RVs + taxes, I know my stuff.

It’s why I’ll drop in every once in awhile with articles like these:

Now it is time to talk specifically about RVs and the Home Office Deduction.

What is the Home Office Deduction?

Under the home office deduction, you can write-off a portion of your rent or mortgage expenses, including utilities, on your taxes.

But of course, you have to qualify for the deduction.

Qualifying for the Home Office Deduction

There are a couple of different ways to qualify for the home office deduction in a standard sticks and bricks home (or condo, apartment, townhouse, etc. This can also be a separate structure on your property).

To qualify, your home office must be “exclusive and regular use” for business purposes and then be either the principal place of business or where you regularly meet clients or customers.

So your kitchen table does not count. But a room that you use only for your office space and not a guest bedroom would count.

It doesn’t even have to be a separate room; it can be a portion of an area – a nook or corner area. The idea is that the only purpose of this area is for work and that you use it regularly.

Since we are talking mostly about self-employed digital nomads or professionals that can work on the road, we’ll assume that this home office can qualify as the “principal place of business.”

You Must be Self-Employed

Before 2018, pretty much everyone that worked from home could take a home office deduction. However, that changed with the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).

Since the 2018 Tax Cut, only business owners or self-employed individuals can take the home office deduction. If you are an employee, your home office expenses are not deductible.

If you file a Schedule C for any kind of business – self-employment, gig jobs, or freelance work – you will likely be able to take a home office deduction. If you otherwise qualify (exclusive and regular use of a portion of your home).

RVs Can Be Your Home

The tax code, in several different places, says that RVs can qualify as homes. For example, for the home mortgage interest deduction that I discussed in-depth in an earlier post.

For purposes of the home office deduction, the term “home” is defined pretty broadly and would include your RV.

But You Likely Won’t Qualify for the Home Office Deduction

Even though your RV can be considered your home, you likely won’t be able to qualify for the home office deduction, even if you are self-employed.

Because of the regular and exclusive use of the area as your home office.

Very few RVs are big enough to have dedicated spaces. Most RVers end up using the kitchen table as their office.

Some people may have converted a bunk area into an office, which would make it more likely to qualify. But if that space is also used as a closet, it wouldn’t be exclusive use.

If you think you have an area that could qualify, make sure that you document it well. Take pictures and videos – do a video tour of your RV that shows the entire thing and where you spend most of your time (ie show that you have separate sleeping, eating, and leisure spaces). Then show the office where you have your office computer, screens, and any other equipment setup.

These Social Media Influencers Say Otherwise

A video from Instagram influencer giving bad advice to RV owners on the home office deduction. Don't take their advice.

Recently, and what really prompted this article, is that I came across a post by this social media influencer on Instagram. They claim to be a tax preparation service that is powered by AI.

So you probably already know where this is going. In fact, they were so wrong that I’m not even going to link to them.

In their video – and repeatedly in the comments – they say that you can use the home office deduction in your RV. For sitting at the kitchen table or the living room sofa to work. That it doesn’t matter if you use the area exclusively for business purposes or not.

They say that you can use the percentage of time you use your RV for business purposes to claim this deduction.

Like much of the social media tax and law guidance out there, it is wrong. You cannot use a percentage test of how much you use your RV for business vs personal use to calculate the home office deduction.

Now, there may be some other expenses that you can use a percentage test – like say your internet connection. But not for the home office deduction.

AI gone wrong. Again. (Hey, not bashing all uses of AI, but it is also really good at making stuff up. So beware as you see videos like this one spouting all the wrong info.)

What the IRS Says

It’s not just me that says that you are unlikely to qualify an RV as a home office. The IRS has consistently held this position and courts have backed them up.

In Dunford v. Commissioner, 2013 tax court case where the taxpayer lost because the area used as a home office was the dinette area. Court found that it was “implausible to suggest that, in the cramped quarters of a motor home, an unclosed area like the countertop would somehow be exclusively reserved to business activity.” Many other business related expenses associated with their RV travels were also disallowed.

The taxpayer then had to pay not only the taxes, but penalties and interest on top of it. Ouch!

There are many more audits that have also held the same.

Even if You Can… Should You?

We know that you have to use an area of your home (or RV) exclusively and regularly for business purposes in order to qualify for the home office deduction.

Let’s assume for a minute that you do have a space that qualifies for this – say you converted a bunk room into an office space that you don’t use for storage, sleeping, eating, or leisure (no watching movies on those screens or playing video games).

How many square feet is that?

My Tiffin 34PA is approximately 355 square feet in total. In the 36UA model, the bunk bed area is 28″ x 70″ – about 13.6 square feet – with a similar total square footage of 355 square feet. Yes, this is with all the slides out.

Under the simplified methodology, you get $5 per square foot, up to 300 square feet. That’s worth about $68 in a deduction. Is that worth the audit risk?

Under the actual expenses methodology you would use the percentage of your expenses for the deduction. For a Tiffin 36UA using the entire bunk space as the office, that’s 3.83%.

Now you have to figure out the expenses that qualify and make sure you document them. Utilities and interest, insurance, repairs, security, and so on. Yes, you have to have good quality records.

Your deduction would be 3.83% of the allowable expenses. But don’t double count the interest if you are also taking it on the home mortgage interest deduction. Don’t double count things like cellphones or internet access or gas that you deduct directly as a business expense.

What do I do?

I am a part-time RVer – I have a traditional sticks and bricks house and then use my RV on a part-time basis.

My house has an area that qualifies for the home office deduction – a dedicated office space that is only used for that purpose and is also the principal place of business for my company (both RV Tailgate Life and my law practice). So I take the home office deduction for my house.

However, my RV does not have a space that I can qualify for a home office – when I work from the road, it is at the kitchen table (or a co-working space or client location). This means that I cannot take an RV home office deduction.

I am able to take the home interest mortgage deduction on the RV. And when I use it for business travel, I can take the expenses associated with the business travel.

Most RVers Don’t Qualify for an RV Home Office Deduction

The bottom line is that most RVers are not going to qualify to use the home office deduction in their RVs.

Most self-employed individuals that work in their RVs are not going to have a space that qualifies under the “regular and exclusive use” test.

Even if you do qualify, it probably won’t be worth the small savings to justify the documentation required and the increased risk from penalties and interest if it is disallowed by the IRS.

So let’s continue to enjoy the RV lifestyle and find other ways to save some money.

Like these RV tips? Pin for later!

You may also like:
How to Save Gas while RVing
RV Insurance Explained Before You Shop
RV Security System by Ring Alarm Pro

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Must Have Gear for Your New RV https://rvtailgatelife.com/must-have-gear-for-your-new-rv/ https://rvtailgatelife.com/must-have-gear-for-your-new-rv/#respond Mon, 08 May 2023 18:55:24 +0000 https://rvtailgatelife.com/?p=5964 Recently, my aunt and uncle had an unexpected entry into RV Life. They had a fire at their house that is going to take close to a year to repair. Lucky for them, their insurance adjuster approved them getting an RV to live in on their property during the rebuild instead of living in a...

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Recently, my aunt and uncle had an unexpected entry into RV Life. They had a fire at their house that is going to take close to a year to repair. Lucky for them, their insurance adjuster approved them getting an RV to live in on their property during the rebuild instead of living in a hotel or apartment.

They found a nice travel trailer that suits their purposes for a year of stationary living. Once they got it setup on their land with temporary power pole, they had to go about getting their RV ready to live in.

So in their honor, here’s my recommendations for must haves for first time RV owners!

Must have RV gear for your first weekend in your new RV by RV Tailgate Life with a picture of Tiffin motorhomes on an RV sales lot and a picture of a RV sewer hose connected to an RV sewer dump.

General Advice for New RV Owners

There is a lot of advice out there for new RV owners, especially when it comes to gear. But my advice is probably contrary to most… only buy the absolute minimum when you first get your RV.

With next day shipping from Amazon and same day curb-side pickup from Home Depot and Walmart, you can easily get more stuff later on, as you need it. Plus, for many things, you can go shopping in your own home, especially kitchen gear where you may already have duplicates.

On the other hand, storage space is limited in an RV and who wants to store stuff that they will never use?

So let’s take a look at what you need for that first weekend in your RV.

See Also: A Guide to Common RV Abbreviations and Slang

The Absolute Must Have RV Products

Sewer hoses

One of the biggest issues with RVs is the sewer system. And how you get rid of the waste. That’s where sewer hoses come in.

RV sewer hose kit

Some RVs may come with sewer hoses. But often these sewer hoses are ridiculously thin or may not even have connectors on the end!

For under $50, you can get a good quality RV sewer hose kit that includes two 10 foot long sewer hoses, connectors to connect the sewer hoses together and to the RV and a clear elbow adapter to connect to the sewer hookup.

Most RVers are going to be fine with just 20 feet of sewer hose. On occasion, you may find that you have a dump station or hookup just a little further away. In that case, you’ll probably want to add a couple more sections of hose. I would stick with the 10 feet long sections since they are easily stored and connected together.

RV Hose bags with RV sewer hoses inside

You’ll probably also want somewhere to store the sewer hoses (and fresh hoses, and electrical cords, and all the other stuff). I highly recommend RV hose storage bags. The sewer or black water bags easily hold 4 10 foot sections and a variety of elbow adapters. They are much easier to get into basement storage over the hard-sided plastic container I was using before.

See Also: Do You Leave Black and Gray Tanks Open or Closed?

Fresh water hose

Fill her up! With fresh water.

You’ll want a water hose that is dedicated to only potable water, so you don’t cross-contaminate with waste water. Because eeewww! and potentially dangerous.

To make it easy to keep track of what is what, get a white hose which are typically safe for potable water. And this way, your RV neighbors aren’t silently judging you. 25 feet of hose is normally enough and still easy enough to store. As you RV, you may find you need more, but I recommend connecting multiple fresh water hoses together rather than going with a 50 or 100 foot hose. The longer lengths are just too bulky and hard to handle for the few times you’ll need them.

You can then use a standard garden hose for the black tank rinse, washing the exterior of the RV, or other purposes.

See Also: How to Sanitize the RV Fresh Water System

Electrical Management System (RV Surge Protectors)

Surge Guard 50 amp portable ems surge protector for RVs

One of the big pricey things that I recommend that all RV owners have is a special RV electrical management system. This is like a fancy RV surge protector that does way more than protect against power surges. I mean, it does that too, but more.

Like miswired power pedestals, low and high voltage, and of course surges. Get one that fits your RV power: 50 Amp Total Electrical Protection or 30 Amp Total Electrical Protection.

And while these may seem pricey up-front, they won’t if you ever need them!

First Aid Kit

Safety first! Just like your home and cars need a first aid kit, so does your RV. From bumps and bruises to more serious sprains and deep lacerations, basic first aid is important. Especially when you might be RVing outside of easy access to urgent care. And who wants the deductible for a visit, right?

Read More: Yes, You Need a First Aid Kit in the RV

Emergency Roadside Kit

Again, with the safety. You would have at least a few basics in your car, so why not your RV? This is especially true for motorhomes, when you may not be towing a car. Jumper cables and road reflectors are mandatory.

Being able to change an RV tire? You may just want to call roadside assistance for that one. But those reflectors or flashers can be great to warn off other motorists while you wait.

Basic Living Accessories

For your first night in your RV, you are going to want a few basics – sheets and pillows for the bed, blanket or comforter and probably some towels for your shower. The first couple of nights you’ll probably want to spend eating out, but if you are going to be cooking, you’ll need the basic kitchen setup.

Here, I suggest you go minimal until you know what you want. Or what your RV comes with – hello scratchy comforter provided by Tiffin. But it is also about color schemes and the decorating part – wait until you see what the colors are going to be.

In the meantime, just bring the basics from home.

When you are ready, here are the kitchen accessories that I recommend for your RV kitchen.

Toilet Paper

Camco RV & Marine Toilet Tissue

In the “basic living necessities” you are going to need toilet paper. There is a big debate over RV toilet paper – do yo need it or not?

I’ll start by saying that I have never used RV specific toilet paper in my RV. I am not a fan of 1 ply tissue and it doesn’t even tend to be “ultra soft” no matter what they claim.

I also have found that RV toilet tissue is generally more expensive than regular septic-safe toilet paper. I can buy that at Costco and get enough for the RV and the house at the same time!

Use plenty of water and black tank bombs and you won’t have a problem!

RV campground fees may be deductible for part-time RVers traveling for business purposes. Campground fees are not deductible for business purposes when you are a full-time RVer

Good RV Insurance

You have just bought a something with a pretty hefty price tag. Now you need to insure it.

This will absolutely be required for any motorhome to be able to legally drive it (state required minimum insurance for any motor vehicles). It will also be required if you take a loan out to purchase your RV.

It is highly adviseable that you buy more than the minimums, to make sure that you are fully insured in case something happens. It’s complicated, so be sure to read about RV Insurance Explained Before You Shop.

The Nice to Haves

As you start RVing more, especially as you travel around, you’ll find that there are some things that are nice to have.

Water filters

When I started RVing, I was doing mostly weekend trips to sporting events where I would be boondocking. I would fill up my freshwater tanks at home where I had a dependable, clean water source without a lot of contaminants – I could drink water out of my home faucet. The water filters weren’t a requirement.

As a I started traveling more and for longer periods, I was getting water from campgrounds that didn’t always have the best water. That meant I needed water filters to help make the water more suitable – for taste and to prevent hard water issues.

Water Pressure Regulator

RV water pressure regulator

When I’m at home filling up my tanks, I typically rely on the gravity fill. It’s just easier mostly because it is on the passenger side which is closer to my hose.

But when I’m using the “city water” connections at campgrounds, I want to make sure that the water is coming in at a pressure that won’t damage the pipes or connections. That’s where the RV water pressure regulator is helpful!

These regulators make sure that the water is not coming in at too high a water pressure, which could damage your pipes.

Power Adapters

My first RV was a 30 amp RV that I plugged in at home (120v) between trips. So this was up there in the first things I bought. But for many people that don’t plug their RVs in, having a wide selection of power adapters may be unnecessary.

Common power adapters that RVers need include:

Sewer Hose Supports

Camco Sidewinder RV Sewer Hose Support

Some RV campgrounds with full hookups require that the sewer hoses be off the ground. Or you may need the help to create a nice slope for gravity to assist with the dumping process. Either way, you’ll probably find that sewer hose supports are good if you stay in a full hookup campground.

I don’t include these on the absolute must haves because not all RVers need them. If you are staying in partial hookups or boondocking, then the supports are likely not necessary. Many campgrounds don’t need or require them. So you can probably wait until later to buy this.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System and Inflators

If you are going to be traveling in your RV and not just staying stationary, then you need to check on your tires before you go.

Many people are comfortable with using a tire pressure gauge before they leave on their trips and then checking at their stops for gas, food, or sleeping. Make sure you get one that reads high enough for the recommended PSI for your tires – big rigs go over 100 psi and many standard car tire gauges don’t go over about 60.

The TST 770 Color Monitor on the motorhome dash

Other people want to know how their tires are doing while they are underway. This is especially important if you are towing (either as your truck is towing a trailer or your motorhome is towing a vehicle), as you may not be able to “feel” what is going on behind you. That’s where a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) comes in. Again, make sure your system is rated for the PSI for your tires (the cheap systems only go to 99 PSI and aren’t suitable for big rigs).

Tire Inflators

Always check your RV tires - for proper inflation and for signs of dry rot as part of your pre-departure RV walk-around

Another thing I learned the hard way on my big rig – the gas station air isn’t going to inflate the tires on your big rig. Neither will that Ryobi battery powered inflator (I’ve tried). You’ll need an inflator that is rated for your tires!

I’ve got an old Black & Decker Air Station workhorse straight out of the 90s that I “inherited” from my parents. OK, I borrowed it with no intention of returning it after I found out it works on my RV. I left them with the Ryobi for their cars, so it’s all good.

But if you need to buy something today, the VIAIR inflators are top-notch and I highly recommend!

Outdoor Living Accessories

The best part of RV living is the time we spend outside. So while they are not the absolutely-gotta have to not totally fail at RVing, outdoor living accessories are pretty key to enjoying the RV lifestyle.

At a minimum, you are going to want some camping chairs to sit outside in. Many RV parks have picnic tables and fire rings at your camp site, but not all of them. So you may want to add a portable folding camping table to eat at or serve up food and a propane fire pit for when there are burn bans (often propane fires are still allowed during burn bans).

Once you get past the few basics that you just have to have, you can go pretty crazy. Flags, rugs, tents, you get the idea…

See Also: 10 RV Outdoor Living Accessories for Summer

RV tailgating - a Tiffin Class A motorhome hosts a tailgate with people watching games around the outside TV

RV Gear to Wait Until You Just Have to Have It

On many RV gear lists, you’ll find a lot of things for a fully outfitted RV. But many RVers never use these things. So wait until you know that you have to have it.

RV Portable Sewer Tanks

Portable RV sewer tank

Portable sewer tanks are great when you are staying in one place for a long time and you don’t have a full hookup that includes sewer. But I’m already 7 years into RVing and haven’t needed one yet.

That being said, my aunt and uncle that are doing the stationary RV living on their property needed it from day 1 because while they have convenient water and power, not so much on the sewer dump.

Depending on your setup and needs, a RV macerator pump may also be a good choice instead of the portable tank. You can pump the waste slightly uphill and over a pretty long distance through a standard garden hose to a sewer or septic clean-out. Many people don’t need both the portable tank and the macerator pump, so you can wait to figure it out.

Mattress Toppers or New Mattresses

RVs are notorious for bad mattresses. But I recommend that you wait until you have your RV and spend a few nights in it before you go out buying a new mattress.

First, you may buy an RV with a pretty decent mattress in it already. My first one was pretty comfortable because I bought it used and they had replaced the RV mattress with a comfy residential mattress. And it wasn’t even an RV short mattress which meant my sheets from home worked on it! Win-win!

Then, when I upgraded, oh my. The upgraded foam mattress left much to be desired. I didn’t know this until I had slept on it a few nights. But it was fixed with a nice mattress topper from Amazon.

Generator Exhaust System

When RVs are parked back to back like this, generator exhaust would go directly into the bedrooms without a Genturi exhaust pipe! Dangerous situation!

First, you won’t need this unless you have an onboard generator to power your RV. But if you do, especially if you spend time boondocking or tailgating, you’ll eventually need an RV generator exhaust system.

These can be homemade or you can buy a system pre-made. The important thing is that they are tall enough to take the generator exhaust up and over your RV.

This helps to protect you and your neighbors from the potential deadly effects of carbon monoxide.

Read more: GenTuri RV Generator Exhaust System

Must Have RV Gear for Your First Weekend Trip

You can go crazy buying gear for your RV. But you may regret it later on, when you have all this stuff and nowhere to store it.

That’s why I recommend that you start with the smallest amount of stuff and then only add what you need as you go.

Like these recommendations? Pin for later!

You May Also Like:
11 Tips the New RVer Should Know
7 Common RV Mistakes to Avoid
RVing in Severe Weather

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Awesome Tailgate Drinks https://rvtailgatelife.com/tailgate-drinks/ https://rvtailgatelife.com/tailgate-drinks/#respond Sun, 19 Feb 2023 14:20:00 +0000 https://rvtailgatelife.com/?p=5814 When it comes to tailgating, you are there for the food. But you are also there for the great tailgate drinks. When you bring the RV, you have a full kitchen. So blenders to make frozen drinks, condiments to add varnishes, multiple juices to create new connotations. There’s no reason that you have to stick...

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When it comes to tailgating, you are there for the food. But you are also there for the great tailgate drinks.

When you bring the RV, you have a full kitchen. So blenders to make frozen drinks, condiments to add varnishes, multiple juices to create new connotations. There’s no reason that you have to stick to basic beer out of a cooler like the rest of the tailgaters.

Let’s get crazy with some awesome tailgating drinks! All RV Tailgate Life tested and approved.

Awesome Tailgate Drinks with pictures of: Frozen Strawberry Fruit Slush, Pumpkin Spice Sangria, and Peach Sangria

It’s Not Just Drinks at the Tailgate

Awesome tailgate drinks with pictures of different drinks from an RV Tailgate Life tailgate

Don’t forget to check out other RV Tailgate Life approved recipes and tips for cooking in small RV kitchens:

Like these tailgate drink recipes? Pin for later and come back as new recipes are added!

Tailgate Drinks

It's not a tailgate until you have fixed a tasty beverage to sip on. Here you'll find RV Tailgate tested and approved tailgating drinks.

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Fix Awful RV Shower Odors https://rvtailgatelife.com/fix-awful-rv-shower-odors/ https://rvtailgatelife.com/fix-awful-rv-shower-odors/#respond Thu, 16 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://rvtailgatelife.com/?p=5778 Does your RV shower smell every time you try to take a shower? Is that smell making your already short and cramped shower even more miserable? The good news for RV owners everywhere – it doesn’t have to be that way! We can fix bad RV shower odors with some simple troubleshooting and then trial...

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Does your RV shower smell every time you try to take a shower?

Is that smell making your already short and cramped shower even more miserable?

The good news for RV owners everywhere – it doesn’t have to be that way! We can fix bad RV shower odors with some simple troubleshooting and then trial and error!

Stop RV Shower Odors with a picture of an RV shower head

Making RV Showers Awesome

RV showers are notorious for being less than awesome. From small, cramped spaces to a lack of water pressure.

While there really isn’t anything I can do about the small space in my RV shower, I can do everything possible to make the rest of the RV shower experience awesome.

I solved the water pressure situation by installing an Oxygenics RV Showerhead soon after I got my Tiffin motorhome. This helped A LOT.

But I definitely don’t want to be dealing with really bad and unpleasant odors during my RV showers. While you’ll probably deal with this problem at some point during your RV life, the good news is that you can solve the smelly RV shower problem with a little troubleshooting and then trial and error.

What Causes Smelly RV Showers?

Oxygenics RV shower head installed in a Tiffin motorhome

There are typically four main reasons that you are going to get a horrible odor when you start up your RV shower.

From the beginning of the system to the end of the system, in order, here are the main reasons you’ll get a bad odor in your RV shower:

  1. The water source is smelly.
  2. The water heater is causing your water to smell.
  3. The valve under the shower is creating the odors.
  4. The RV gray tank is a horrible mess.

Let’s take a look at how we can solve each of these problems and get you back to enjoying your RV showers.

See Also: Tips for Dealing with RV Odors

Bad Fresh Water

If your fresh water source has a lot of bacteria or certain chemicals in it, the water is likely to smell. This is going to cause your showers to smell.

You’ll also likely smell the water when using the sinks or toilets in your RV. It may not be as noticeable since your face may not be all up in the water, but it’ll definitely be noticeable in the shower.

To fix this, you really have two options:

  1. Find a new source of freshwater. Perhaps you’ve been using campground water and you need to switch over to your onboard tanks.
  2. Filters. Lots and lots of filters.

When it comes to filters, you have a few choices. Sometimes it even pays to double up on them.

The easiest is the inline water filter that attaches to your fresh water hose. You hook this up between the water source and your water hose which connects to the RV. This is a great, cheap option if you don’t have an onboard water filter. It filters sediments at 20-microns in size.

Another inline water filter is the Camco Evo Water Filter. It is heavier duty, with activated carbon and a replaceable filter cartridge. It catches impurities over 5-microns in diameter and then has the carbon for additional filtration and to help filter the bacteria.

The top of the line inline filters is going to be a multi-stage filtration system, getting bacteria, cysts, and viruses. The first stage is the 5-micron filter like the Camco Evo filter. Then there is the 0.5 micron filter that removes chlorine, VOCs, and other contaminants. Finally, the third stage filter goes after bacteria, like e. coli, and viruses.

Some RVs, like my Tiffin Open Road, also have water filters that are hooked up to the city water connection in the wet bay. These are also considered “whole house” filter systems, capable of serving several bathrooms. These water filters are commonly available from the big box stores.

Water from the Fresh Water Tanks Smell

If the smell is coming from your onboard tanks, but you believe that the source of the water is clean, you may need to sanitize your fresh water tanks.

Have you ever used a Brita filter pitcher in your fridge for a long time? After months and months of drinking the water and filling it back up, despite the filters, there is this layer of scum that forms on the pitcher.

If you felt so inclined to stick your head in the pitcher, you might find it even smells.

Well, the same thing can happen in your RV fresh water tank. So we sanitize them to get rid of that scum (and the bacteria) and hopefully also the odor.

Read More: How to Sanitize the RV Fresh Water System

Water Heater Causes RV Water to Smell

Does your water smell like rotten eggs?

Picture of the RV water heater. Bacteria in the water heater may be causing unpleasant odors in your RV shower.

The likely source of this horrible smell is your water heater, specifically the anaerobic bacteria living there. As this bacteria interacts with the anode rod, they produce hydrogen sulfide. Combined with the magnesium or aluminum of the anode rod, you get this horrible rotten eggs smell.

Fortunately, the fix isn’t hard. To remove the rotten eggs smell from your water heater:

  1. Remove the old anode rod.
  2. Drain the water heater of all existing water
  3. Flush the water heater with hydrogen peroxide to kill the bacteria.
  4. Install a new anode rod.

A magnesium anode rods usually last about 1-2 years while an aluminum anode rod lasts about 3-5 years.

Replacing the Anode Rod

Most RV anode rods use a 1 1/16 inch socket. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t have that in my toolbox before I became an RVer.

So if you have never replaced your anode rod before, you’ll need a few things:

With the proper tools, it is easy to remove the old anode rod, although you might have to put some serious pressure to get it loose. Then put the plumbers tape around the threads at the end of the new anode rod and screw it in.

Oh, and make sure that you’ve turned off the heater and let it cool off before you do this. Otherwise, you could seriously burn yourself!

Shower Valve Smells

If you aren’t noticing any nasty odors coming from your kitchen or bathroom sinks or even the toilet, then one of the likeliest culprits is the valve under your RV shower.

Many RV manufacturers use a special kind of valve under the RV shower because of the limited space.

A HepVo valve is a waterless valve. It replaces a traditional P-trap like you would find in a bricks and sticks house. It provides an airtight seal between the gray tank and the shower using a special membrane or flap that works with water pressure.

The good news: without water, you don’t have to worry about it freezing during the winter, expanding and bursting.

The problem with the waterless valves, though, is similar to any shower drain you’ve seen before – hair (especially when it is as long and thick as mine is), soaps, and oils all build up and create clogs. This prevents the flap from closing. And thus, all the bad smells can come up from your gray tank and into the shower stall area.

Clearing Clogs from Hepvo Valves

So to compound that issue, you CANNOT use a clog removal tool like a snake to clear the hair and other stuff out of the valve. Using these tools can damage the seal that prevents the bad smells from coming up. So you’d remove the clog, but damage the seal. Not a good solution.

Instead, you’ve got to use chemicals and other cleaning solutions. I’m not a big fan of using Drano and other harsh chemicals in my RV tanks. Mostly because I want to protect the seals from degrading. And then also when you go to dump, these chemicals can really do a number on septic systems that many RV campgrounds use.

That’s why I use and recommend Bio-Clean Waste Eliminator. Bio-Clean uses bacteria and enzymes to break down the organic material, like hair and soap film, that live in our drains and pipes. But they leave the inorganic materials, like your pipes, alone.

And once it goes through the Hepvo valve, it will continue to your gray tank, eating up the organic material there. After you dump, the bacteria will continue in the RV campground septic systems, improving how those operate. All good, right?

Traditional Method of Baking Soda + Vinegar to Clear Clogs

Another more time tested method that sometimes works well is the baking soda and vinegar method. Just like you may have used at your home, you can use this in your RV shower as well.

To unclog RV drains with baking soda and vinegar, follow these steps:

  1. Pour near boiling hot water down the drain.
  2. Add a cup of baking soda to the top of the drain.
  3. Pour a solution of 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water over the baking soda.
  4. Cover with a container or bucket (mop bucket anyone?). Wait 10 minutes
  5. Flush with more hot water.

When you pour the vinegar over the baking soda, it is going to create a chemical reaction that bubbles up. As it works down through the drain, it will loosen up the materials. The hot water after it will clear out a lot of gunk.

It’s not as strong of a solution as Bio-Clean, so you may have to repeat several times. It is a good maintenance option though to run weekly.

The RV Gray Tank Smells

In many newer RVs, the RV black tank has a rinse system that allows you to back fill the tank with high water pressure nozzle that sprays the entire tank. This lets you get a lot of the waste, from toilet paper to poop, that can be left behind on the walls.

Unfortunately, most RVs don’t have a similar system for the RV gray tank. Some high-end systems do, but most of us mere mortals do not have a gray tank rinse system. I find this highly annoying and problematic.

The kitchen sink drains into the RV gray tank and can leave food bits stuck in there... creating nasty odors that come out through your RV shower.

It’s a problem because the RV gray tank can be just as bad a smelly culprit as the black tank. From the hair and soap scum from the showers, toothpaste and makeups from the bathroom sinks, and then food particles from the kitchen sink, there’s a lot of stuff that can get stuck in the gray tank.

It’s one of the MANY reasons that I recommend that you leave your gray tank valve closed when you are at full hookup campgrounds. Only open it when you are ready to dump, so that you don’t let all those bits and pieces settle to the bottom of the gray tank a la a poop pyramid that forms in the black tank.

Anyways, back to the smelly RV showers…

When the Hepvo valve opens up, it can let odors creep up from the gray tank. This is really noticeable at the beginning of the shower when the shower waste water hasn’t flushed it all back down again.

How to Fix a Smelly Gray Tank to Fix Your Smelly RV Shower

The good news is that as long as you have a full hookup, it’s not going to be too hard to fix the smelly RV gray tank.

In fact, you just need to do a lot of laundry, take a lot of showers, and keep filling up your gray tank as far as you can get it. I am talking to the very rim, where you are getting some backup into the shower even.

RV washers are great at filling up the RV gray tank to get rid of nasty odors from the tank

Then dump the tank all at once. By filling it up, you get to all the upper corners and crevices where waste can stick to the sides. Filling it up with laundry water, if you have an onboard washer, gets you some nice sudsy soaps to help clear out those smells and wash the tank as well. If you don’t have an onboard clothes washer, get to doing all the dishes with Dawn! It’ll do a lot of the same cleaning action.

Dumping a full tank helps use gravity and water pressure to get the larger waste bits out. You know how we recommend that you wait until the black tank is full to empty? Yeah, same thing with the RV gray tank.

Read More: RV Gray Tanks: The Other RV Waste Tanks

Stop Odors During RV Showers

Stop RV Shower Odors - no more smelly RV showers with these tips and tricks.

After you’ve checked your water source, cleared out the water heater of bad bacteria, cleared the clogs from your Hepvo valves, and flushed out your gray tank, you should be clear sailing with normal smelling RV showers.

Like these tips? Pin for later!

You May Also Like:
How to Eliminate Funky RV Fridge Odors
Tips for Dealing with RV Odors
Make Your Own RV Black Tank Cleaning Bombs

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How to Sanitize the RV Fresh Water System https://rvtailgatelife.com/sanitize-rv-fresh-water-system/ https://rvtailgatelife.com/sanitize-rv-fresh-water-system/#respond Wed, 15 Feb 2023 03:16:09 +0000 https://rvtailgatelife.com/?p=5781 Are you worried about drinking water from your RV fresh water system? Maybe the water coming out of your fresh water system is smelling? Whatever the case may be, it is time to sanitize your RV fresh water system. Why You Should Sanitize Your RV Fresh Water System No one wants to be concerned about...

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Are you worried about drinking water from your RV fresh water system?

Maybe the water coming out of your fresh water system is smelling?

Whatever the case may be, it is time to sanitize your RV fresh water system.

How to sanitize RV Fresh Water Tanks and Systems

Why You Should Sanitize Your RV Fresh Water System

No one wants to be concerned about any bacteria or mold that is growing in the dark and damp spaces below the RV and in the plumbing. But we also want to make RV life as easy as possible.

I know that I have spent way too much money on my motorhome to not enjoy it to its fullest. Which yes, includes taking showers in it, brushing my teeth, and just living like it is home.

I don’t want to worry about bringing in bottled fresh water when I have this large fresh water tank on board.

See Also: Do You Leave Black and Gray Tanks Open or Closed?

What You Need to Sanitize Your RV Fresh Water System

Sanitizing your fresh water tank won’t take any special tools and you already have at least half of them on hand (or maybe all of them).

Here’s what you will need:

  • Bleach – household bleach, but not the colored or scented version.
  • Funnel – I prefer one with a flexible spout. Do not use the one you use with your generator or engine oil!
  • Fresh Water Hose – Use the one you already use to fill up your fresh water tank
  • Water bucket
  • Measuring Cup

Easy Steps to Sanitizing the RV Fresh Water Plumbing

Sanitizing the RV fresh water system is actually really easy. Just follow these seven steps to a fresh and safe water system.

  1. Prepare a bleach solution of 1/4 cup per 15 gallons of fresh water.
  2. Pour this solution into the RV fresh water tank.
  3. Run each faucet until you can smell bleach.
  4. Let the whole system sit and soak with the bleach solution for at least four hours.
  5. Drain the fresh water tank.
  6. Refill the tank with fresh water tank with fresh, unbleached water.
  7. Flush each pipe by opening up the drains and running fresh water until you can no longer smell bleach.

You now have a freshly sanitized RV fresh water tank!

RV connected to full hookups - sewer, water, and electrical connections on a private ranch in North Georgia
Having full RV hookups is going to be very helpful and make sanitizing your RV tanks a lot easier. You’ll want a sewer and fresh water connection for this process.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sanitizing RV Fresh Water Tanks

Does bleach hurt the RV plumbing?

Long-term use of bleach in your RV water system may hurt the RV plumbing, in particular the seals in your black and gray tanks. However, sporadic use will not damage the seals. The benefits far outweigh the risks of the short-term exposure!

Will it hurt my RV if I use too much bleach while sanitizing it?

Honestly, no. The 1/4 cup per 15 gallons is a guideline, not a hard and fast rule. And really skunky tanks may even take more to get them clean or even multiple sanitizing rounds. Just make sure that you do dilute it and aren’t filling up your entire tank with pure bleach. After all, who wants to spend that kind of money on sanitizing your tanks when a lot less will do the job?

Do I have to empty the fresh water tank first?

It’s actually not necessary to empty the RV fresh water before you begin this process. The important thing is that you get the proper amount of bleach in your fresh water system.

How do I get the bleach into the RV fresh water tank?

There are two easy ways to get the bleach solution into your tanks.

The easiest way is to pour it into the gravity fill using a funnel.

If you don’t have a gravity fill on your fresh water tank, the next easiest thing to do is to pour the bleach into the water hose and fill the tanks through the city water connection. Added bonus – disinfecting your hose too!

Do I sanitize the water heater and hot water system?

It’s a great idea to sanitize the hot water system and pipes too! However, since we should not boil or overheat bleach (to avoid chlorine gas), make sure to start with cool water and leave the water heater off throughout the entire process!

It’s a great time to check the anode rod in your RV water heater!

RV tip for new RVers Take care of your RV with prevenative maintenance so it will take care of you

What about the water filters on my RV?

It is generally advisable that you only use clean, fresh water for this process. Any external water filters, like at the water hookup will be fine. However, any filters inside your RV, like at the water tank fill or in your RV fridge, you’ll want to remove and bypass.

If you are putting the bleach in your hose to get it into your tanks, make sure you put the bleach inline AFTER the filter. This way you don’t wear out your filter earlier than necessary or damage it in the sanitizing process.

Can I use bleach in the RV black tank?

It is highly advisable that you empty the RV black tank before putting any bleach in the tank. When bleach combines with ammonia, which is found in human urine, you get chlorine gas. Chlorine gas is not pleasant and can pose serious health risks. Fortunately, you do not need to send the bleach solution through the black tank. Just the fresh water system and the gray tank will be sufficient!

What if I don’t get all the bleach out of the RV water system?

After you drain the water out, you might find that it is hard to get all the traces out of the plumbing. The best thing to do is to keep flushing it with cool, fresh water. However, if you leave trace amounts of bleach in the water, you won’t be doing any damage to the RV. And it is safe for you. After all, you’ve been in a chlorine pool, right? You may want to hold off on drinking out of the system for a few days if you are overly concerned. But you can shower, wash dishes, and do everything else.

How Often Should I Sanitize the RV Fresh Water System?

I recommend at least once a year, but it will depend on how often you use your RV. And the more I use my RV, I find the less that I have to sanitize the system.

Sitting warm water is the enemy to maintaining your RV fresh water system. So, the more often that you cycle water through the fresh water tank and the plumbing, the less likely that you are going to need to sanitize your system.

On the other hand, I highly recommend that you sanitize your system as part of the de-winterizing process, as well as any other time that your RV has sat unused for more than a few weeks.

Is it Safe to Dump Bleach Water Into Sewer Systems?

After sanitizing your RV fresh water system, you need to get rid of the bleach water. In most cases, you will be safe dumping the water into a city sewer system.

Is it Safe to Dump Bleach Water into Septic Systems?

This is going to be a big fat maybe. In larger and more modern septic systems, you probably will not have any problems dumping the diluted bleach water into the septic systems. In smaller systems though, the bleach may mess up the balance of the good bacteria that is used to break down the waste products.

If you are sanitizing your RV fresh water system while staying in a RV campground, it is best to ask for permission first to make sure that you are not going to do any damage. Also, the process can be heavy on the water consumption. Some RV campgrounds may not want you using their water for this purpose.

Is it Safe to Dump Bleach Water onto the Ground?

While bleach in small doses is OK for humans, pets, and other wildlife, we typically do not want to dump the bleach water onto the ground. In higher concentrations, bleach can cause problems, especially to wildlife and plant life.

Often storm water drains do not go through city water treatment centers and go directly into the area rivers or water reservoirs. While bleach may not be harmful to larger animals, it is obviously dangerous to bacteria and other microbes that are the start of the food chain.

And if any of it is being dumped from the black water tank, it may actually be illegal.

Don’t dump the bleach water onto the ground.

I REALLY don’t want to use bleach. Can I use something else to sanitize my RV fresh water tanks?

The short answer is that yes, there are other alternatives to bleach. In my experience though, they just don’t do as good of a job and they are more difficult to use.

For example, baking soda can be an alternative to bleach in disinfecting your RV fresh water system. It’s going to take a 50/50 mixture of baking soda to get the desired results. I have yet to find an effective way to get that much power into the system. Plus it is harder to clean out as it is likely to leave solids behind.

Another alternative is vinegar. To be effective, you are also going to need a pretty high concentration – about 50/50 again. That’s a lot of vinegar, especially if you have a large fresh water tank.

Thetford also makes a Fresh Water Tank Sanitizer. I haven’t tried this solution, but they claim that it only takes about 1 minute of sitting to sanitize instead of the 4+ hours of bleach.

Now You Have Safe, Fresh Drinking Water in Your RV

How to sanitize RV fresh water tanks by RV Tailgate Life

Now that you have sanitized your RV fresh water system, you can feel safe drinking, showering, washing the dishes, and all the normal life activities that deal with water while you are out RVing.

You’ll save money by not needing to buy bottled water, and it’s better for the environment as well.

Like these RV tips? Pin for later!

You May Also Like:
RV Waste Tanks Explained
Make Your Own RV Black Tank Cleaning Bombs
RV Gray Tanks: The Other RV Waste Tanks
How to Poop in an RV (aka How to Use the RV Toilet)

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Adding Permanent Jack Pads with RV SnapPads https://rvtailgatelife.com/rv-snappads-permanent-jack-pads/ https://rvtailgatelife.com/rv-snappads-permanent-jack-pads/#respond Sat, 28 Jan 2023 02:57:07 +0000 https://rvtailgatelife.com/?p=5468 One of the first steps of setting up your RV tailgate or camp site is to put the jacks down and level up. But it is annoying to have to get out and put jack pads down under the jacks. Wouldn’t it be better to just press the button and let the jacks go down...

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One of the first steps of setting up your RV tailgate or camp site is to put the jacks down and level up.

But it is annoying to have to get out and put jack pads down under the jacks. Wouldn’t it be better to just press the button and let the jacks go down because you already had permanent RV jack pads installed?

Keep reading to find out about RV SnapPads and how you can get a special discount on your next order!

Permanent jack pads with RV SnapPads with a picture of the SnapPads installed on the leveling jack of a motorhome.

What RV Jacks Do

RV jacks extend from the body of your RV to touch the ground. These provide another point of contact with the ground other than the wheels.

There are two kinds of RV jacks – and the difference is important to know and understand.

Stabilizing RV Jacks

Stabilizing jacks are important in campers to support and literally stabilize the RV from movement inside the RV.

You know, the sway and annoyance that comes from walking around inside the RV. Or um, the more recreational fun for adults (don’t come a-knocking if the rig is rocking!) If you know, well, you know what I’m talking about.

Stabilizing jacks won’t eliminate all sway and movement, but they aren’t perfect.

Also, while they may help with leveling, stabilizing jacks should not be used to level your camper. You should rely on leveling jacks for that (see the next section) as well as blocks and other leveling methods. They aren’t built for leveling and you could end up with some pretty big disasters if you use them improperly.

Leveling RV Jacks

The other type of RV jacks are leveling jacks. They level your RV from front to back and side to side.

Leveling jacks are specifically designed to take on the heavy duty loads and weight of your RV. (Yet another reason not to overload your RV. It’s not just the tires but also the jacks that can be damaged when you go over the weight limits).

More Variations on RV Jacks

While there are two types of RV jacks, stabilizing and leveling, there are quite a few different common variations of these.

Many leveling jacks come with an automatic leveling option – a powered solution with an internal level to figure out when your camper is balanced. You can then manually adjust, while still using the power, to fine-tune or override the automatic setting.

Many of the stabilizing jacks also come with powered or manual options. For the manual options, I highly recommend a jack drill adapter so that you can use a cordless drill instead of manually cranking and thus wearing you out before the fun of tailgating and camping even begins!

If you are looking for an awesome cordless battery powered drill, I highly recommend the Ryobi Cordless Drill from Home Depot. I use the Ryobi line of tools in both my RV and my sticks and bricks house. Since I have so many of their tools, I have a lot of batteries that I can change out between the tools. And now, I can buy “tool only” instead of the tool + battery for new tools that I decide I just have to have.

Scissor Jacks are a type of stabilizing jacks that are common on trailers and smaller campers. They get the name from the way that they extend, as it looks like they are opening like a scissor.

Tongue Jack is used on trailers to support the front of the trailer, where it would otherwise hook up to your tow vehicle. These can be manual or powered, but powered is easier to setup.

The next kind of stabilizing jack is the Jack Stand that is also used on trailers. These typically have a wider base than other RV jacks which definitely helps with the stability.

There are a variety of jacks, and even manufacturers. Which means what works for some people may not work for you. Keep trying until you find the perfect combination of leveling and stabilizing jacks.

What are RV Jack Pads?

DIY RV Jack Pads and RV Landing Gear

RV Jack Pads are items that you place between the jack and the ground.

Jack pads can be made of a variety of materials – wood and plastic being the most common. But rubber is also an option.

You can make your own RV Jack Pads out of wood. I’ve got wood jack pads as well as wood ramps to place under my wheels. But I have also installed permanent jack pads on my leveling jacks.

Why You Need RV Jack Pads

Since RV jacks are designed and intended to make contact with the ground, there’s a chance of two different mishaps happening. These are both closely related, but still distinct problems that happen when you don’t use jack pads.

Mishap #1: Jacks Sink Into the Ground

The first is that the RV jacks will sink into the ground. This is more common on grass fields after a rain. In other words, when you are putting the jacks down into mud.

You may start on solid ground, but after a good rain, the mud forms and your jacks sink. Oops!

When you go to raise the jacks when it is time to move on, the jacks can be stuck in the mud. A suction type event happens to keep the solid jack surface from being retracted.

When this happens, you may have to get down on the ground so you can help the jacks up. If you are lucky, you’ll have a long piece of wood or metal that you can use to provide an air gap to break the suction and to provide leverage to help those jacks up.

RV jack pads help prevent this kind of mishap with RV jacks by providing a middle layer between your jacks and the muddy ground. The greater surface area also helps to prevent the sinking.

Mishap #2: Jacks Damage the Ground

When jacks are placed on asphalt, or even on grass, they concentrate a lot of weight onto a small surface area.

This can be a problem with jacks sinking into the ground too. But it also causes a similar problem on the other side.

This can be very damaging to the asphalt parking lots that we tailgate in. Even in fields of grass, the jacks can dig in and create holes and divots.

By using RV Jack Pads, you spread out the weight over a greater surface area to help protect the ground surface.

Now, jack pads and even SnapPads are not a guarantee against damage to parking lots. After all, there’s only so much space we can spread out the weight of a Big Rig RV. I’ve seen heavy rigs do some damage to parking lots just by driving on them (especially when the asphalt hasn’t completely cured yet).

But jack pads definitely decrease the likelihood of damage done by the jacks themselves.

What are SnapPads?

One of the problems with most RV jack pads are that they aren’t always on your RV jacks. You have to get out of the RV or your tow vehicle and get down on the ground to place your pads.

This is just so much fun when it’s raining. Or not!

That’s why I really like RV SnapPads, a permanent solution that stays on your RV jacks all the time.

You don’t have to worry about leaving these jack pads behind. You don’t have to get under the RV to place them each time you park. They are there and always ready.

Another side benefit – they are made with recycled tires. Which means they are environmentally friendly, keeping tires out of the landfills.

Special Discount on RV SnapPads

Do you want a special discount on RV SnapPads?

How does 10% off sound?

With the discount code KIMBERLY60334 you can get 10% off your order from RV SnapPads!

Using this link though, it should be automatically applied to your order! Just in case though, make sure to check on the checkout page that the code KIMBERLY60334 has been applied! You won’t see the discount until the checkout page, not the shopping cart page (just an FYI).

Installing RV SnapPads on a Motorhome

I’ve had SnapPads on my motorhome for a few years now and highly recommend them from personal use!

The most difficult thing was to get them installed… and it really wasn’t that difficult. The instructions were pretty clear.

But here are a few tips:

  1. You want to have two people for this job. One person that will get under the motorhome and one person to run the jacks from inside. Probably not as big of a deal if you have manual jacks, but definitely want that second person if the automatic jacks control is not mobile/is inside the motorhome like mine is.
  2. Get some regular old dishwashing soap. It’s good for lube. Well, lube for SnapPads not for other purposes.
  3. Keep your fingers out of the way of your jacks.
  4. Start with the bottom of your jacks clean of any dirt or debris. Wipe them off and even hose them down if necessary. Otherwise you’ll be trapping the dirt on the bottom of the jacks in the SnapPad.

Installation Process

OK, now that you are ready to begin, put some dishwashing detergent around the lip of one SnapPad. You are going to install one SnapPad at a time. Don’t try to do all of them at one time.

One person is going to get on the ground to position the SnapPad directly below the jack.

The other person is going to be inside, running the jacks. You’ll want windows open and the radio off. Maybe even some walkie talkies so that you can talk to each other.

Once the ground person gives the OK (and their hands are not under or near the jack), you’ll want to manually lower the appropriate jack. As the jack lowers down, the ground person may tell the other to stop or keep going, depending on how accurately they placed the SnapPad.

The ground person will know when the jack is fully seated in the SnapPad when they hear a distinctive snap. (You didn’t think the creators of SnapPad were being all that creative when they named their product, did you?) Have the inside person raise the jacks to be sure.

Now repeat with all the other jacks on your rig.

Don’t Ditch Your Existing Jack Pads

Even though I have and love my SnapPads, there are times when the DIY wood jack pads still come in very handy.

And that’s when you are parking on unlevel/uneven ground. I use the wood to help extend the reach of my jacks when there’s too much distance to get the motorhome level.

In my new tailgate parking spot at GT, the driver’s side of the RV is much lower than the passenger side. I cannot get the driver’s side high enough without using some additional help from the wood blocks. So I use both the SnapPad and the blocks to get level.

I have found that the SnapPad helps keep those wood blocks in good shape longer though. Before I installed the SnapPad, I’d go through them in about a year’s worth of tailgating because of the concentrated pressure from the metal jacks. Now, I have only gone through one set, although they are still getting near the end of their lifespan.

Add RV SnapPads to your Jacks

Don’t forget to use the discount code KIMBERLY60334 to get 10% off your RV SnapPads.

I’ve had them on my motorhome jacks for years now and really enjoy having them permanently attached. It makes for quicker setup on level(ish) parking spots.

Like RV SnapPads? Or buying later? Pin to remember to get your discount code!

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Third Saturday in October: Alabama vs Tennessee https://rvtailgatelife.com/third-saturday-in-october-tennessee-alabama/ https://rvtailgatelife.com/third-saturday-in-october-tennessee-alabama/#respond Tue, 18 Oct 2022 02:06:25 +0000 https://rvtailgatelife.com/?p=5357 The Third Saturday in October is sacred to those in the Tennessee-Alabama football rivalry. It’s not normally one that I am all that aware of, with my roots deep in the ACC. But when a friend said that GT was off, I jumped at the chance to go to my first trip to Neyland Stadium....

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The Third Saturday in October is sacred to those in the Tennessee-Alabama football rivalry.

It’s not normally one that I am all that aware of, with my roots deep in the ACC. But when a friend said that GT was off, I jumped at the chance to go to my first trip to Neyland Stadium.

And what a trip it turned out to be. Tennessee took down Bama in a nailbiter of a 52-49 win, on a walk-off (storm the field) field goal as time expired.

The Third Saturday in October is when Alabama and Tennessee matchup for their annual football rivalry. The 2022 edition was at Neyland Stadium and went to the bitter end with a Tennessee field goal as time expired. The fans rushed the field in a sea of orange to celebrate.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for various products below. You get the same low prices and we earn a small commission.

ESPN GameDay at Tennessee

Most schools are lucky to get Game Day to come to their campus. This was the second time Tennessee hosted Game Day this year.

But where else are you going to be for the Third Saturday in October, when you have the #3 Alabama team against the #6 Tennessee team?

Dixieland Delight is about Tennessee - one of the signs seen at GameDay at Alabama-Tennessee

GameDay was at Ayres Hall lawn. Ayres Hall is on the US National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1921, renovations were completed in 2011. The exterior brick work is where the famed orange checkerboard pattern comes from. Today, it is the home of the College of Arts and Sciences and the math department.

Ayres Hall at University of Tennessee Knoxville. The orange and white checkerboard pattern that Tennessee is known for comes from the brick work at the top of the tower.

Vol Walk and Salute to the Hill

The Vols do pre-game right, with the team coming in during the Vol Walk. Vol Walk is right in front of the main entrance to Neyland Stadium, about 2 hours and 15 minutes before game time. For big games, like say Tennessee-Alabama, the crowd arrives early and is really intense. So get there early if you want a good spot.

Vol Walk is where the Tennessee players come in to Neyland Stadium before a game. For the Tennessee-Alabama game, the crowd was intense and a sea of orange.

About 15 minutes after the Vol Walk, the Pride of the Southland Marching Band does a Salute to the Hill in the March to the Stadium.

Both Vol Walk and the Salute to the Hill are great to take in from the Pedestrian Bridge from Ayres Hall across Philip Fulmer Way. Just know that you can’t be on the bridge during the March to the Stadium until the band passes by. They take up the whole width of the bridge.

Welcome to Neyland Stadium

After the Salute to the Hill, go ahead and make your way into the game (unless you have a tailgate real close by). We finished crossing the Pedestrian Bridge and went towards the center of the stadium. This meant we were walking in on Peyton Manning Pass. And this is where you’ll get a great shot of the main entrance.

The entrance to Neyland Stadium, from Peyton Manning Pass

If you haven’t been to Neyland before, you’ll need to know a few things…

First, the stadium has been expanded and built on itself over and over. So there are A LOT of gates. And you need to go into your assigned gate. Otherwise, it may be difficult to get where you are supposed to be. They may all connect, but with a full house, it is difficult to get around.

Second, the space is small. Don’t take in anything unnecessary because you will have very little personal room. Seriously, go to the restroom before you make it to your seat. Especially if you are in the middle of a row. Because otherwise you’ll be climbing over people to get out to get food/drink or go to the restroom. Do what you can to avoid unnecessary trips away from your seats.

See Also: What You Need to Know: Stadium Clear Bag Policy

Third, the place is loud. But it has some great site lines. I loved our seats in the end zone, just above and towards the center from the band and the student section. However, they could definitely improve the acoustics. When they piped in music when the band wasn’t playing, it was difficult to hear anything but the bass. All bass, no treble.

Inside at Neyland Stadium during the orange out during the Alabama vs Tennessee game on the Third Saturday in October, 2022.

Dixieland Delight hats from RealManBoobs on Etsy
Tennessee fans can celebrate the win with a commemorative hat. Check out these hats from RealManBoobs store on Etsy

Storm the Field, Tear Down the Goal Posts

It was 15 years in the making. Tennessee hadn’t beat Alabama in a decade and a half.

So what would you expect when you have hosted GameDay, you’ve got the number 3 vs 6 teams in the nation facing off, in a historic rivalry, and the game goes down to the very last second?

Why, everyone will storm the field at the end of the game to celebrate. And then they will tear down the goal posts. Despite the $100,000 fine from the SEC. I’m sure that every Tennessee fan says that it was completely worth it!

It is a sea of orange as Tennessee fans storm the field and tear down the goal posts after the 52-49 win over Alabama on the Third Saturday in October

Kimberly from RV Tailgate Life at Neyland Stadium when Tennessee beat AlabamaCongrats to the Tennessee Volunteers for their 52-49 win over Alabama. It was a great trip for my first visit to Neyland Stadium. I don’t know how you will top it next time. Until then, Go Vols!

And yes, I loved the playing of Dixieland Delight during the celebrations. I love the petty factor.


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