Maintenance services

Winterizing uses a food grade glycol that is added to pipes to prevent freezing.  TO work properly, I will:

• Fill all water lines.
• Add some amount of the anti-freezing agent in the grey and black tanks.  
• I will drain all fresh water from the fresh tank and leave the drains open.
• Drain the hot water heater and remove the drain plug (I do not normally put anti-freezing liquid in the hot water heater).
• Add anti-freezing agent to the black tank flush line (it is often forgotten).
• Make sure the water pump is drained.
• If you have an ice maker, be sure to mention that to me.  They should never have anti-freezing agents added to them (after all, they freeze things).  I can disconnect your ice maker and get it 'winter ready' for an extra $25.

I do this by utilizing your 'city water inlet' and pumping the anti-freezing liquid through the lines as if it were city water.

 
A typical camper takes about 3-4 gallons of the anti-freezing agent.  I include up to 4 gallons of the agent in the cost of winterization. 

Before I come, please let me know about any 'on board water filters'.  They need to be removed or by-passed in this process.

Also, please have empty black and grey tanks.

De-Winterizing involves removing all of the anti freezing agent from the water lines by flushing the lines.  Once the lines are flushed with clean water, I will sanitize the lines with a bleach solution.  I will also sanitize your fresh tank by adding a bleach solution.

I will make sure your water pump is hooked up, not leaking and the screen to the pump is clean.  

This service can take 2 visits because the bleach solution needs to sit in the lines for a number of hours for proper sanitization.  I can leave directions for you to do the "second visit' yourself for a lower fee.

Furnaces need the occasional cleaning and check up, just like in a home.  I can remove and clean most (not all) units that have an access door.  I can make sure everything is clean of spiderwebs, dirt dauber nests, leaves and dog hair.  Furnaces often vacuum up debris from the inside of our rig floors and hold onto it.  Over time this can clog switches or interfere with the burner or blower wheel.  

A simple cleaning and annual check up can help make sure those issues don't cause you to have a cold night.

Some people believe that if an air conditioner stops working, it has to be replaced.  That is not true.  There are a number of parts that can be replaced and a number of things that can go wrong to stop it from working well.

If you don't like to get on your roof, let me do it safely to check and clean your units.

• I will clean the evaporator and condenser coils.  Clean coils are more efficient and RV air conditioners get dirty as we travel down the road.  Dirt can get inside the coil fins and leaves can gather and block airflow over the coils.  An annual cleaning helps your unit run efficiently.
• Are the capacitors still working well (they get old and are less effective which puts more stress on the rest of the system)
• The thermostat wires and other wires can get loose or be damaged by rodents or vibrations as we drive down the road.
• Do you have proper airflow inside the air box and through the vents?  Sometimes that can be improved to increase the cooling efficiency.
• I will provide you with a report showing your electrical values of each component.  Monitoring these values over time can give you a picture of the health of your unit.

Micro-Air is the leading company in 'soft starting' technology for RV and marine air conditioners.

• These units take the place of the RV air conditioner's start capacitor.  That capacitor builds and discharges a large jolt of energy to start the compressor when it is off.  This jolt of energy can shock the compressors and over time wear them out prematurely.
• The start capacitors also wear out over time due to constant cycling.
• Easy Starts from Micro-Air can help you unit by reducing the 'start up stress'.  They can also help you use your air conditioner with less stress on the electric cord you have - even run a unit on a 15 Amp extension cord in your driveway vs. a 30A cord.  
• I can supply a Micro-Air Easy Start and install it for you. I sell the basic Easy Start new from Micro-Air for their price (about $300) and I will install it in your air conditioner for $120 per unit.  If you want the Bluetooth version, I can install that as well but the unit costs more from Micro-Air. 
• I can also upgrade your thermostat to a Micro-Air thermostat that allows you to monitor and CHANGE the temperature in your camper via the internet!  I also use that feature to make sure my power is still on (remember, we have cats).

There are lots of little things that can go wrong with a refrigerator.  There are a few big things.  But anything that stops it from cooling properly can make a simple trip turn into a less than perfect getaway.

• Does it cool on gas?
• Does it cool on electric?
• It could be an issue with airflow over the coils that can be addressed.
• It could be an issue with a control board (which is replaceable but not repairable).
• It could be as simple as a blown fuse, there may be more than one in the electrical system that runs a refrigerator.
• Sometimes it is the cooling coils.  In that case, I can install a new unit or you may want to replace the cooling coils on your existing unit.  That can be done.

Don't let a refrigerator ruin your trip.  Let me help get it running.

Do you have an ice maker in your freezer that doesn't work?  That is a common problem.  They can be fixed if you really want them working.  I can talk to you about what that would take.

Do you have a built in generator that needs maintenance?  Does it bog down when the air conditioner starts and then shut off?

Generators need maintenance just like other engines.  Over time they need a 'tune up'.  It is different than a typical car tune up but it is similar in the difference it can make between a rough running generator and a well running generator.

Poorly running generators can produce poor electricity which is not good for the circuit boards in RV appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators and furnaces.  I can rebuild carburetors (even on portable generators), adjust output and make sure all the maintenance is done to get it running well and keep it running.  I can even do propane conversions on some generators (from gas to propane).  And yes, I do work on diesel generators.  I have one in my rig and I need it ready when the time comes (or to run the AC while I am traveling down the road)

If you have a leak in your propane lines, that is a serious issue.  I use a meter to check the pressure of your propane lines to make sure they are not leaking and also make sure your lines provide the proper pressure to run your appliances safely.

Smoke detectors need to be replaced every 5 years and propane detectors need to be replaced every 7 years.  I also recommend everyone have carbon monoxide detectors but these also have a 5 year life.  I also check to make sure you have enough fire extinguishers and that they are properly rated and charged.