Monthly Maintenance Checklist for Full-Time RVers

✅ Roof and seals

What else is an RV if not a roof over your head?

Start with a close look at the roof surface. Check for cracks, soft spots, or separation, especially around vents, skylights, and AC units. While you're up there, take a look at the exterior seals and caulking around every window, door, joint, and roof penetration. Sun and temperature exposure break these down faster than you’d expect. Reapply sealant to anything that looks dried out or cracked: It might just be the cheapest maintenance you'll do all month, especially compared to dealing with water damage later.

✅ Tires and wheels

Check tire pressure cold, before driving, and compare it against your loaded weight rather than just the sidewall max. Examine the tread for uneven wear patterns, which may signal alignment or suspension issues worth catching early. You’ll also want to inspect every tire, including the spare, for cracks, bulges, or embedded debris. And if you've had any tire work done recently, this is also a good time to torque-check the lug nuts.

✅ Battery and electrical

Remove corrosion from the battery terminals, and if you're running flooded lead-acid batteries, check the water levels and top off with distilled water only, since minerals in tap water can interfere with how the battery conducts electricity. (Lithium-ion battery owners can skip this step.) 

Test the overall battery voltage and state of charge, especially if you’re using solar or a generator to top off, and check visible wiring for chafing, loose connections, or exposed insulation. It’s also probably a good idea to test your GFCI outlets to make sure they're tripping properly, a quick check that's easy to forget.

✅ Generator

Turn on the generator for at least 2 hours at 50% load once a month, even if you haven't used it at all. Gasoline starts to degrade after about a month of non-use, and running the generator keeps seals and internal components lubricated, letting you catch problems near help rather than out on the road when you’re possibly alone or stranded. If you know the generator won't be used again soon, consider adding a fuel stabilizer to keep the gas from going bad.

✅ Air conditioning

A clogged AC filter makes your whole system work harder than it needs to, which can shorten its lifespan and leave you sweating on hot days. Vacuum and clean the AC vents and filters every month to maintain clean airflow and keep the unit running efficiently. This is especially important if you’re a pet owner, as pet hair is notorious for clogging AC filters.

✅ Water systems

Check all visible plumbing connections and hoses for slow leaks or corrosion, then run water through every faucet and fixture to make sure the pressure and flow are as expected. If you’re worried about water pressure affecting the integrity of your water systems, consider a water pressure regulator.

You’ll also want to sanitize the freshwater tank on a regular rotation, especially after hooking up to unfamiliar water sources, and check the water heater, paying special attention to any leaks around the tank or connections.

✅ Propane system

Inspect propane lines and connections for wear, cracking, or leaks. If you’re concerned about a leak you can’t see, try a simple soapy water test to test connections for leaks. It’s also a good opportunity to test your propane, smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors while you're at it; they're not worth gambling on and are inexpensive to replace. You’ll also want to make sure appliances that vent, especially the fridge and furnace, are venting properly.

✅ Slide-outs and awnings

Slide-outs are great for adding space to a parked RV, but they’re a notorious source of mechanical failure if not properly maintained. To maintain your slide-outs, lubricate their mechanisms according to the manufacturer's recommendations, and check the seals for gaps, tears, or wear that could let water or pests in. You should also dust off the tops of the slide-outs, which collect more grime than you'd expect and aren’t too hard to reach. 

Similarly, awnings also have potential failure points, especially in places with high humidity or extreme temperatures. Check the awning fabric and hardware for tears, mildew, or loose mounting points.

✅ Chassis and undercarriage

Even if you have a reliable chassis and get your RV regularly serviced, you should lay eyes on the chassis and undercarriage components at least once a month. If your setup has grease fittings that need manual attention, take the time to grease those chassis lubrication points. You’ll want to check the undercarriage for rust and loose fasteners and the suspension components for obvious wear or damage, especially if you've been on rough roads recently. 

✅ Everything inside

Clean or replace the furnace filter, and check both the interior and exterior fridge vents to make sure airflow isn't blocked. Test the fire extinguisher's pressure gauge to make sure it's still in the green, and check the waste tank sensors. If the waste tank sensors are reading inaccurately, clean them before you start troubleshooting, as buildup can cause false readings.

Skip the scramble and make it a routine

This list has ten items, which definitely makes it seem like a big job. A lot of full-time RVers break it into a few shorter passes across the month rather than doing everything at once. The same problems tend to show up in the same places, so catching them monthly is a lot cheaper and easier than catching them when you’re stranded on the side of the highway. Like many maintenance practices, consistency makes a difference.

If something on this list turns up an issue you're not sure how to handle, or you'd rather have a professional take a look before your next long haul, stop by one of our service locations. We're happy to help you stay ahead of it.