Summer is RVing season. School is almost over and families are planning their get-aways. For some people, this is the time they pull their RV out of storage. As eager as people are to fire up the engine and start playing, it’s important to make sure your RV is in good shape to ensure your safety and the safety of family and friends on board.

Exterior: Take a walk around your RV. Get up on a ladder and check out the roof for cracks that may have happened. Often times cracks only need a quick repair which will save a lot of headaches if taken care of before a huge rainstorm comes along. Is there a spare tire? How old is it? Tires should be replaced every five years whether they have been used or not. Sun damage and weather can dry out and crack tires before they have ever been used.

Interior: Damp places may have grown mold. Check in places that are high moisture areas, like bathrooms. Check shower curtains, seats and fabrics in the bedroom and living area. You may also want to do a quick search to find out if any animals have been nesting in your RV. Ants, spiders and small critters may have found their way in and decided this is a great space for a new home. Take precautions when lifting seat cushions if black widows and brown recluse spiders are common in your area.

Mechanics: If your RV has been in storage for months, you may have forgotten that your windshield wiper fluid was low, or your oil needed to be changed. Your tires may have sustained more wear than you expected. Taking your RV into a local service repair station can take away those worries. Be sure they top up all your fluids and check your brakes and transmission. Prevention is the best way to avoid accidents on the road.

Safety: Hundreds of fires occur in RVs every year because of problems with propane tanks leading into refrigerators. Have your propane lines and hook-ups inspected. This is a problem that is easily avoided.

Carbon monoxide detectors can save lives, especially if you run the heat during colder vacations. Be sure batteries have been replaced recently and that the carbon monoxide detector works. Sleepiness can overtake those suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, which can delay or affect reactions and rational decisions. Carbon monoxide poisoning can result in death for adults as easily as it can for children.

Weigh your load. Having too much weight in an RV can put undue pressure on tires. This can result in excess wear or even blowouts on the road. Be sure the load is spaced out evenly inside used RVs or travel trailers. An uneven load can wear out the tires on one side of the RV more quickly than the other.

Millions of Americans own RVs and will be heading out on the road for summer adventures. While vacationers are sticking closer to home to save money, it’s still important to be sure that all new and used RVs heading out on adventures can provide the safest vacation possible. Have your RV serviced and inspected so you have a memorable vacation.