Follow regular maintenance tips for your RV Slide-Outs.

Master RV technicians Matt and Bart discuss RV slide-out maintenance and recommend tips to keep your slide-outs functioning and performing well during your travels.

Inspect the roof—Twigs, leaves, and pine needles are notorious for lifting the sweep seals and letting water sneak in.  Using a small broom or brush, clean off the roof and inspect the roof membrane for any signs of damage.  If damage does occur, the membrane can most often be patched. Inspect the sealants on the moldings and the sweep seals.  Repair as needed, and allow any new sealants to cure before washing.

• Visual inspection of the box: inspect the slide-out for overall cleanliness; inspect the rubber sweeps, making certain the sweeps are clean from any debris. Keystone RV does not recommend any lubricant as it has the potential to collect dirt. If there is any damage to the sweeps, you will want to have those replaced at your local dealer to prevent any unwanted water intrusion. Note: When it rains, the slide-out box is designed to shed water. The sweeps are not squeegees; they are sweeps, and there will be residual water that gets inside the RV. Simply take a towel and be sure to wipe it up until it is dry.
• Sealant condition: sealant is used to protect the areas where components are installed and joined, like the corner moldings. Over time, these seals will need to be inspected and touched up. This is a normal part of owning an RV and should be taken seriously.  If your slide-out has windows, inspect the window seals at this time as well.  Again, repair as needed, and allow any new sealants to cure before washing. Important to note: the owner's lack of maintenance of seals and sealants is the number one cause of most slide-out leaks. We recommend inspecting your seals and sealants frequently.

• Underneath slide-out—We want to make sure the floor covering is clean and free from debris and damage. We will also look at any hardware and make sure it is clean and free from damage. Again, clean, dry, and damage-free is what we’re looking for. Tighten any loose screws or bolts.
• Cleaning RV Slide-outs—We want to be free of debris collecting on the slide-outs especially on a prolonged stay like seasonal or full timing camping. Depending on your region and site location, trees etc… washing the box may be needed more often. We recommend doing this on a clear warm dry day and recommend using RV approved cleaning supplies, if you need help with that please contact your dealer. Keystone RV does not recommend using a power washer, a power washer can compromise the integrity of your sealants, and the graphics of your RV.

We hope this RV Pro Tip video has been helpful in understanding the care and maintenance needs of your RV slide-outs.  All of this information described is also be found in your Keystone Owner’s Manual, Chapter 13 Care and Maintenance. Just another way Keystone RV helps you Camp Better! Owner's Manual for review: https://www.keystonerv.com/owners-manuals.