Getting an RV or boat ready for winter storage in the Boundary.

Grand Forks gets real winter. Anything that parks outside from October to April needs an hour of preparation first. Here is a checklist worth working through.

Water first

Water is what does the damage. It freezes, expands, and cracks whatever it is sitting in. Before the unit comes to the compound:

• RVs: drain the fresh, grey and black tanks, drain the water heater, open every tap including the outside shower, and either blow the lines out with compressed air or fill them with non-toxic RV antifreeze. RV antifreeze only, never automotive. Follow the winterizing steps in your owner's manual; every make is a little different.
• Boats: drain the engine block and manifolds or run marine antifreeze through the cooling system, pull the drain plug, drain the bilge, livewells and any washdown lines, and leave the plug out with a note on the wheel so you do not launch without it in spring.
• Both: empty the fridge, prop the door open, and take out anything that holds liquid, including cans of pop and bottles of cleaner.

Fuel and batteries

• Keep fuel tanks at no more than a quarter full while parked in the compound. Add a fuel stabilizer and run the engine long enough to pull treated fuel through the system.
• Disconnect the batteries or pull them and store them somewhere they will not freeze. A battery left connected over winter is usually dead and often ruined by spring. If you leave them in, a small maintenance charger is worth it, but note that there is no power at the compound spaces.
• Shut off propane at the tanks and cap the lines.

Tires, covers and the ground

• Inflate tires to the maximum pressure on the sidewall; they lose pressure in the cold. Cover them if you can. Sun does more damage to rubber than snow does.
• Use a breathable cover on RVs and boats. A plastic tarp holds moisture underneath and grinds the finish where it flaps. Tie it so it cannot move in the wind.
• Level the unit and chock the wheels. Release the trailer brake once it is chocked so the shoes do not rust to the drums.
• Boats on trailers should sit bow-high so any water that gets in runs to the drain plug.

Pests

Mice are the winter enemy of every stored RV in the Boundary. Take out all food, including pet food and the crumbs in the cupboard corners. Plug openings around plumbing and wiring with steel wool. Set traps inside, not poison, so you are not hunting for a smell in April. Leave cupboards open so air moves.

Paperwork

• Confirm with your insurer that the unit is covered while in storage. Some insurers offer a reduced storage rate for the months it is parked. Goods in our compound are not insured by us.
• Keep the registration current. A parked unit still needs to be legal to move.
• Photograph the unit from all sides the day it goes in. It takes two minutes and settles any question later.

Before you bring it in

Call us with the overall length, including the hitch or trailer tongue, and tell us if it is a fifth wheel, a boat on a trailer, or a container. We will set aside a spot the tow vehicle can reach without a spotter. Half price on your first month applies to compound spaces as well as indoor units, for new rentals of up to four months.