When you’re an avid RVer, it is easy to have a green perspective when it comes to our planet. After all, an RV gets you out into nature, taking you to places where you experience sunshine, fresh air, and beautiful scenery. Your Lerch RV allows you to explore the best of what our great country has to offer from comfortable surroundings. What is better than that?
An easy way to be Eco-conscious when you are experiencing the RV lifestyle is to go green when you clean. Here are five green cleaning tips that you can take on the road or even use at home if you desire to:
Make your own: Cleaning green doesn’t have to cost a lot of green. There are many green products out there on the market but an easier and cheaper approach is to make your own cleaning solutions. All you need is good ole’ water, white vinegar, and baking soda. Between the three you can clean almost anything in your RV.
Reduce and reuse: Think smart when you recycle. Instead of throwing out spray bottles when you’re out of cleaning solution, rinse them out and use them again! Reuse plastic baggies, plastic food containers, water bottles, and aluminum foil. Recycle when you can, but reusing is even greener!
There’s nothing baking soda can’t do:Beyond being made into a cleaning solution, baking soda has tons of other uses around your RV (and your home). Sprinkle a little on your carpet or upholstery before vacuuming for a fresh scent, keep in your RV fridge as a deodorizer, and sprinkle into garbage cans to keep odors at bay.
Air freshener:No need to add chemicals to your RV to give it that fresh smell. In a 16-oz spray bottle, combine: 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of fabric softener (use a natural/organic softener) and 6 to 10 drops of vanilla or almond extract. Fill the remainder of the bottle with water and you’ve got your own, green air freshener.
Stains are out:Stains on vinyl are no match for a little lemon juice and elbow grease. Use straight lemon juice to rub out any stains on your RV’s vinyl flooring.
It might require a wee bit more time to use some of the above ideas, and it might seem easier just to grab that bottle of cleaner. In the long run you will be doing yourself and the environment a favor.
Recreational Vehicles take camping to the next level, they’re loaded with amenities that make camping an incredible experience. Although some have more features than others. Here are three easy ways to make sure you’re getting the most out of your Lerch RV when you’re on the road.
1. You have a kitchen so cook a feast!
Go gourmet in your RV. When you have tons of cabinetry for storing ingredients, a spacious refrigerator, and 3-burner stove, you’re set to cook like a chef. Have hotdogs and burgers one night, but plan a night where you break out the spices, the premier cuts of meat, the vino, and a homemade dessert. There are tons of RV cooking resources that can help you find RV-friendly gourmet recipes.
2. There’s tons of sleeping space, so bring your friends. You have room!
In an RV, there’s way more sleeping space than you might ever use. Some of our current inventory floor plans sleep up to twelve campers. Why waste the space, the more the merrier. Grab your friends (or your kids’ friends) and bring them along. Memories are made when you get big groups together. Why do you think so many families try to go camping together?
3. Make the most of entertainment systems.
Whether your RV has flat screen TVs inside, outdoor TVs, or both, you get the best of both worlds. Roughing it, while being able to laugh along with your favorite movie or TV show. Don’t feel guilty using (and loving) your TVs. Invite the neighbors (campers in the spots nearby) over for movie night or put the game on the outside TV.
Have any gourmet RV recipes, stories of packed RVs, and favorite RV movies? Share with us in the comments. Especially if you love RVing as much as we do!
Lerch RV was recently recognized as the #1 Sales Volume Dealer in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast Regions by Open Range RV. And the #2 Sales Volume dealer nationwide. Here at the dealership, we are truly happy with being honored as such. Being the largest Open Range RV dealer east of the Mississippi River is a great honor. We would like to thank our current Open Range RV customers and owners, who have allowed up to receive such an award.
CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE! LERCH RV IS THE #2 OPEN RANGE DEALERSHIP IN SALES VOLUME FOR 2012! AND ALSO THE #1 DEALER IN THE MID-ATLANTIC / EAST COAST MARKETS. GREAT JOB!
Paul Sirian
Open Range Regional Sales Representative
If you are looking for a new or used Open Range RV, look no further than the largest Open Range dealer in Pennsylvania and the east coast, Lerch RV.…
Summer and the family camping season has come to a close. Don’t give up on the idea of a fall camping trip. Before putting away your camping gear until next summer, think about another camping trip. Those of us without kids are free to camp during the week, but families shouldn’t miss the opportunity to do some quality camping with their kids on weekends at local parks and campgrounds.
For those of you who are not blessed with children, it’s a good time to start planning a fall camping trip to one of those previously over-crowded, summer destination hot spots. After Labor Day, the visitor traffic to the State Parks, National Parks and National Forests slows down considerably, due primarily to the fact that kids are back in school. Days aren’t as hot, and nights are just cool enough to cuddle under a blanket for a good sleep. And another blessing to fall campers is the fact that parks are less congested. Autumn colors can be magnificent, and wildlife could be active, offering opportunities to glimpse them as they prepare for winter.
The cooler nights are perfect for sitting around the campfire eating S’mores and banana boats and sharing stories and songs with your family, long time friends, and new acquaintances. When the leaves start changing colors the experience is even more worthwhile. So grab a sweatshirt, your tent, and head on out there to enjoy one of the most favorite seasons of the year!
Fall camping considerations
After Labor Day, many campgrounds reduce their fees, so one fall camping advantage is reduced costs.
Although daytime temperatures in the fall are still warm, take some heavier clothes and bedding for those cooler evenings.
As the seasons change, so to do the weather patterns. Be prepared for severe weather in the fall. If you are camping in hurricane alley, know your evacuation routes. If you are camping in high country, take appropriate snow gear. And, if you are in monsoon country, take necessary rain gear.
Make campground reservations. Popular campgrounds will still fill up on weekends, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Most campgrounds don’t require reservations in the fall, but even if you should call and find that you don’t need a reservation, you’ve at least saved yourself the worry.
It is time to replace the flooring in your RV? If it is, you’ve got an important decision to make: laminate or carpet floors? There are ups and downs to both, and in the end, you’ve got to choose whichever option works best for you.
Carpet makes for a good insulator no matter the season and will help reduce energy use by keeping the hot and cold air from radiating up-ward. Carpet also helps reduce noise by cutting down echo and absorbing sounds. Not to mention, it also feels great on your bare feet. On the downside, carpet attracts dirt, dust and more. It’s definitely harder to clean and keep clean especially if you are traveling with pets and children.
Laminate on the other hand is fairly simple to maintain. It’s also cheaper to purchase and install. There are plenty of different styles to choose from all of which will last you a long time. RVs consist of mainly high traffic areas making laminate an excellent choice. But you’ll have to trade the insulation from the carpet. Laminate doesn’t absorb heat, cold or sound. Another disadvantage is the potential of warping and loosening.
As I said before, there is no one right choice. It’s really all up to you, Pennsylvania RV owners. If you need some help with the decision, you know where to find us.
Safe Travels and Happy RVing!
People go camping for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is to enjoy the outdoors. Whether it’s hiking, strolling, fishing or swimming when we are camping we want to enjoy the great outdoors. There are several plants and animals that we need to watch out for and avoid when we are out in nature. Three of these plants include poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. With a bit of knowledge you can keep an eye out for these and you will know what to do if you happen to come in contact with them. The old adage of “leaves of three, let it be” could be used for poison ivy and oak, but not poison sumac.
Poison ivy is found throughout much of North America, primarily to the east of the Rocky Mountains. It grows in wooded areas, predominantly around edge areas, on exposed rock, in open fields and as underbrush. The identifying characteristics of poison ivy include a cluster of three almond shape leaflets, reddish hairs on the vine and no thorns. If you do come into contact with poison ivy it will cause itching, red inflammation and possibly blistering. To treat exposure, over the counter medicines such as Calamine lotion and home remedies such as oatmeal baths and baking soda can help to relieve the irritation.
Poison oak can be found from Virginia west to Texas and Oklahoma. It is an upright shrub with three leaflet clusters and grows in thickets, forests and dry, sandy fields. Exposure to poison oak causes similar symptoms to poison ivy; itching, red inflammation and blistering. Treatment is also similar to poison ivy, over the counter lotions, oatmeal baths and baking soda.
Poison sumac is the most toxic of the three plants. Contact with poison sumac will cause more lengthy and painful skin eruptions and irritation. Poison sumac is found in wet areas, such as swaps, bogs and flooded areas in the eastern United States and Canada. Unlike poison ivy and oak, poison sumac is found in the form of a small tree or shrub. The plant contains greenish leafs that are oblong in shape with 7-13 leafs per stem. It also has grey fruit or berries.
Have you ever walked into a stale RV and wondered where the smell is coming from? Or are you trying to remove a smell in your RV after a long winter storage? The various smells and odors that form in RVs can be removed and taken care of. Here are 8 tips to removing bad odors from your RV.
1. Sewer Smell in the Bathroom
There are tons of chemicals that eliminate RV toilet odor on the market, each catering to the different ways your tank is dumped. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don’t help at all! Good ventilation for the black water tank is a must. The tank is vented out the roof of an RV. When traveling down the road, the wind can push wind down through that ventalation pipe, pushing the smell back into the RV instead of drawing out the odor. So…what do you do? You can install a special sewer vent that is designed to suck the odor out of the black tank with only a small breeze. See your local dealership to find out if they carry these special sewer vents.
2. Kitchen and Bathroom Drain Odors
When your trailer is not in use, water trapped in the P-traps under every sink and the shower can grow bacteria, spreading the smell throughout your RV. To keep the smell from forming, mix a cup of baking soda with a gallon of water. Pour the mixture down every drain and then dump what’s left into the kitchen sink so the mixture will go into the gray water tank too.
3. Rodent Odors in your RV
Dead rodents can be one of the worst smells in your RV. To remove the odor, find the dead rodent and remove it. Then scrub the area well, making sure to remove the odor and the bacteria/diseases that might have been left.
4. Bad Smelling Potable RV Water
When your water from your fresh water tank starts to smell or taste bad, it’s time to clean out the water system. The only way to get the fresh water tank system clean is to sanitize your RV water system with a diluted mixture of household bleach and water (make sure to rinse out the bleach mixture completely from your fresh water tank before use). If you keep having bad water issues in your fresh water tank system, consider installing a water filtration system.
5. Smelly RV Carpet and Pet Odors
The best way to remove smelly or pet stained carpets in your RV is to tear it out and replace it with laminate flooring. If you can’t afford to replace your carpet, another option is to get your carpet professionally cleaned. Invest in throw rugs to help keep your carpets clean and fresh as long as possible. You can also get your upholstery professionally cleaned, helping to eliminate any odors on your furniture too.
6. RV Refrigerator & Freezer Odors
To avoid a mildew or stale smell in your refrigerator and freezer, wipe down the inside with soap and water after every trip. Then leave the refrigerator and freezer doors left ajar to allow all moisture to evaporate. Leave either a shallow bowl or a box of baking soda in both the fridge and freezer will also help absorb any odors that may develop.
7. Stale RV Smells from Non-Use
If your RV has sat around for a while without regular use, a stale smell will start to appear. It’s usually smells, on top of smells, on top of smells! All in all…your RV needs to breath! Installing vent covers over the existing roof vents allows you to leave the roof vents open slightly, letting the hot stale air escape. Solar powered vents can also help you draw out the air more efficiently too. Removing the entire stale odor from your RV also involves doing steps 1 thru 6 and cleaning every surface in your RV. There are products on the market that claim they deodorized storage and mildew odors, but cleaning with regular household products work just as well.
8. Propane and Ammonia Odors
These two odors can mean big problems! If you start to smell a strong ammonia odor, the source will be the cooling unit of your refrigerator. The ammonia odor will be strong enough to bring tears to your eyes. There is really nothing you can do to fix it on your own. You’ll need to see the Service Department at your local Dealership, and be prepared for it to be expensive.
Propane odor can come from many areas and sources in and around your RV. Like the propane tanks, stove, oven, refrigerator, water heater, furnace, etc and the all lines that connect these appliances to the tanks as well. In order to detect a leak around the fittings, use a small brush and soapy water. Make sure to have adequate ventilation before you go looking for a propane problem. If you’re ever in doubt, call the Service Department at your local Central PA RV Dealership.
YOUTUBE VIDEO: Watch “How to Control Moisture and Musty Smells in an RV” from Gary Bunzer, the RV Doctor.
On your RV regardless if you own a tow-able unit or a motorized one, sealants perform a very important function by keeping water from getting into places it should not get into. When manufacturers build RVs, they incorporate many different types of sealants, including butyl/putty, black butyl-encapsulated foam, silicone (clear and colored), roof sealant and foam to the places that need it. However, over time, these sealants may become damaged by ultraviolet exposure, air pollution, freezing temperatures and exposure to other elements. That is why it is important to inspect, maintain or reseal your RV. Failure to properly maintain or re-seal your RV may result in serious water damage to the roof and other parts of the RV. For most RV owners, failure to maintain proper seals disqualifies your unit from coverage under the most Limited Warranties.
To ensure that you are properly maintaining and re-sealing your unit, here are a few things you or your dealer’s service team should do:
Visually inspect all seals and sealants, a minimum of every six months. Make sure to check the roof and all four sides of the RV including all moldings, doors, vents and exterior attachments. A quick walk around the RV before leaving may help prevent potential problems during trips and vacations. A little preventative maintenance goes a long way, especially when compared to the high cost of repairs. Another great time to have your RV looked over is during your annual state vehicle inspection(if your state requires your RV to be annually inspected).
Have the sealant replaced if you notice any cracks, peeling, voids, gaps, breaks, looseness or any sign of physical deterioration. Re-seal at least one time each year as preventative maintenance.
Always use the same type of sealant that was removed. Your dealer service or parts manager can help you obtain the correct sealant(s).
If you do find water inside of your RV, be sure to immediately have your local central Pennsylvania dealer check for the source of the leak. If the leak is not fixed, it may result in serious damage to your RV, which may not be warrant-able.
A small amount of time now, can save you a large expensive headache later!
I just read this article and wanted to share it with my readers. What a new take on the old VW camper van. The Welsh have come up with a quaint, innovative, camper van that is truly inspirational. What are your thoughts?
Welsh company Overlander Motor-homes brings forth a revolutionary design, the DoubleBack, a sliding pod that extends the interior space of the Volkswagen T5 Transporter van, and practically doubles its size. The add-on seems as a logical compliment to ‘pop tops’ offered by Volkswagen on its camper vans, some 30 years ago. Since then, installing interior height-extenders have been a common practice among camper van enthusiasts, including VW Westfalia camper van and Mercedes Viano Marco Polo.
Inspired by a desire to deliver a truly spacious and comfortable camper, the T5 DoubleBack delivers the drivability of a camper van along with the extra exclusive space of a motor-home. This electrically extendable rear pod constructed from aircraft industry standards stays tucked up inside the back of the vehicle while you are on the move. Once you stop to settle, the pod electrically extends out to add 2 meters of useable interior space in the rear.
Featured with two folded legs on the bottom of the pod that extends and gets self-leveled on uneven terrain is able to support over 600 kilograms of weight. T5 DoubleBack comes equipped with a fold-out double bed in the pod, an elevating roof and a kitchenette along with other home amenities required on the road. The whole sliding process is visually impressive, and it just takes 45 seconds.
The company does customization to make your vehicle just the way you want it. However, it’s still unclear if the pod affects the interiors of the van, but the company claims that a driver and one passenger can be accommodated in captain’s seat, or a driver and two passengers can sit if the buyer selects the bench seat option.
Though, the DoubleBack T5 Transporter van is loaded with features and space, the interested buyer’s pocket also have to be loaded, as this van costs $86,988.
Whether you purchase a used RV or travel trailer in Pennsylvania from an individual or a central Pennsylvania RV dealer, there are certain things you should check before making the transaction. Usually, a dealership,like Lerch RV will repair the RV or travel trailer, if needed, before selling it, so a used travel trailer or a used central Pennsylvania RV dealer is a better option.
If you are buying a trailer from a private individual, make sure everything works.If the travel trailer or RV comes with a generator, start the generator to ensure it works. Let it run for at least 10 minutes. While the generator is running, check the interior. Turn on the lights. Start the refrigerator if it has the option to run on electric. Check the microwave. Check the faucets to make sure the handles, the shower handle and the drain plugs all work. There may not be water in the tank, but you want to ensure that the handles are not stripped. Some drain plugs have a handle on the spigot or the faucet — these are the things you need to check.
Make sure the toilet operates properly. The flush and rinse sliders — if you have that type of toilet — should operate without sticking, and they should not be loose.
If the travel trailer or fifth wheel RV has an air conditioning unit, turn the air conditioning on to make sure it works. If the heat uses gas, you may not be able to check the heat unless there is gas in the tanks. The same goes for the stove.
Once you are happy that everything works on generator, plug the RV into an outlet if possible. Check to see if everything works with the RV or travel trailer plugged in.
Check in all cabinets for roof leaks. Roof check around the vents for signs of leakage. In most cases, a dealership will repair the leak and fix the water spots on the ceiling, but they may not fix the water spot in the overhead cabinets. Check under the RV or travel trailer to ensure that the floor is not rotting out if it is wood. A lot of older campers were made completely of wood, which tends to rot, especially at the wheel wells. Check the tires. Make sure they have decent tread on them and that the tires do not look dry-rotted.
If you are purchasing a motorized RV, check all the fluids. The radiator should have antifreeze and water and it should be clean. Antifreeze could be green or orange, depending on the type used in that motor. Check the oil. The oil should look clean. Check the transmission fluid. Transmission fluid should be pink. If it is brown or smells bad — transmission fluid has a distinct smell when it is new, and smells pretty nasty when there is something wrong — there could be a problem with the transmission. Check the brake fluid.
Start the RV and take it for a test drive. Make sure the RV shifts correctly. If it has an automatic transmission and shift fine on its own, check it further by manually shifting it through the gears. At a stop, put it in first gear. Move forward. As the rpm raises, shift it into second, than third. You should hear or feel the shifts. If the RV has a tachometer, the tach should drop when you shift the transmission.
When you get back to the dealer or individual that you are buying the RV from, check the oil and transmission fluid again. The oil should still look clean and should not have a frothy look to it. If the oil looks frothy — almost like someone poured milk into the oil — the RV could have a head gasket problem. The transmission fluid should still be pink. Check around all of the hoses and make sure nothing is leaking.
If the RV engine runs smoothly and the fluids look good — and the price is right — you may have just found yourself your next great adventure.
RVing is Easy at Lerch RV 