5 Ways to Be Good to Your RV’s Windshield and Windows
You need a professional to install your RV windshield when it cracks, gets pelted by rocks, or otherwise needs replacement. However, you can perform your own routine maintenance on your RV windshield and windows to keep them in top shape. Here are five RV-window maintenance tips.
- Check Seals Around Windows
Before and after every trip, check the seals and gaskets around all of your windows. Rodents, old age, and flying debris wear away window seals and gaskets. Gaps form at the broken places in the seals and allow rainwater, insects, and rodents into your RV.
If the seal or gasket around a window becomes too loose, the window could fall out of the opening when the RV is jarred or someone leans against the window. Keep seals and gaskets clean, and seal any cracks with a product recommended by your RV manufacturer.
When storing your RV under cover, wash your RV thoroughly first. This includes the windows and their gaskets. Clean, dry windows and seals are less likely to grow mold under cover.
- Monitor Windshield Washer Fluid
When traveling in your RV, you never know when a random dust storm, bug swarm, or mud wave will make its presence known on your windshield. Suddenly, you’ve lost visibility on a busy road.
Make certain your windshield washer fluid is topped off when you start out each morning. On cross-country trips, you can use up a great deal of washer fluid, so carry an extra jug of solution in the RV. If you’re out in a remote area when your reservoir runs dry, you don’t have to worry.
- Keep Up With Wiper Wear
Over time, windshield wipers lose flexibility and effectiveness. Windshield wipers exposed to the elements year-round succumb to UV, heat, and freeze damage. Road debris on the windshield erodes wiper edges when you don’t keep your windshield washed. Mold, mildew, and wear-and-tear also degrade windshield wiper blades.
Check the condition of your windshield wipers at the start of each RV trip. A good way to check the wipers is to run them through a few cycles with the washer fluid. You can also have someone lightly spray the windshield with water. Don’t test the wipers on a completely dry windshield.
Your wipers should move smoothly with no hesitation or strange noises. They should not be worn enough to leave undisturbed wet patches across the windshield. Wipers that don’t completely clear the windshield area must be replaced.
If wipers make a squealing or groaning sound, they may be about to fail. A scraping or scratching sound means a metal or hard plastic component in the wiper is digging into your windshield. Replace noisy wipers as soon as possible, and keep a spare set of wipers in the RV for any unforeseen windshield wiper emergencies.
- Take Your Time to Avoid Gravel
Flying gravel is your windshield’s enemy. When driving over gravel roads and lots, take your time. Don’t follow too closely behind the vehicle ahead. Their tires can send a chunk of gravel directly at your windshield if you’re too close, and your tires can kick up gravel that harms the vehicle behind you.
On interstates and other paved roads, loose gravel can catch between the double wheels of trailers and semis. The gravel spews out from between the wheels at a high rate of speed and can seriously harm your windshield and other windows. Gravel and rocks can also fly out from unsecured loads in nearby trailers and flatbeds.
Stay a reasonable distance behind a gravel-hauling vehicle, or pass them when it’s safe to do so. Use caution when driving around large commercial vehicles with dual wheels on each side. If you do end up with a windshield nick or hole from a piece of flying gravel, have your glass service check it out right away.
- Replace Worn or Cracked Windows
If you’re sprucing up an older RV or have a new RV with damaged windows, schedule repairs with a qualified RV-glass service provider. Even small cracks can lead to window failure while your RV is traveling down the road.
A glass professional can order special windows for your RV that are more energy efficient and attractive than your old windows. New windows open up your RV to the beautiful world you’re exploring, and they help freshen the exterior and interior appearance of an older RV.
A cracked or pocked windshield should be replaced. Your glass specialist has the skills and equipment to mount and secure the large RV windshield. Your new windshield is completely sealed and firmly in place.
Do you want partially tinted RV windows or some other type of custom windshield for your RV? Your RV glass specialist knows where to source these products.
Get your RV windshield and windows in top shape by calling the window experts at Central Glass Company. We service all types of window-related RV needs at our four convenient locations in the Greater Salt Lake City region.