Congratulations! You saved for years, shopped around, did a ton of research and bought a beautiful RV. The journey to purchase was fun. Achieving a dream like that is a nice feeling.
Problems soon crept up, though, when you parked the RV in your driveway. Seems that local ordinances prohibit parking a vehicle that large in a residential area.
But the RV is a huge investment, and you soon discover that you don’t feel comfortable leaving it sight unseen anywhere. You want it to be safe, secure, looked after and protected.
Here are some things to consider as you evaluate different RV storage facilities.
Accessibility. Is it close enough to home to keep an eye on, say, once a week? What about access to Interstates or major highways? The more traffic past your storage facility, including routine police patrols, the safer you and your RV will be when there. Think early in the mornings, when you pick up your RV to leave on a vacation, or late at night when you return.
Security. Use your common sense. Visit the place at night before you pay for a storage space. Is it well lit? Do you feel safe there? Do you see security cameras? Is there a 24/7 manager or security guard on location?
Room to Maneuver. Admit it, you really don’t feel comfortable backing up your RV. Many owners don’t. And that’s when a mishap is most likely to occur, when you are backing up. The storage lot should have angle parking spaces, so you can pull-through when dropping off and picking up your RV. Look at the room they give you to make sharp turns on the lot. You don’t want to maneuver through a lot that’s overcrowded like a can of sardines.
Appearance. Tall grass and weeds can be havens for mice, snakes and other critters who would love to make a home inside your RV. Enough said.
Amenities. An on-site RV washing station, what a good idea! You have to face that chore eventually. Waste water and sewage dump station, air hoses to fill the RV tires; both are nice to have on site. LP gas supply is nice too. Purchase LP gas before you even leave the lot. Gives you more time to travel and have fun.
Covered Parking or Open Air Parking? Covered costs more, but will keep your RV looking nicer. Safer, too, from sun damage to the paint or finish and from hail or thunderstorms.
Fenced Lot? Yes, keep vandals (or worse) off limits.
Look at the Ages of RVs Stored There. The newer, the better. Conversely, if the lot has many old, poorly maintained RVs, it might be a sign that people abandon junk or unwanted RVs there. Stay away.
24 Hour Access. When you want your RV, you should not have to wait for it.
The biggest factor to look for is the attitude of the personnel. Do they seem happy to see you come in, and to answer your questions? Do they offer to take you on a tour of the facility? Do they live onsite, or even own their own RV? Follow your intuition when dealing with people. Then you can rest easy when your RV is out of your sight.
Need answers on how your RV insurance coverage works while in storage contact our licensed agents to assist you. If you are not a client yet and would like a free quote give us a call at 844-727-7207 or you can submit a quote request at https://rvinsurances.com/quote
I appreciate the advice that a covered parking space can help keep your RV looking nicer and prevent sun damage. I need to find a place to store my RV because I am moving to a new home without RV parking. It would be a good idea to contact a few storage centers so I can find one that fits my needs.