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Ask a local.

Whether you’re in your home town or you run into a fender bender on the road, the best way to educate yourself on which RV repair shops and bodyshop’s are reputable is to check out their reputation. The internet make this fast and easy. My favorite source is YELP. https://www.yelp.com/biz/interstate-autobody-and-truck-cashmere.

There are entire websites devoted to publishing user reviews of businesses, specifically for the purpose of helping you sort out who to call and who to avoid. These websites are an easy way to get an objective opinion of RV repair shops in your area, since the business cannot edit or remove any of the reviews.

Of course, a business can also present reviews on other platforms like their Facebook pages, but those reviews are usually subject to their own editorial decisions. In other words, if someone posts something the company doesn’t like, they can just take it down.

If you’re old fashioned and want to get a sense of reputable referrals go to the local RV dealers and service centers. Many times they are the first call in a fender bender to get the opinion of the one they trusted with the purchase of their RV. Dealers often hear the good the bad and the ugly of body work and they want to earn your trust with a good referral.  http://omarsrv.com/ and https://www.allseasonsrvsales.com/ are a couple places in Central Washington that have been around for decades and have stellar reviews. I’d trust their referrals for RV Bodywork – because they don’t do bodywork, so they’re once removed and would likely have an honest opinion. People who live in an area, have longstanding relationships with their body shops, as opposed to one-off jobs that may or may not be of high quality.

Finally, don’t make assumptions based on the appearance of the autobody shop. Run a Google search for “best RV repair near me” or “RV repair in my area,” and then follow it up by reading reviews and asking the people around you who would be most familiar with the local options. Whether it’s a little bit more of a drive or a giant dealership, it’s the service and integrity of the shop that matters. 10 minute of research will not only save you money, but save you the headache of poor service and bad body work.

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The weight of snow that an RV roof can hold varies depending on the construction methods. If you live in an area that receives multiple feet of snow every year, consult with the manufacturer to learn the load limit of your RV. Weight is not the only concern with snow accumulation, so here are some things to consider when the flakes start to fall.

Remove Snow Before it Turns to Water

Under the right conditions, the snow on the roof of your RV can melt, and possibly refreeze. If the melted snow seeps into cracks and seams, refreezing will cause it to expand, potentially damaging the roof and creating leaks into the interior. Trapped moisture can cause mildew and mold to grow, presenting a health hazard. Damp wood can also cause the growth of dry rot fungus.

Clear Snow From the Roof Before Use

If you are one of the hearty RV owners that decide to take to the road in the relative quiet of winter, you will have to remove the snow load. Snow flying from the roof of your RV can be dangerous to other drivers.

Put Safety First

The first and most important thing to remember is that you should never attempt to walk on an RV roof that has snow on it. The risk of falling is too great, and you can clear the snow from a ladder instead. Use a snow rake rather than a shovel, and don’t use anything metal. You could damage the roofing material or break roof components that are brittle from the cold. Tip: Take a picture of the roof without snow on it, so you know where all the roof components are located.

Repair RV Cracks to Prevent Water Damage

If your RV has cracks or other damage that could allow water into the vehicle, get them repaired. The earlier you repair any damage, the better off your RV will be.

Interstate Autobody and Truck has been repairing and repainting RVs for 23 years. Interstate is a multigenerational, veteran-run business and is one of the largest and most trusted body shops on the West Coast. We specialize in painting and repairing large vehicles such as RVs. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

The post Snow Loads and Your RV — What to Consider appeared first on Interstate Autobody & Truck.

2019 Washington State RV Shows

Tacoma RV Show

January 17-20, 2019 | Tacoma Dome | Tacoma, WA

Shop accessories and pre-owned RVs and check out hundreds of the most recent makes and models, including fuel-efficient vehicles, luxury motorhomes, campers, fifth-wheels, tent trailers, and pop-up hard wall trailers.

Inland Northwest RV Show

January 24-27, 2019 | Spokane County Fair & Expo Center | Spokane, WA

Six dealers will fill 10 huge fairground buildings with hundreds of RVs and accessories. RV prices range from $7,000 to $300,000, meaning that everyone will find something to fit their budget.

Seattle RV Show

February 7-10, 2019 | CenturyLink Field Event Center | Seattle, WA

The Seattle RV Show has more than just RVs and accessories (although those won’t be lacking). Expand your RV knowledge by attending seminars on topics ranging from RV basics to solar energy and RVs.

Washington State Evergreen Spring RV Show

April 12-14, 2019 | Evergreen State Fairgrounds | Monroe, WA

The Washington State Evergreen Spring RV Show fills three 250,000-square feet buildings with used and new RVs, and has RV professionals on-site to give product demonstrations and answer all of your questions.

Puyallup RV Show

May 2-5, 2019 | Washington State Fair Events Center | Puyallup, WA

If you can’t make it to the seminars at the Seattle RV Show, you can learn about some of the same topics at the Puyallup RV Show. Kids will have fun here, too, with a western treasure hunt, pony and horse rides, and tours aboard antique tractors.

Prepare Your RV for the Shows

If you’re planning on displaying your own RV at one of these attractions, now is the time to start getting it into tiptop shape. Interstate Autobody & Truck has been improving RVs for 23 years, offering both paint jobs and body work. People come from all over the West Coast for our trusted services and honest prices, but as a multigenerational and veteran-run business, we love when we can help local customers prepare their RVs for Washington adventures.

Contact us today with any questions or to schedule an appointment!

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Taking Your RV out in the Snow

If you’re going to use your RV to camp in serious winter conditions, you’ll need to take precautions to make sure it stays warm and nothing freezes over. Right before you go you’ll want to empty out your water tanks and add some RV antifreeze. You might also consider adding insulation to the pipes or buying a holding tank heater to help your system keep from freezing over. Do the same for the water pump! Adding insulation around the RV between the ground and the frame can help keep the bottom of your rig at a safer temperature as well.

In order to keep yourself warm inside, you’ll want to look over the RV and patch up any spots through which you might lose your warm air or get a cold draft sneaking inside. Check the seals on your windows and the stripping on your doors to make sure they’re in good shape. Consider switching out your windows for specially insulated windows, or just cover them over with foam insulation or insulated curtains. Insulated curtains are an easy solution to help you stay warm at night. Add insulation to your ceiling vents too, as those are another spot where you’re likely to lose significant heat.

If you’re going to be out in extremely cold weather, you might want to get a heater for the engine, too. This way, you can let it heat up for a while before starting up. Make sure you have plenty of propane and other fuel and that you know where you can go nearby to get more. Don’t forget emergency supplies!

Getting the RV out of Storage

When it’s time to take the RV out of storage after winter’s over, even if you haven’t used it even once over the winter, you’ll want to run through these steps to make sure it’s prepared to get back out there. First you’ll want to clean the rig out, air out the RV and the ‘fridge, and make sure all the basic parts of the system are still working fine. Look around for damage from animals that may have taken up shelter in there during the winter, and make sure all the lights, batteries and electric connections are still working fine.

Go back through everything you did to get your RV ready for winter. Put the battery back again and make sure it’s charged. Drain out all the antifreeze you added and consider cleaning out your water system, whether or not you’d left water in there before. You can use bleach to sanitize and then keep draining it until you don’t smell the bleach.

Before you go on your first big trip of the spring, you should also double-check all of the tires, replace the fire extinguishers if necessary and consider taking it to the mechanic to look over everything. Then take it out for a test drive or two around town so you can check for any other problems before you get out into the wild again. Enjoy your next adventure!

The post RV Camping in Winter & Tips to Prep Your RV After Winter Storage appeared first on Interstate Autobody & Truck.

Here are our top tips for cleaning your RV after a summer trip.

Clean and Fix Scratches on Wood Surfaces

Scratches and scuff marks covering your wood surfaces? Rub them out with a mixture of ¾ cups olive oil and ¼ cup of vinegar. Dip a rag into the mixture and wipe down the surface with the marks.

Clean the Grime out of your Window Sills

No one likes a dirty window sill at home, and that stands just as true in your RV. Vinegar and paper towels will do the bear of the work cleaning these down. To touch up on those hard to reach places a q-tip is just the right size.

Disinfect your Washing Machine

Because of the moisture and dirt inside washing machines become a breeding ground for bacteria. So, how do you wash your washing machine?

Start by filling your washing machine with hot water with the setting for the heaviest load you can use. Pour two cups of bleach into the water and leave it sit for about one hour. After the hour’s up, run the washing machine through a normal cycle.

Once the cycle is complete, fill the washer again. This time, add two cups of white vinegar. Once again, leave the washer sit for one hour before having it run a normal cycle.

Once the second cycle is complete wipe down the inside of the washing machine with a microfiber cloth. The difference will be like night and day.

Clean your Vacuum Filter

In the dishwasher! That’s right, clean your vacuum filter in the dishwasher. You don’t want to be fighting with a weak vacuum on the road, and that’s just what you’ll get with a dirty filter. So, load your dishwasher up with just the vacuum filter and the normal soap pods you use to clean your dishes with and have it run.

Cleaning the Cabin Dash

Between the dust of camp site roads and the smoke from a s’more roasting camp fire, you’re going to have plenty of reason to clean out the AC filter. This trick works not only for the AC vents on the dash, but for all of the dust and dirt that collects on the dash in the cabin. Keep a vacuum hose in one hand and a feather duster in the other. Suck the dust right up as it is loosened and you won’t just be displacing a mess.

These tips will get you started spiffing up your RV to have it ready for next summer. Better yet, many of these tips can be used outside of your RV, too. No reason to only have a clean washer in the RV. Now that’s useful.

Image courtesy of Pixabay.com.

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Invest in Storage

Just as is the case with your home, the roof of your RV is an expensive, vital aspect of your vehicle. More susceptible to damage than the roofs of other vehicles, RV roofs can take damage over time and in a way that doesn’t immediately appear to the untrained eye. The best way to protect your RV from sun and environmental damage is with a protective RV carport while your vehicle isn’t in use.

Regularly Check the Seals

Moisture often seeps through faulty weather stripping and seals along the exterior of the RV, leaking through window, door, and roof seals. Rubber seals break down naturally over time and stock seals are often the first to degrade, so checking their quality every 6 months or so can save you from costly moisture and mold damage.

Don’t Let Your Generator Sit Idle

Most RV owners leave their vehicles stationary for several months at a time, leaving the generator unused for the duration of the time. Gasoline only has a shelf life of about 30 days, any duration longer and it may begin to damage the internal components of your generator. One per month, try running your generator for a couple of hours to keep it primed and working properly.

Open Up Your Vents

The heat of the summer months can bring devastating temperatures to the inside of your RV. If you leave it unused for any length of time during the summer, open up its vents to keep a proper, healthy airflow moving throughout the vehicle. Of course, you’ll want to cover them to keep rainwater and moisture out, but otherwise, it’s necessary to promote internal ventilation to protect your RV’s structural materials.

Keep the Slide-Out Rails Lubricated

Pop-out RVs are a near given if you’re shopping for an RV in this day and age. For as much convenience and improved interior space as they provide, they require additional maintenance to ensure they operate smoothly and safely every time. Otherwise, the slide-out rails can become rusted, corroded, or stuck, necessitating costly repairs down the road. A quick spray of slide-out lubricant once or twice per year should keep things working as intended.

For larger-scale repairs, RV auto body or fiberglass work, or RV painting projects, Interstate Auto Body and Truck is your best option. Contact us today for a quote on your project or to learn more about our services.

The post Avoid Costly RV Repair Costs with These 5 Tips appeared first on Interstate Autobody & Truck.

1. Check for damage. This is particularly important if the RV has been stored outdoors. A tarp can protect the exterior from some damaging environmental elements, but not all. If it snowed in the location where your RV is stored, the weight of the snow may have caused moisture damage or harm to the roof.
2. Reinstall the battery. It’s a good idea to take the battery out of your RV during the winter, and reinstall it come spring. Hopefully, you have stored the battery correctly so that it is able to generate enough power.
3. Confirm the vehicular functions work. All motorhomes and trailers should have the brakes and lights checked, and for motorhomes, you should do all of the usual de-winterizing things you would do for any other vehicle: check/replace the fluids, inspect the battery, treat your windshield, etc. Don’t forget to inspect the tires to look for cracking and repair any damage. Make sure that the tire tread isn’t too low, and test the air pressure. You should also tighten the lug nuts. Click here for a helpful video on RV tire maintenance.
4. Prep the water system. This step depends on how you prepared the system for winter last fall:  
   1. Emptied the system with low pressure air: Simply close the drain petock and fill up! Then turn the pump on to pressurize.
   2. Pumped antifreeze through the pump and lines: Flush the whole system with water a couple of times. You may need to sanitize it further, if the taste is off. Make sure to redirect the water flow to the water heater, if you bypassed it in the winterizing process.
5. Test gas appliances. After turning on one of your LP tanks, light the stove burners to get any trapped air out of the gas line. Then turn them off and light the refrigerator on gas, leaving it running for a while to ensure it will keep the refrigerator lit as you drive. Finally, test the gas to the furnace and water heater.
6. Give it a good cleaning. Both inside and out, your RV could probably use a deep cleaning before you hit the road. Click here for some helpful, in-depth exterior and interior cleaning tips.
7. Install new batteries. The smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should get fresh batteries for a new season on the road. You should also make sure the fire extinguisher is still in good condition, and update your emergency kit.

If your RV needs more extensive repair, or a new paint job, Interstate Autobody and Truck can help! Click here to learn more about our RV repair, body work, and painting services.

Featured photo source: Pixabay.com

The post Steps to Prepare Your RV for Spring & Summer Trips appeared first on Interstate Autobody & Truck.

If your motorhome is a bit dated and could use a refresh, winter is a really good time to get that taken care of. We handle repainting jobs of every size and our painting booth is over 60 feet long. We have 40 years of experience working and painting on fiberglass and we can make that old tan or white RV look modern and new in no time.

Bodywork on a motorhome can be a complicated and costly process, but can also be difficult to handle if performed by inexperienced mechanics. We handle collision repairs, bodywork, and painting all in one. There’s no motorhome job we can’t handle, so whatever your problem is we can take care of it.

Fender-benders and insurance work are our specialty. We can use our tools and expertise to restore your motorhome or RV to a like-new appearance.

Our insurance work quotes are free, so just give us a call or contact us today and get this chore out of the way before the warm weather comes!

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Semi Truck Paint Work

For semi trucks that require body work and painting for repair, maintenance from wear-and-tear, and new branding, we can handle all kinds of semi truck painting needs. Our facility is large enough to fit large trucks, commercial and fleet vehicles and more, with a fully serviceable 60-foot paint booth to fit a truck of any size. We can re-paint your entire vehicle, or do paint work on designated sections to complete repair work.

Motor Home Painting

In preparation for a summer of camping, road trips, and adventures on the open road, bring your motor home RV to Interstate Autobody for any necessary re-painting. Our 60-foot painting booth is perfectly equipped to handle any size RV as we paint it. After we handle collision repair and fiberglass reconstruction, we can finish the job with a fresh coat of paint, so you won’t be able to tell it was ever damaged!

Tractor Trailer Painting Work

We can fit any size of tractor trailer rig in our 60-foot painting booth for a fresh paint job. With Interstate Autobody and Truck, we have all of the professional equipment and expertise necessary to provide excellent painting services for your tractor trailer, commercial vehicle, and rig. Whether your tractor trailer needs a new paint job after we’ve completed collision repair work, or it’s just time for a fresh coat of paint, we can help get your rig back to work as quickly as possible.

For all of our autobody services, from collision repair to fiberglass reconstruction, sandblasting to truck painting, we pride ourselves on high-quality results at an affordable, fair rate. Each of our technicians is highly skilled and has years of experience to ensure the best autobody work. Please contact Interstate Autobody and Truck to discuss your equipment and truck painting needs, repair services, and more!

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