19 RV Storage Tips & Questions to Ask the Facility

Whether for the winter or in between road trips, here are helpful RV storage tips and questions to ask the storage facility before you rent…

If you are an RV newbie, are you looking for where to store it when it is not in use? Or do you already have an RV but want to look for alternative ways to store it during the off-season? 

The following are my essential tips for not only locating the best RV storage to protect your RV but also knowing how much it costs. I also cover important questions to ask and other RV storage tips. 

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Cost of RV Storage

Before we get into RV storage tips, let's quickly discuss cost. When it comes to the cost of RV storage, there is a wide range. The cost varies greatly depending on four main pricepoint factors:

• Location: Your city, state, and neighborhood will influence this price. More expensive cities will have higher rents. You will also find the cost goes down the more rural the storage area. 

• Size of Rental Space: The size of your RV effects the price, as larger RVs need larger spaces.  

• Services Provided: Are you paying a private landowner or a large corporation for your storage spot? At some company-owned facilities, they may offer you services like an RV wash. 

• Type of Storage: Covered storage will be pricier than outdoor storage options. And indoor options are the most expensive.

Types of RV Storage

There are three main types of RV storage: outdoor, covered and indoor. Outdoor storage will be more affordable but does not offer the same level of protection as covered or indoor storage does. 

Outdoor Storage

Outdoor RV storage is the most affordable type of RV storage. Depending on your location, the cost can range from $30- $200 per month. The more rural the location, the less it is to store each month. 

Some RV storage will offer a webcam so you can view the activity happening near your RV. 

There will be little to protect from the weather, so you will want to prepare your RV for the appropriate season. 

Covered Storage

This is a more expensive option than outdoor storage. The nice thing about covered storage is that it protects your rig from outdoor elements like rain, sleet, snow, sun, and sometimes wind (if the sides are covered). 

With covered storage, your rig is outdoors but kept under a covering of some sort. 

You can expect to pay somewhere in the $75-225 range per month for covered RV storage, depending on your location and rig size.

Indoor Storage

Indoor coverage is the most expensive type of RV storage. This means that your rig will be kept inside an enclosed building. The best ones are even heated, have electricity, and maybe a webcam.

While you may be able to find some indoor storage deals, this will likely be the priciest of all your options. Some places charge as little as $200 per month, but others can cost as much as $500-600 per month.

Again, this varies greatly on location, location, location. Storage in Los Angeles, CA is going to be a lot more costly than it will be in Des Moines, IA. The more expensive the cost of living in a given city, the higher your storage rent will be. 

How to Find RV Storage Near Me

There are lots of ways to locate RV storage near you. Simply google it or use some of these websites:

• Neighbor.com/rv-storage (peer-to-peer site)
• Uhaul.com
• SpareFoot.com
• Extra Space Storage. Com

Alrighty, are you ready for your RV storage tips and questions to ask? Let's go…

Questions to Ask the RV Storage Facility

Depending on what you're looking for, here are some questions to ask the RV storage facility…

1. Do you have any move-in specials or pay-in-advance discounts?
2. Do you offer any security measures in your price, like cameras, a locked gate, or an on-site manager?
3. Does the facility have 30/50 AMP electric? Having access to electricity can be an important part of your battery maintenance.
4. Does the facility have WiFi/webcam coverage? A WiFi/webcam system can offer additional security for you when away from your rig. 
5. What hours can I access my RV? Not all facilities allow access outside of business hours. Compare storage facilities that offer 24 x 7 access to your rig to those that only offer you access during business hours. 

RV Storage Tips

No matter where you ultimately store your RV, you will want to create a checklist of important maintenance essentials before leaving your rig. 

1. Remove Perishable Food: Clean out all perishable foods. You will also want to take out dry goods like flours, cereals, and pasta. 

2. Clean the Fridge and Freezer: Remove all food and sanitize the fridge and freezer.

3. Disconnect Propane

4. Make a Battery Plan: You will want to have a plan for all batteries in your rig. Drivable RVs have chassis and in-house batteries. Towable rigs have house batteries. You will want to disconnect or trickle-charge the batteries. Or, if the facility provides electricity, you can plug in your rig. 

5. Add Additional Security: Consider rigging your rig with extra security. You can add a hitch lock for trailers. For drivable RVs, change entry door locks. 

6. Take Out Valuables: Remove all valuable objects and any important paperwork. 

7. Pest Proof Your Rig: Pests can do a lot of damage to an RV. Removing food is a great first step in rodent determent. You will also want to seal gaps and try to prevent them from entering your RV in the first place. 

8. Wash and Prep Your RV: Clean and prep your rig so that it is ready for the next season. This can help extend your RV's life and feel good when it is time to take it out again. 

9. Ensure the Slides are In: Make sure all pull-outs and slides are in.  

10. Have Enough Fuel for Generator: Make sure you have enough fuel to run the generator throughout the off-season. 

11. Visit Your Rig: Visit your RV to look for any issues. You can test batteries, run the generator and look for rodents. 

12. Exercise the Generator: Be sure to run your generator once per month during your RV’s storage period. 

13. Check the Chassis Batteries: Check the batteries when visiting. 

14. Look for Evidence of Pests: Look for rodents and refill any rodent deterrent products you use. 

RV Storage Tips for Your Tires

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Properly storing your RV tires is more critical than you might think. Under-inflated and sun-exposed tires are prone to blowouts, no matter how new your tires are.

I highly recommend you read these RV Storage Tips for Tires to ensure you get the most out of your RV tires for the long haul.

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