Thermostat got you feeling a little dim?

We’ve heard it numerous times, “I wish the display on my thermostat was brighter.” Special thanks to Family Motor Coach Association for publishing a short ‘how-to” article on just how to get that thermostat a little brighter so you can read it! This tech and travel tip happens to come from their February 2011 edition:
You can make the display nearly twice as bright by removing the blue filters on the light bulbs. (This applies only to Dometic Duo-Therm Comfort Control Center five-button thermostats #310 9228 0001 — white; and #310 9228 019 — black.) Here’s how:

Un-clip the thermostat from the holder — top or bottom center — and find the two small, black, round bulb holders. Remove the bulb assembly by inserting a small blade screwdriver into the center slot of the assembly and twist 1/8-turn counterclockwise. Lift the bulb assembly out and gently remove the tiny blue filter from the bulb. Reassemble and return the thermostat cover to its holder. The brightness of the display will be sharply improved.

We sure hope that helps, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself or if you have any questions, remember you can always call and make an appointment with our great service department. If you'd like, you can even make an appointment on-line!

Dicor Lap Sealant for the RV Lifestyle

It is suggested that at least once a year you climb up on top of your RV and thoroughly inspect the roof. You'll want to look for dried, cracked, or missing sealant around vents and joints, as well as check for any rips, tears, or other damage. Finally, sweep off any built up dirt and debris.
 
If you are unable to perform this task on your own, aren't sure what to look for, or simply don't have the time, call your Service Writer and make an appointment. We will gladly take care of it for you!

There may come a time during your travels that a tree branch snags your roof or you accidentally hit a low hanging sign. Occasionally it happens, and if does, you'll want to be prepared. You'll need a quick fix until you can get the roof looked at by a professional. Our suggestion? It never hurts to carry Dicor Lap Sealant. Made EPDM compatible for Rubber Roofing System, this HAPS-free lap sealant meets and exceeds the demanding needs of a roofing sealant while providing a cleaner, safer work environment for you. This flexible, waterproof compound is designed for EPDM rubber, TPO, fiberglass, wood, aluminum, steel or masonry, which may be painted over after outer skin has formed. And its available at our parts store! Come in or request on line today!

Happy Rving!

Adapters for adapting to the RV Lifestyle

For new RVer’s just starting out in the RV lifestyle, one accessory you’ll want to make sure you have on hand is an electrical adapter. Depending on where you camp, you never know what kind of outlet the camp ground will have.

Our Valterra brand adapts a 15A/125V to 30A/125V 15/30 . Commonly called a reverse adapter, this adapter has a female 15amp and male 30amp side. Your owners manual will tell you what kind of amp service you will need. If you have misplaced your manual, you can contact the manufacturer or our Service Department and we’ll be happy to help you.

Please keep in mind that when using this type of electrical hook up you will need to keep usage at a minimum, only using one appliance at a time. Owning an RV or camper for the first time can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Paul Evert’s RV Country is here for you. Feel free to drop by our blog for tips, tricks, travel ideas, and advice, or join us on Facebook and Twitter. Of course we’d love to see you in person at any one of our three convenient locations!

                   Remember, you’re ALWAYS welcome at RV Country!

RV Lifestyle: The Dreaded Black Tank

If you’re new to the RV Lifestyle, you may have many questions. Such as, why are there so many tanks and what is each one for? In this post, we’ll talk about the dreaded black tank. The black tank is what holds human waste and toilet paper. It needs special attention so that you can keep the odor under control and avoid getting clogged up.

One quality product that we recommend is "Aqua Kem". This product will help eliminate waste odor, break down solid waste and toilet tissue, and its 100% biodegradable. At RV Country we carry it in various sizes so there is surely one to fit your needs. From the "Dri-kem" singles, to the 64 oz bottle, be sure you have this product on hand!

Stop in and see us or visit our website to request the item you’re looking for.

Smell ya later!  HA HA HA!!

Sewer Hoses for the RV Lifestyle

So, you want to know what the best sewer hose is to buy? One of our favorites and a TOP seller at our parts store is the ‘Dominator’. The Dominator is durable and reliable. Which is exactly what you’ll want in a sewer hose. You don’t want to be one of ‘those’ who are seen wrapping their hose with duct tape to fix a leak. (EWW!) So, durable and reliable are what you’re going to want. We suggest starting with at least a 15 ft hose, but the more you travel and the more experience you get, you’ll know what size works best for you. The 15 feet sewer kit with elbow Superior drainage, holds its shape after installation. Durable, UV stabilized, rugged poly construction. Convenient, fully assembled and ready to use. Patented rotating fittings.

Stop in and see us or visit us on-line. This is one accessory you’ll want to be sure to have before you leave home!

The Importance of a Water Regulator

Before owning an RV you probably never gave much thought to water pressure or the need to regulate it, but the piping in your RV needs to be taken care of just as much as any other part. Too much water pressure can cause the pipes to burst, leaving you to experience an indoor wading pool - or worse - such as only partial use of your shower, toilet, or any other appliance that uses running water to function and sometimes no water at all.  A regulator helps you keep an eye out for potential danger, and will prevent the water pressure in your system from surging to a level high enough to cause damage.

You can’t always be sure of the water pressure in camp grounds. If there aren’t many campers in the park with you, or at night when not many people are using running water, the pressure can go up at any time. For this reason, a water regulator is something you will want to be sure to add to your RV necessities before heading out on the road.

If you don't already have one, stop in and see us or order one on-line!

Happy RVing!

The Importance of a Fresh Water Hose for the RV Lifestyle

A fresh water hose is an important essential to add to your "must have" accessories. An RV fresh water hose is designed for drinking water, is constructed of FDA approved materials, and usually comes with a white jacketed cover. Sorry folks, your garden hose is not safe to use as a drinking water hose, so be sure to have a couple of these fresh water hoses on hand. If one springs a leak you'll want to have an extra tucked away so that you don't have to scramble looking for a new one when you aren’t near a store. Due to sanitation concerns, you'll never want to use these hoses for anything else. You can keep a regular garden hose to use for washing your RV, or for connecting to a black holding tank flushing attachment. That will keep dangerous bacteria away from your fresh water hose fittings. It's also important to remember that when you store your fresh water hose, keep the ends together to keep them clean. Be sure to flush your fresh water holding tank with bleach every few months to help keep bacteria from forming. A teaspoon of bleach to 20 gallons of water is plenty, and this will also help clean your fresh water hose. After flushing with the bleach solution, flush again with fresh water. If you don't already have one, or need a couple new ones be sure to stop in and see us - or you can even order one on-line.
Happy Rving!

Must have tools for the RV Lifestyle: Do you need more power?

One of the most popular parts and accessories that we sell are Yamaha portable generators.    They are perfect for the RV Lifestyle and a cost effective addition to any travel trailer.  Let us show you why...

Paul Evert’s RV "Country Club" Card

Have you purchased your exclusive Paul Evert’s RV Country club card yet? 

Get your new year started off right with discounts on all the necessities (AND FUN STUFF) that will keep your RV lifestyle going smoothly down the road. Our parts club membership is on special right now for only $14.95 -  which is cheaper than a Good Sam or a Camping World membership and you get 10% off all* purchases!

We also have an upgraded membership for $89.95 which gives you access to the Paul Evert's RV Travel Club, 10% off parts & accessories, AND an exclusive 10% off labor in our service department. That can add up to big savings quickly!

For more details and to download your application, please visit:
http://www.rvcountry.com/rv-parts-club-card.aspx


*Discounts apply to all non-advertised parts & accessories only.

Replace your RV vent lids - Do it right the first time.

As with any vehicle, RV's require maintenance. If you have owned your motorhome, fifth wheel, or travel trailer for a while, chances are you've had to or soon should replace your vent covers.

The Paul Evert's RV Parts & Accessory Department recommends you replace them every two years. In fact, these vent covers are our most commonly sold part! However, we find that quite a few of our customers drive all the way here, only to realize they don't know what type of hinge their vent lid uses! They then have to drive home, inspect, and make a second trip to complete their purchase.

We hope the handy chart below will help you to know what you are looking for. Then, whether you choose to call in or come down here, we can make purchasing these necessary items much simpler and quicker for you!

Our parts department can be reached at 559-486-1000 or you can request parts via our easy online form at www.rvcountry.com.

Parts & Accessories Dept Hours
Mon - Sat  / 8am - 5pm
Closed Sunday
1 Time only - Closed Monday July 5th, 2010.

No more wood blocks or tongue jack hassles with the Flip Automatic jack-foot!

At Paul Evert's RV Country, we are always on the lookout for tools and tricks that make RVing the relaxing vacation it should be. LESS work is MORE fun, right!? Here's a handy tool we now have on display and stocked in our store!

If you're like most trailer owners, you spend a lot of time hassling with your tongue jack. You have to chase around several wood blocks, kneel down and mess with a pin, or put up with a flimsy removable jack foot.

With the Fastway Flip automatic jack foot, you can say goodby to all of those problems. With a Flip jack foot there is:

• No hassle with wood blocks
• 6" less cranking up and down
• Nothing extra for you to store
• No more kneeling down
• No pins for you to pull or insert

The Flip automatic jack foot is designed to fit most 2 1/4" tongue jacks with a 2" dimension inner jack tube - round or square. It's tough enough to hold up to 1,400lbs of tongue weight and can easily be installed in just a few minutes.

Stop by the Paul Evert's RV Country parts store to TRY it and BUY it for yourself!

Parts Grand Opening a Huge Success!

Paul Evert's RV Country is proud to still be your one stop shop! We sell a wide variety of RV's in all price ranges for our customers, we have a state of the art service shop so that we can help our customers maintain and service the RV's that we sell, and now we also have the largest parts and accessories store in the central valley!

Saturday January 31st, 2010 was our official grand opening event for the Paul Evert's RV Country Parts Store.

Thank you so much to everyone who came out! We BBQ'd hot dogs, we had raffles every hour, and even had the San Francisco 49ers cheer leaders on site for pictures, signed calendars, and posters!

Our store is packed with goodies, we've got sales running store wide, and we also have access to special order items that you won't be able to get anywhere else!