January 2025 – Bankston Motor Homes Blog

Fifth Wheel Advantages

January 16, 2025March 16, 2025InteractRV Support

If you want a spacious towable camper, a fifth wheel may be perfect for you. These large RVs are a great fit for first time RV travelers as well as experienced pros. Read on to learn more!

Low Maintenance

Fifth wheels do not have an engine like motorhomes do. This makes your list of maintenance requirements much shorter. You’ll save time, money, and effort by investing in a motorless fifth wheel and still enjoy all the comforts of home on the road. Keep that extra money in your savings or use it to invest in your next big adventure. Much of your RV upkeep will be relatively easy and some of it can even be managed right at home.

Massive Storage Capacity

Another notable fifth wheel feature is the massive amount of storage capacity it offers. Their coupling system is surprisingly strong, which allows them to be heavier and longer than other towable RV styles you’ll see on the market. This provides you with even more storage space for all of your belongings. Fifth wheels aren’t only longer and heavier, but they’re also taller than many other RV styles, so you’ll have more headroom and never feel cramped when you’re inside.

Value

Fifth wheels hold their value well and are a wise investment for those who plan on using their RV for many years to come. They’re easy to grow into, instead of out of, helping your family enjoy the same RV for a long time! They are a great choice for personal and monetary value.

For more information or to explore fifth wheels for sale, visit Bankston Motor Homes. We are a dealership located in Huntsville and Gadsden, Alabama.

Benefits of Owning a Travel Trailer

January 13, 2025February 10, 2025InteractRV Support

Travel trailers are popular family RVs – and for good reason. These highly versatile campers can be the perfect match for solo travelers, large groups, and everyone in-between. Keep reading to learn about the advantages of picking a travel trailer for your family’s camper.

Affordable Maintenance

A travel trailer is cheaper to maintain in comparison to most motorhomes. It is because travel trailers need a vehicle to pull them to different locations. Since they do not have engines and transmissions, their maintenance costs are low. All you must do for the travel trailer is to keep the wheels in good shape. Keep the propane system clean and functional and watch out for leaks.

Camp-ability of Travel Trailers

Enjoying the outdoors is effortless from start to finish with a travel trailer. Getting to and from the campsite will be problem-free. The size of the trailer allows maneuvering over different types of terrain easier. Dirt roads with overhanging trees will not get in the middle of you and your vacation. When you arrive at the campgrounds, regulations on the height or parking for longer RVs will not apply to you. Lastly, one of the best features of a travel trailer is its fast, easy set up. In the time it would take you to pitch a tent, you will be able to enjoy the cozy accommodations your trailer has to offer.

For more information or to explore travel trailers for sale, visit Bankston Motor Homes. We are located in Huntsville, AL and also proudly serve those in Gadsden, AL, as well!

Keeping Your RV Bathroom Spotless

January 6, 2025January 20, 2025InteractRV Support

Camping in an RV is the most comfortable way to go on an adventure. The amenities it provides bring a touch of home to the great outdoors, and none can be more important than a functioning bathroom. But keeping your RV bathroom in good shape can be difficult. Clogged drains, mold, mildew, broken seals, and full tanks can all add up to unfortunate damage and smells. As a responsible RV owner, there are a few things you need to do to keep your bathroom working and avoid damaging it in the process.

Preventing Toilet Odors And Blockages

As nice as it can be to have around, an RV toilet is significantly more high-maintenance than what you might be used to in your home. Instead of pipes leading to a municipal sewer or underground septic tank, your toilet flushes into a holding container called a blackwater tank. If you start to notice unpleasant smells in your bathroom, it’s likely due to issues with your tank.

Never use chemicals or toilet paper that’s designed for a residential toilet. Your RV toilet is more fragile, requiring RV-specific products that are gentler on the coatings and the pipes. Only one-ply RV toilet paper is safe to flush, as denser products might cause clogging. Never flush any items besides waste and that toilet paper, including hair, Q-tips, “flushable” wipes, and other sanitary products.

Emptying Your Blackwater Tank

The blackwater tank will need to be emptied and cleaned regularly to prevent odors and back-ups. This isn’t quite as unpleasant a process as you’re probably imagining, but it should still be done carefully. Fuller tanks empty faster, but obviously you’ll want to avoid letting it fill entirely. Only empty it when the tank is around ⅔ or ¾ full, since lower levels will be difficult to empty properly.

To empty your blackwater tank, hook up a sewer hose to the tank valve on one end and to a dump station on the other end. Never empty the tank anywhere else! Make sure to close the tank’s valve once it’s finished emptying, and think about investing in specially-designed chemicals to sanitize the tank and prevent odors.

Check The Toilet Seal

Before and after every trip, double check your toilet seal to make sure it’s intact and tight. This helps keep water in the toilet and prevents odors from spreading. If it hardens, it can crack and split, causing unpleasant leakage. Plumber’s grease might help to reseal a cracked seal, but significant wear will require a replacement.

We hope you found these camper bathroom maintenance tips helpful! If you are in the market for your perfect family RV, check out the selection at Bankston Motor Homes. We are based in Huntsville, Alabama, and also serve those in Gadsden.