RV security should be one of your main priorities if you live life on the road, be it part-time or full-time. Apart from ensuring your safety, a security system will also protect your vehicle from theft or damage. Below, we’ll discuss the importance of an RV security system and give examples of its components.
Importance of RV Security
If you own a motorhome, one of your primary concerns should be RV security. Whether you’re on the road, or resting in a campground, you should never compromise your safety. Just because you’re parked in a nice campground, doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. There are many people who would take advantage of your lowered inhibitions due to the sense of community often associated with campgrounds.
Having a great RV security system in place will not only prevent break-ins, theft, and vandalism, but also keep you and your family safe from those who would seek to do you harm. There are many things you can do to beef up your security and we’ll discuss a few of them in this article.
RV Security Practices
Given the importance of RV security, you should be aware of the best practices in keeping your vehicle safe. There are several ways you can keep your RV secure, ranging from changing a few of your behaviors, to purchasing some tools. A few examples of things you can do, that is, changes in behavior you can enforce, are the following:
Think about your parking position
Whenever you pull into a campground, check your surroundings. Think carefully about how you will position your vehicle as even this simple thing can deter burglars from taking your vehicle or that valuables it holds. For instance, parking in reverse might make it easier for you to pull out when it’s time to leave, but likewise, it also makes things easier for car kidnappers to do so. This is especially true for trailers and fifth wheels.
Secure your doors, windows, and trailer hitches
Doors, windows, and trailer hitches are the easiest ways to break into or steal an RV. This is because an experienced thief can easily pick the locks on your motorhome’s doors. In terms of your windows, make sure they’re made of durable material. Moreover, if you can get them replaced, we highly suggest you do so because even if thieves can’t pick your vehicle’s car doors, if they break your windows, they’ll still easily have access.
Deadbolts and Sliding Locks
For this reason, you should invest in deadbolts and sliding locks which will ultimately strengthen your security. Additionally, make it a habit to lock your doors. Every time. Even if you’ll only leave it for a few moments. Thieves can be quick if you give them a chance. Your doors and windows will be less likely to be used as points of burglar entry.
Hitch Locks
Lastly, a point often overlooked is the security of trailer hitches. If you leave them unprotected, they will be more prone to theft. All thieves’ need is a pick-up truck and they can drive away with your home on the road. That being said, the lesson here is to invest in a good hitch lock. Most especially if your motorhome of preference is a trailer or a fifth wheel.
Store your valuables properly
Most probably, your RV will be carrying valuables amounting to hundreds or thousands of dollars. This is already obvious for would-be thieves, even if they don’t get a look into your vehicle. In line with this, make sure you keep your valuables out of sight. If you will be leaving objects such as your phone, laptop, or wallet, make sure it’s not clearly visible through windows or your front glass. They are temptations and will only encourage them to steal your vehicle more.
Invest in a security system
In truth, all of these point to having a security system for your RV, which can include a CCTV, motion detectors, or an alarm system. This may cost you a pretty penny at first, but it’ll still be less than what you’ll lose if your RV gets stolen. We’ve written an article on simple hacks and guides which you can read here.
RV Security System
There are several things that go into an RV security system. Below, we’ll discuss three. In particular, we’ll explain the uses of motion detectors, video surveillance, and alarm systems.
Motion Detectors
Motion activated lights are an affordable way to set up your RV’s security. This especially comes in handy when you’re parking in particularly dark areas and want to be aware of your surroundings.
To illustrate, you might be resting in your RV one late night, then all of a sudden, you hear movement outside. With a motion activated light sensor, it’ll be easy to peer through the darkness. Additionally, it will ward off anyone trying to pull a fast one on you.
Video Surveillance
Moving on to another measure you can incorporate into your RV security system, surveillance cameras . They come in handy particularly in situations when you just want to have your vehicle parked in a campground so you can go out and explore in peace
In case your vehicle does experience a break in, having a CCTV will leave you with a record of the event. There’d be a possibility you can trace whoever attempted to steal from you. Aside from this, having a CCTV usually served as a deterrent for would-be thieves.
Alarm System
Lastly, an RV alarm system. It would be a good idea to include some sort of alarm system in your RV’s security. This can be as simple as something you attach to your doors and windows. It certainly doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. There are great for alerting you when your vehicle’s entry points are opened without your knowledge.
To demonstrate, if someone attempts to get into your motorhome by opening your windows or doors, the alarm will be triggered. If you aren’t around because you went exploring, some alarm systems send notifications via email or text message. Moreover, the sound from your alarm system will notify your campground neighbors, making a potential burglar think twice about breaking and entering.
Final Word
In summary, RV security is an important aspect of life on the road. You never know what can happen or who you’ll come across, so it’s better to just protect yourself, your vehicle, and your valuables inside. The suggestions above are just a few of the things you should consider when crafting your security system.
