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Expiration dates aren’t just for food. There are several RV items that are no longer safe to use after a certain amount of time has passed. If you own an RV, head out to your camper and check the expiration date on these 10 items today.
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Gas Detector
RV gas detectors are essential safety devices that set off an alarm if there are dangerous levels of propane or carbon monoxide inside the camper. However, these devices do not last forever. They typically expire about 5 years after their manufacturing date.
Fortunately, it’s easy to check if your gas detector is good. Most of these alarms have a manufacturing or replace by date printed on the front or back of the detector. Read our full guide to RV gas alarms to learn how to install a replacement and what to do if the alarm sounds.
Wheel Chocks
If you use plastic wheel chocks to secure your RV at the campsite, you should know they expire. The plastic can deteriorate over time, so many of these chocks have a replace by date printed on them.
If your wheel chocks are due for a replacement, do yourself a favor and upgrade to solid rubber ones that are rated to hold the weight of your RV.
Portable Propane Tanks
If you own a fifth wheel or travel trailer with portable propane tanks, they must be recertified after 10 or 12 years from the manufacturing date, and then every 5 years after that.
The manufacturing date is stamped on the neck of the tank. If a tank is not recertified, many reputable propane businesses will refuse to refill it, so be sure to stay up to date on recertification requirements.
Fire Extinguisher
RVs are equipped with one of two types of fire extinguishers, rechargeable or disposable. If your fire extinguisher has a dial with “recharge” and “overcharge” sections, it is rechargeable. Rechargeable extinguishers should be serviced every 6 years. Check with the local fire department to see if they offer this service.
Disposable fire extinguishers actually expire. These extinguishers have a dial that reads either “full” or “empty.” Yours needs to be replaced if the dial is pointing to empty.
Tires
One major misconception about RVs is that tires last a long time if you don’t put many miles on them. The truth is that age determines when RV tires should be replaced regardless of how far they’ve been driven.
Travel trailer tires should be replaced after 3 to 5 years, while motorhome tires should be replaced every 5 to 7 years. Check the DOT date on the sidewall to determine the actual age of your tire. This four-digit code indicates the week and year the tire was made. For example, 1226 would indicate the tire was manufactured in the 12th week of 2026.
Water Filter
All RVers should be using an in-line water filter to keep sediment out of their RV lines. However, these filters typically need to be replaced after every 30 days of active use.
Since the expiration date depends on when you first used the filter, always write the date of first use on the filter with a marker, so you don’t forget when it needs to be replaced.
Charcoal Refrigerator Filter
If your RV has a 12 volt refrigerator, it may also have a charcoal filter that reduces moisture and odors in your fridge. Like the water filter, this filter needs to be replaced after 3 months of active use, so always write the date on the filter when replacing.
Emergency Kit Items
Smart RVers always travel with first aid and roadside emergency kits. Fortunately, many of us just leave these kits in our tow vehicle and never have to actually use them.
While these kits are sitting in a hot vehicle, the things inside them may be expiring. Before every camping season, go through your emergency kits and check medications and emergency flares for past-due expiration dates.
Sunscreen
Another thing that often sits in the camper for years is sunscreen. Last year, I got a pretty bad burn even though I had applied my SPF 100 sunscreen. A quick look at the bottle explained my burn. It was 5 years expired. Check the lotions and sprays in your camper every year and toss the old stuff.
Anode Rod
An anode rod is a metal rod used in some RV water heaters to attract corrosive elements so they corrode the rod instead of your hot water tank. While this rod doesn’t technically expire, it does erode and it needs to be replaced when it has lost 75% of its original material.
See our complete guide to RV water heater maintenance for more details.
If you haven’t already, it’s time to head out to your camper to check all these expiration dates. And don’t forget to pack spare batteries and your complete tool kit.
Happy Camping!
Christina Pate is a seasoned full-time RVer who, along with her husband Justin, has journeyed across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Drawing from her extensive travels, RV repairs and RV renovations, she founded Travels with Ted to guide and inspire fellow RV enthusiasts. Christina is also the co-author of The Owner’s Guide to RV Maintenance and the creator of My RV Log Book.
