"You CRACK Me Up!"

"You CRACK Me Up!"

"YOU CRACK ME UP!"

Normally when you hear a line like that, something funny has just been said.  However, when you're talking about the flooring in your camper, there is nothing funny about it!  A recent cold snap here in Wisconsin left several floors in our stock units with cracks.  If you are in an area where the temperature falls well below freezing in the winter, you may want to check your camper flooring so that you don't have any surprises come spring.  

WHY does this happen, anyway?

When there are extreme temperature changes vinyl and even sometimes linoleum flooring will contract and expand. If you have severe cracking issues in your flooring, it is most likely temperature related. With temperatures dipping to -40 degrees here recently, we definitely saw an increase in cracked flooring when the temps returned to "normal". 

What KIND of flooring do you really HAVE?

To find out if your camper flooring will be susceptible to cracking in the first place, you need to find out what KIND of flooring you have.  Many people believe that vinyl and linoleum are the same thing. This is not the case. Vinyl flooring is more susceptible to temperature extremes and has a tendency to get very brittle and crack when exposed to cold temperatures.  True linoleum doesn't expand and contract nearly as much and as a result is not as brittle in the cold. 

How is your flooring installed?

How the flooring in your camper is installed can also affect whether you will have problems with cracking or not. There are some manufacturers who only glue the edges of the flooring which allows the center of the flooring to "float" on top of the floor base. Those floors that are completely glued will tend to not have the same issues with cracking.

It's not a house!

Another problem when it comes to RV flooring, is that most linoluem and vinyl floors are not specifically designed for campers-they are made for home use.  The temperature in your home is much more consistent and of course, much warmer than a camper being stored for the winter. Like just about anything, there are different qualities of flooring.  If you are going to be storing your camper in an environment where cold temperatures are going to be an issue, you may want to look at putting a little bit more money towards good, quality flooring.

So NOW what?

Our advice, here at Greeneway, is to put on a warm coat, lace up your boots and head out to your camper.  Take a peek inside and see if your flooring weathered the weather!  There's nothing like an unexpected repair to ruin an otherwise great vacation.  If you have cracks, give us a call!  Our Service Department is working with a flooring specialist to have floors replaced while keeping costs at a minimum.  Ask about options that will head off this same thing happening again when the next cold snap hits.  And you know it will....we live in Wisconsin after all!

Backyard Winter "Olympics"

Backyard Winter "Olympics"

The Winter Olympics are coming up in February, as most people are aware. It's a great time to focus on the efforts that the athletes put in to their sports both as teams and as individuals.  

With that same thing in mind, why not create your own Backyard Olympics? Get the kids off the couch and outside in the snow with these great winter games and activities.

1. Tow The Line

Put two teams (they don't have to be huge) together for a slip-sliding variation of Tug-O-War! Tamp down a wide, shallow trench in the snow to serve as the middle line.  Then, take up positions at the ends of a long rope and let the tugging begin!  Whichever team pulls the entire opposing group over to its side of the trench wins!

2. The Hat Trick

Build a nice, plump snowman in the yard and then make a game out of adding his head gear. Take turns trying to land a hat on his head by throwing it Frisbee style.  

3. You're On A Roll

Have players pair up for a contest to roll the biggest snowball possible.  The contest ends and the judging begins when the teams can no longer roll their snowball or they run out of snow. 

4. Zoo Sculptures

Create a wintertime zoo out of snow.  Have each team decide on what animal they want to make.  Things like turtles, otters or penguins are great choices.  You can even add color by mixing food coloring with some water and putting it into a spray bottle.  

5. Last (Snow) Man Standing

Each team builds five small snowmen and lines them up.  Then , team members stand about 10 feet away and take turns throwing snowballs at the snowmen the goal being to knock them down.  The first team with all of their snowmen knocked over wins. 

In a day and age where it seems like kids have forgotten how to play without some sort of device in their hands or in front of their faces, this is a great way to get them out into the fresh air.  So, unplug for a day and play together as a family-OUTDOORS!