Privacy Policy

Information we collect

This policy explains what information RV-Fixes collects when you use rv-fixes.com, how we use it and the choices you have. We try to collect only what we need to run the site, send the newsletter you sign up for and answer your messages.

Newsletter signup: if you subscribe, we collect your first name, last name and email address.

Contact form: if you send us a message, we collect your name, your email address and whatever you write in the message.

Comments: if you leave a comment, we collect the name, email address and any website you enter, along with the comment itself. Like most WordPress sites, we also record the IP address and browser information sent with the comment to help catch spam.

Server logs: like almost every website, our server automatically records basic technical details about each visit, such as your IP address, browser type, the page requested, the page that referred you and the date and time.

Some articles also offer an optional weather forecast lookup, and some interactive tools can save your preferences in your browser. Both are explained below.

How we use your information

We use your name and email address to send the newsletter you signed up for. We use contact form details to read and reply to your message. We use comment details to display and moderate comments and to filter out spam.

Server logs, cookies and analytics help us keep the site running, protect it from abuse, fix problems and see which articles are useful so we can improve them.

We won't add you to the newsletter just because you left a comment or sent us a message.

Who we share it with

We do not sell or rent your personal information.

We share information only with service providers that help us run the site, such as our web host, the service that delivers the newsletter, spam filtering tools and, if we use one, an analytics provider. We share only what each one needs to provide its service.

Comments are public. Once a comment is approved, your name, any website you entered and your comment appear on the site. Your email address is not displayed. If the site shows profile pictures next to comments, a coded version of your email address (called a hash) may be sent to an avatar service to look for a matching image.

We may also disclose information if the law requires it, or when it's needed to protect the site, our readers or others from fraud, abuse or harm.

Cookies and browser storage

Cookies are small files a website stores in your browser. Our site runs on WordPress, which sets some cookies itself, and the plugins we use may set others for things like security, spam protection, forms and performance.

If you leave a comment, you can choose to have your name and email address saved in a cookie so you don't have to type them again next time. People who log in to manage the site also get login cookies; regular readers don't need to log in.

Some interactive tools on the site, such as checklists, save your preferences in your own browser using a feature called local storage. That information stays on your device and isn't sent to us. Clearing your browser's site data removes it.

You can block or delete cookies and site data in your browser settings. Most of the site will still work, though features like remembered comment details or saved tool preferences won't.

Analytics

We may use an analytics service to understand how people use the site, such as which pages are visited, how long people stay and how they found us. These services usually rely on cookies or similar technology and collect information like your IP address, device and browser type and the pages you view.

We look at this information in aggregate to decide what to write and what to fix, not to identify individual readers. Any analytics provider we use handles data under its own privacy policy.

You can limit analytics tracking by blocking cookies, adjusting your browser's privacy settings or using a browser extension that blocks trackers.

Weather lookups, embedded content and links

Some articles include an optional forecast lookup powered by Open-Meteo, a third-party weather service. Nothing is sent until you press the button. If you type a city, that city name is sent to Open-Meteo to find the location and return a forecast. If you choose to use your current location, your browser asks for your permission first, and your device's coordinates are then sent to Open-Meteo for the same purpose.

As with any web request, Open-Meteo can see the IP address the request comes from. We don't use these lookups to identify you, and we don't connect them to your newsletter, contact or comment information. Open-Meteo handles those requests under its own terms and privacy policy.

Articles may include embedded content from other sites, such as videos. Embedded content behaves the same way as if you visited the other site directly, so that site may collect data about you, set cookies and track how you interact with the embedded content.

We also link to other websites, including manufacturers and retailers. We aren't responsible for their content or privacy practices, so read their policies before you share information with them.

How long we keep it

Newsletter details are kept until you unsubscribe. After that, we may keep your email address on a do-not-send list so you aren't emailed again by mistake.

Contact form messages are kept as long as we need them to reply and follow up, and are deleted when they're no longer needed.

Comments and the information submitted with them are kept as long as the comment stays on the site, which lets us recognize and approve follow-up comments from the same person.

Server logs are kept only as long as needed for security and troubleshooting.

Your choices and rights

Every newsletter email includes an unsubscribe link. Use it at any time and you'll stop receiving the newsletter.

You can ask to see the personal information we hold about you, have it corrected or have it deleted. Send your request through the contact form on our Contact page (/contact/) and tell us what you'd like us to do. We may need to confirm the request comes from you before we act on it.

We may keep some information when we have to, for example to meet a legal obligation, prevent abuse or keep a record that you unsubscribed.

You also control cookies, local storage and location access through your browser settings, and you can turn off location permission for this site at any time.

Children's privacy

RV-Fixes is not directed to children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child under 13 has given us personal information, let us know through the contact form on our Contact page and we will delete it.

Security

We take reasonable steps to protect the information we collect from loss, misuse and unauthorized access. No website or method of sending information over the internet is completely secure, though, so we can't guarantee absolute security.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when the site, the services we use or our practices change. When we do, we'll change the date at the top of this page, and for significant changes we may also post a note on the site or in the newsletter.

If you keep using the site after an update, the updated policy applies.

Contact us

If you have a question about this policy or how your information is handled, reach us through the contact form on our Contact page (/contact/).