There’s nothing fairly like eating open air on a heat night after spending the day sightseeing and adventuring in your RV.
Nonetheless, not everybody has the luxurious of fantastic, temperate climate year-round.
If you’ll want to hibernate your RV for the chilly climate however aren’t positive the place to start out, you’ve come to the appropriate place!
Winterizing an RV to maintain your pipes from freezing and cracking can appear intimidating. Preserve studying for a easy step-by-step information on tips on how to winterize an RV!
Instruments You Could Want
Step one to winterizing an RV is making certain you’ve got all of the instruments you’ll want to start. Relying in your make and mannequin and what you’ll have already outfitted your RV with, you might want barely various things.
In the event you select to make use of antifreeze, guarantee you’ve got roughly three gallons of non-toxic marine antifreeze. In the event you don’t need to use antifreeze, you’ll want an air compressor to blow out the waterlines.
You’ll additionally want instruments to tinker with the drain plugs in your water system, equivalent to wrenches, pliers, and a drill. In case you have a complete toolkit, you in all probability have already got them readily available.
You’ll in all probability additionally want a water pump converter package (generally referred to as a winterizing package) to introduce the antifreeze into your water system.
Lastly, you’ll want a heater bypass package, both seasonal or everlasting. Once more, it’s going to rely upon what your RV’s water heater is already outfitted with.
When you’ve gathered all of your instruments, you’re able to winterize your RV!
Learn how to Winterize An RV: Step by Step
1. Drain and Flush Black and Grey Water Tanks
The very last thing you need is waste water sitting in your RV throughout chilly climate. Neither micro organism nor frozen pipes are your RV’s pals.
It’s essential to empty each the again and gray holding tanks, beginning with the black tank. As soon as they’re empty, clear the black tank with the suitable cleaner.
2. Drain and Flush the Water Heater
Subsequent, you’ll need to guarantee your water heater is empty and dry. To do that, you’ll want to show the heating off and let it cool.
As soon as the water heater has cooled, let the remaining water drain out.
3. Bypass the Water Heater
After the water heater is cool and empty, you’ll need to bypass the water heater. In the event you add antifreeze to your tanks, you don’t need any of that to get into your water heater.
Relying on the make and mannequin of your RV, it could include a water heater bypass system already put in.
If not, many alternative bypass techniques or RV winterizing kits can be found. Usually, they’re very user-friendly and straightforward to put in.
4. Drain the Contemporary Tank
After you’ve drained the waste water holding tanks and cooled off and drained the water heater, it’s time to maneuver on to your recent water tank.
To make sure that is finished appropriately, you’ll need no water stress – opening the taps earlier than draining the tank will assist.
After the recent tank is empty, keep in mind to shut all open taps.
5. Add in Antifreeze or Blow Out the Water Traces and Open Exterior and Inner Valves and Taps
At this level within the course of, you’ve got a choice to make.
The primary choice is utilizing marine antifreeze to maintain your pipes from freezing in chilly temperatures. This a fairly fool-proof method to make sure your RV comes out the opposite facet of winter unscathed.
Nonetheless, plenty of of us want completely different options. Despite the fact that marine antifreeze is non-toxic, you’re nonetheless introducing antifreeze into recent water traces the place you drink and bathe.
In the event you additionally need to keep away from utilizing antifreeze, your second choice is to blow out the water traces as a substitute.
For this, you’ll want an air compressor and sure a second particular person that will help you with the bathroom, making it a barely costlier and concerned course of than utilizing antifreeze.
You’ll want to connect the air compressor to your essential water line, open all of the taps within the RV, after which flip the air compressor on at 30 psi.
For the bathroom, you’ll must flush and maintain the bathroom whereas the air compressor blows all of the water out.
Both method, this step will guarantee your traces and pipes are secure from freezing and cracking.
Each inside and exterior valves and taps must be open for this course of, whatever the choice.
In the event you blow the traces out, the remaining water ought to start to leak out of the taps from the water traces, leaving them dry and secure from freezing.
In the event you use antifreeze as a substitute, the water leaking out will start to run pink, letting the antifreeze has made its method via the system.
6. Pour Antifreeze Down Drains
Even if you happen to blow out the water traces, you’ll nonetheless must pour a small quantity of antifreeze down any drains (sink, bathe, or rest room).
On this course of, the antifreeze gained’t truly enter the water traces. As a substitute, it’s going to simply preserve the drains from freezing over.
7. Prep the RV for Winter Storage
Lastly, you’ve completed winterizing your RV’s water system!
In the event you haven’t already, now’s the time to discover a secure, dry, lined place to retailer your RV over the winter. Publicity to snow, ice, and the wind isn’t nice for the outside and extremities of your RV, both.
Different Steps to Winterize An RV
Probably the most in depth (and costly!) harm that might be tough to restore when the hotter climate comes round is the harm to your water system and pipes.
Nonetheless, it’s necessary to learn to winterize an RV in different methods!
Prep the Tires
Tire covers are a good way to assist protect the rubber in your tires. In the event you’re leaving your RV on grass or filth, prop the tires up with picket blocks in order that they don’t get caught as the bottom freezes and thaws repeatedly all through the season.
Additionally, ensure you have some tire chains useful for inclement climate!
Handle Batteries and Propane Sources
Earlier than you place your RV away for the winter, you’ll need to ensure you’ve disconnected any propane sources (or solar energy you probably have it) and eliminated the batteries.
In the event you take away tools from the RV on this step, retailer it in a cool, dry place the place it will likely be secure from the weather.
Spring Cleansing
Spring cleansing to arrange for winter doesn’t sound fairly proper, so consider it as cleansing in preparation for spring!
You gained’t need to depart meals, drinks, toiletries, textiles, or something that can age poorly or be impacted by the chilly in your RV.
Clear and declutter the inside of your RV earlier than you stow it away, and preserve all of your non-perishable issues collectively in a cool, dry place – you’ll thank your self when hotter climate comes round!
Winterizing the Exterior
The very first thing you need to do is carefully examine the outside of your RV for any gaps, cracks, unfastened screws or panels, holes, or rusting elements. Pay particular consideration to the roof, the place water, snow, and particles can simply acquire.
In case you have weatherized strips or caulking, be certain there aren’t any points with that, too.
You don’t need any moisture or freezing air inside your camper, permitting rust and mildew to thrive.
You can too get some wax or sealant to assist additional shield your RV’s exterior. In the event you’re involved a couple of chilly snap, you can even insulate the home windows and pipes.
Learn how to Winterize an RV FAQs
What does it imply to winterize an RV?
Winterizing an RV means making ready an RV for winter. Similar to you are taking further measures to maintain a house or constructing secure from the weather, you’ll want to do the identical in your RV, particularly if it will likely be sitting stagnant for a couple of months when you look ahead to heat climate to come back again round!
What occurs if you happen to don’t winterize your RV?
In the event you don’t winterize your RV, you would face costly damages and points as a result of inclement climate.
Your water traces and tanks are particularly inclined to break, so draining and flushing your water system is essential in winterizing your RV.
How chilly does it need to get earlier than I winterize my RV?
If the temperature drops under freezing (32° F) and sustains that temperature, your pipes and waterlines will seemingly freeze.
However simply because the temperature isn’t technically under freezing doesn’t imply your RV is completely secure from winter climate.
Wind and moisture can nonetheless harm your car because it sits, so defending your RV no matter temperature is a good suggestion.
How lengthy does an RV keep winterized?
Relying in your strategies and antifreeze kind, your RV can keep winterized for as much as two years.
However keep in mind, the longer it sits, the longer it could take to get the RV up and operating once more.
Do I’ve to make use of antifreeze?
Many individuals who winterize their RVs are doubtful about utilizing antifreeze within the locations the place they get their consuming water. Although marine antifreeze is non-toxic, it’s comprehensible that you could be not need to use it.
If so, you may blow out your water traces as a substitute, utilizing compressed air to make sure your water system is totally flushed out and dried.
Nonetheless, you do have to make use of just a bit antifreeze on the inside drains, nevertheless it gained’t transfer via the water system.
Wrapping Up Learn how to Winterize an RV
You possibly can take only a few important precautions to make sure your RV stays secure and safe via its winter hibernation.
Observe these steps, and also you’ll be extra able to go when spring comes round!
For suggestions for the most effective instruments to assist winterize your RV, take a look at our listing of The High 5 Finest RV Winterizing Kits of 2023.
