To winterize or not to winterize

[Laura_Lewis]

Hi,

We were especially fortunate this year to have a relatively balmy fall (for Chicago) so we didn't have to winterize our motorhome yet.

Here's the question, we leave for FW on the 22nd. We were hoping that our luck would hold out and we could get away without winterizing and then unwinterizing once we got on our way. Alas, it will be dropping into the 20s next week at night. We are kicking around turning on the furnace at night to around 50 degrees or so to keeping the plumbing from freezing. Thoughts? Other suggestions?

Thanks much!

Laura

 

[ftwildernessguy]

If it were me, I'd run the RV antifreeze through the lines and down the drains. It's cheap insurance, and the furnace alone may not be sufficient to keep waterlines under the belly from freezing.

 

[djcruz4fun]

My Mom and Dad had a Pace Arrow MH, we live in Northern WV. They Traveled a lot one winter and when they were home they left the
furnance running and they had no trouble, for me I think I would risk it, just keep it out of direct wind

 

[Laura_Lewis]

My Mom and Dad had a Pace Arrow MH, we live in Northern WV. They Traveled a lot one winter and when they were home they left the
furnance running and they had no trouble, for me I think I would risk it, just keep it out of direct wind

Thanks everyone for your responses! Our motorhome is parked in our driveway with houses on either side and our cars parked in front of it. We just bought (in May) a 2005 Bounder.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I think you would be pushing your luck. To risk an expensive plumbing repair for a couple of jugs of $3 RV antifreeze isnt worth it.

 

[Dirtslinger]

If your uderbelly is enclosed then you stand a good chance. I was told that if it stays above 25 at night and gets to 40 or so during the day, you should be fine. We have a TT and last year it was in several 25 degree nights with us in it. I don't like putting the pink stuff in till I have to. But you still have to do what you think is right. Good luck!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I think you would be pushing your luck. To risk an expensive plumbing repair for a couple of jugs of $3 RV antifreeze isnt worth it.

I agree

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I agree

Great minds think alike

That frost was awfully thick on my truck when I left for work yesterday.

 

[hatchmo]

I have a Winnebago Class C and have left the heat on nights on several occasions without winterizing. I open the various compartment doors, drawers, etc. to let the heat get to the water pipes. No problems yet. But I haven't done that when the temperature has gotten below 25 degrees or so.

 

[stillh2o]

I live in Florida an never have had to winterize my motor home. But can you just drain the hot heater and the water tank. All the RV’s I have had has a easy way to drain the water tank and water heat they even had a valve to drain the water pipes. If you drain every thing you should not have a problem.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

" I never have to winterize"
Thats not nice to say to us Northerners this time of year

IMHO just draining everything doesnt protect you, there are low spot where the piping travels through the RV, water will lay in these and freeze. It has been dropping into the mid 20's here regularly at night.
I drain the water heater and my fresh water tank and then pressurize the water system with compressed air through the inlet on the outside. I have a small blow gun that I hold over the fitting. After blowing the lines clear I then drain the gray tank one last time and run 2 gallons of RV antifreeze through the piping ( I have a water heater bypass ) and allow it to run down the gray and black drains so that any water left in the tanks has antifreeze in it.

The years when we go to Florida in the winter I just skip the blow out process and run a couple jugs into the system when we are packing up to go home. Of course I have pulled my water heater plug and left my fresh water tank drain open. The only problem is not being able to use our own potty on the way home.

 

[stillh2o]

I’m sorry I live in south Florida and winterize to me is putting sweatshirts, long paints and maybe the down comforter in the Rv.

 

[djcruz4fun]

IMHO just draining everything doesnt protect you, there are low spot where the piping travels through the RV, water will lay in these and freeze. QUOTE]

I have a TT and last year I used a air compressor and blew the water out of the lines and pulled the plug and drained the hot water tank with no problems, this year I just pumped in the pink stuff. I just hope it dose not tast to bad in the spring when I get on the go.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Flush the lines really good and you shouldn't notice the taste. I know someone who flushes his lines with vodka - he claims it really removes any taste, and he makes screwdrivers with the leftover.

 

[musicmama]

Flush the lines really good and you shouldn't notice the taste. I know someone who flushes his lines with vodka - he claims it really removes any taste, and he makes screwdrivers with the leftover.

My 2 brothers-in-law will really appreciate this one! I might even convince hubby to try it on ours.

 

[DMRick]

I can't imagine taking a chance when the anitfreeze is so cheap at Walmarts. Plumbing repairs are very expensive in RV's, where the plumbing is not always so easy to get to. I assume you'll have a sewer site once you get there, which will make the flushing very easy to get to. Don't forget to put in your hot water tank by pass after you empty it, and if you have those outdoor sprayers, be sure you run the antifreeze through those too. It's easy to overlook them.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Not to mention how easy it is to run the antifreeze through the lines in the first place. It literally takes me less than 15 minutes to do it.

 

[RocklandRVers]

Not to mention how easy it is to run the antifreeze through the lines in the first place. It literally takes me less than 15 minutes to do it.

I agree that it is too much of a risk for so little effort. The first winter we bought a winterizing kit from Camping World. It comes with a bypass for the water pump. Our RV came with hot water heater bypass. We drained everything, used a little air to blow out the lines (be careful...use low air pressure!) and then screwed on the tube to the water pump and put it in a jug of pink stuff and let it run.

The past 2 December trips to WDW we only dewinterized the toilet and brought down a couple of big 6 gallon water bottles. This was our drinking and flushing water for nightly use of the bathroom. The rest of the time we used the comfort station for heavy duty stuff

We also didn't do any heavy duty cooking except for the charcoal grill a couple of times and used lots of paper plates to avoid having to wash dishes pots pans etc.

When it was time to pack up, we dumped the black tank and rinsed it as best we could and dumped some pink in the toilet for the ride home.

 

[Dirtslinger]

looks like you better winterize for it is going down to 17 in central IL on Wed and up in chicago should be atleast that or colder.

 

[Tink's little fan]

ugh, we are there with you on this one.... we are in PA

we leave on Dec 2nd for FW for a week

It has been such a warm fall that we haven't winterized. Last night's low was to be 33 degrees. I turned on a heater in the TT.

Maybe I should stop and get some pink stuff? I am getting more concerned about the next few nights, plus the "experts" on here are so true in that a few $$ on anti-freeze is a lot cheaper and less aggravation than fixing broken pipes. Now, I just gotta convince DH.

Denise