Winterize your RV like a pro - Tech tips for success., by That RV Tech on YouTube. 30 min 25 s.
- Video length
- 30 min 25 s
- Time to do it
- 1 to 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Drain the fresh water tank, then open the low point drains and every faucet, hot and cold. Let the system empty before you close anything.
Bypass the water heater and drain it. Pull the drain plug or anode rod on a tank unit, or follow the drain and freeze protection steps your tankless maker lists.
Fit a blow out plug to the city water inlet and set your compressor regulator to the limit your RV maker gives, often around 30 to 40 psi.
Open one faucet at a time, hot then cold, and let air push the water out. Do the toilet, shower and outside shower, then close each valve.
Set up your antifreeze pickup. Use the built in winterizing hose at the pump, set a Nautilus style panel to winterize, or make a short hose that fits the pump inlet and drops into the jug.
Put the pickup hose in a jug of RV antifreeze and switch the pump on. Open each faucet until the liquid runs pink, then close it.
Pour about a cup of antifreeze down each sink, the shower and the toilet to protect the P traps and waste tanks.
Remove the water filter cartridge and empty the housing, or bypass the filter. Check the coffee maker, soap dispensers, ice maker and any sprayers.
In spring, flush every line with fresh water until it runs clear, then sanitize the fresh tank before you drink from it.
Tips and common mistakes
Check the burst protection rating on the jug, not just the freeze point, because slushy antifreeze can still split a fitting.
Keep air pressure at or below your maker's limit, since too much can crack plastic fittings and the water heater.
Never use automotive antifreeze in an RV water system because it is toxic.
Tell anyone else who uses the RV that it is winterized so nobody runs the pump dry.
Questions
Do I still need antifreeze if I blow the lines out with air?
Air pushes out most of the water, but some stays in low spots, the pump and valve bodies. Antifreeze covers those, so do both if your winters get hard freezes.
How much antifreeze will I use?
Most rigs take a few gallons, and more fixtures means more antifreeze. Buy an extra jug rather than running short halfway through.
Can I pour antifreeze into the fresh water tank?
You can, but it is harder to rinse out and you may taste it later. Pump it through the lines instead when your RV has a winterizing port.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
