Return to: RV Trailer Improvements
While it may seem a bit daunting when it comes to winterizing your RV, once you know what is involved it really isn’t that hard. Once you get the hang of it, the whole process can be done in about 10 or so minutes, depending on your type of RV.
The idea of winterizing your RV is to remove all the water from your RV system, because when it freezes, it expands and may crack your lines and connectors. Removing the water from your lines is usually done either by using an air compressor to blow the water from your lines, or by running antifreeze through your lines to remove any of the water left in the lines. The steps below describe the antifreeze method.
1) First, make sure that all your tanks (fresh / grey / black) have been emptied.
2) Next, remove the Anode Rod from your water heater. Next 2 pictures show where it is located. You will need a wrench to remove it.
Next, access your water heater and turn the valves going to/from the tank in the off position (perpendicular to the hose) and the bypass valve in the open position (same direction as hose).
Enabling the bypass will make sure that the water will not go through the water heater tank and instead goes straight into the hot water lines. In other words, your hot and cold taps will both receive cold water.
3) Now make sure that all your taps have been turned off.
4) Locate your water pump and connect a hose to the antifreeze intake. Make sure to turn the valve so the water pump will suck the water from the proper hose.
5) Turn on the Water Pump.
6) Turn on the hot water tap in your sink until you see the dark pink antifreeze coming from it. When it does, turn off and do the same with the cold tap. Next, repeat the process with your tub faucet. Turn on the shower head until the pink antifreeze comes from it. Flush toilet until dark pink antifreeze flows from it. Finally, repeat the process for the outdoor shower.
7) Once the pink stuff is coming from all the taps you can turn off the Water Pump.
8) Now go outside to the City Water Connection. Open it up and remove the little filter inside of it to reveal a little push button. Push on it until you see the pink winterizer coming from it. Then put the filter back and close it.
9) Finally, open the low points until the pink liquid comes out, then close the low points.
10) Pour some winterizer down the sink and some through your tub drain.
11) And finally, turn on all your taps again – since the Water Pump is already off, nothing should come out of it. Your RV is now winterized.
Return to: RV Trailer Improvements