Don’t Let Winter Be A Drain On Rv

It’s no secret that most recreational vehicles come off the road for the season after the Labor Day weekend each year. But what remains a mystery to many is how to properly winterize their RV.

“Properly winterizing the water system is by far the most important part of the whole process,” says Tim Chamberlain, owner of Moscow (Idaho) RV Center.

Chamberlain and many RV dealers offer winterization services. Moscow RV charges $40 for basic winterization service and $50 to de-winterize the RV the following spring. Chamberlain agreed to provide an outline of the process when I visited his shop a couple of weeks ago.

“First off, an RV owner has to locate the water supply drains and drain the system,” he said. “Drain valves are always located on the outside of the RV and can also be found in the owner’s literature.”

Chamberlain emphasized draining the main water tank, the water lines, and - especially - the hot water heater.

“The hot water heater is the most commonly forgotten part of the system. Forget to drain it and it will cost from $350 to $600 to replace next spring” if the contents freeze.

Next, the owner will want to install a non-toxic antifreeze in the system, he said. Not to be confused with auto antifreeze, RV antifreeze is pink.

RV antifreeze costs about $6 a gallon but according to Chamberlain, costs are going up this winter. One gallon will be enough for most systems equipped with a bypass valve for the water heater. Without spending $23 for a bypass valve and $20 for installation, RVers will need seven gallons or more.

“It’s easy to see, the cost of a bypass can be recovered in just one year,” Chamberlain said. “And with a bypass, owners needn’t worry as much about getting that antifreeze taste out of the system.”

OK, so the system is drained and you’ve got the antifreeze in hand. Now what? Chamberlain said how you put the antifreeze in is as important, too. He recommends finding the water pump and disconnecting the line from the tank that feeds the pump. Then simply put the line in the antifreeze jug and pump it through the system.

“This way a person winterizes their pump, too. Forget it and that’ll cost $80 for a new one. They should open the taps and get pink color from the antifreeze on both the hot and cold sides.”

Chamberlain, who has more than 13 years of RV service experience, also recommends flushing the toilets one last time and pouring a little antifreeze directly into the sink drain traps.

“The last thing we winterize in the water system is the waste holding tanks,” he said. “Drain them as you normally would and add a couple of cups of antifreeze to them. Since they are waste tanks, regular auto antifreeze can be used.”

Chamberlain recalls the occasional bewildered customer who comes in with a broken water system even though his company had winterized and guaranteed it.

“People will forget their RV is winterized and take it out again sometime in the fall,” he said. “They put water back in the system and then it freezes and bursts. When I point it out, they are embarrassed and say, ‘Oh yeah, we did take it out again.’ “

As for propane, it only needs to be turned off at the tank for the season. All batteries should be pulled out and placed in storage indoors for the winter.

In his personal RV, Chamberlain said he checks the cupboards and storage areas for anything that might freeze and break, leaving a mess to clean up later.

“Always make sure the refrigerator is empty, too.” he said.

Finally, once a rig is ready for an Inland Northwest winter, storage options are a consideration. Obviously, indoor storage would be best but such space is hard to find and can start at $70 per month.

Outside storage costs about half as much, but means RV owners should ensure their roof is checked and sealed. Most RV service centers charge about $60 for the service depending on the size of the vehicle.

Plastic tarps offer good protection for a roof but Chamberlain cautions that they must be secured properly.

“A loose tarp flapping in the wind will damage the skin and take off paint like nothing else,” he said.