Faucets open?

[fastalkintn]

I have a quick dumb question for everyone. This is the first year I have winterized our TT myself. I got everything done and am feeling good about it Tonight for some reason I got to thinking that maybe I should leave the faucet open, what do you kind folks do?

[Flybob]

Always leave mine closed. Did you remember outside shower and sink sprayer if you have one.

[fastalkintn]

Originally Posted by Flybob

Always leave mine closed. Did you remember outside shower and sink sprayer if you have one.

Thanks for the quick response. I don’t have an outside shower and the kitchen sink is a faucet/sprayer combo. I have always had the dealer winterize for me but they went up to $175 this year and I’m just not willing to pay that. I guess I’m just nervous and overthinking it, just don’t want anything to happen to our baby lol

[Radio]

Yes don't forget the outside shower and the toilet. Run some antifreeze through them.

I leave my faucets open. If there is any moisture left in there (the faucet itself) this gives it a chance to evaporate. And if it does freeze, the open faucet gives it some room to expand without damaging anything.

[mwdilday]

Make sure you have anti-freeze in the p-traps on each sink and shower/tub. And you flushed the toilet. I leave faucets closed just because I don't think it matters and I close each one after I winterize it.

[fastalkintn]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

Make sure you have anti-freeze in the p-traps on each sink and shower/tub. And you flushed the toilet. I leave faucets closed just because I don't think it matters and I close each one after I winterize it.

This is what I have done, just wasn’t sure about the faucets. On one hand open would give room for expansion but on the other open might let the antifreeze drain out.

Thanks to everyone for the input.

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by fastalkintn

I have a quick dumb question for everyone. This is the first year I have winterized our TT myself. I got everything done and am feeling good about it Tonight for some reason I got to thinking that maybe I should leave the faucet open, what do you kind folks do?

I am assuming that you pumped RV anti-freeze in your lines? Did you disconnect your shower hose? it will freeze where it screws on and crack. When draining the water out, all faucets should be open. When done draining water, close all faucets. When pumping in the RV anti-freeze, open the farthest faucet. When RV anti freeze starts coming out... close it. Go to the next faucet, open and burp all air out until anti-freeze comes out. Do all faucets and leave closed. This will keep the anti-freeze in the faucets, but if you open them, the anti-freeze may 'bleed' down the hoses and out of the lines. Where will the anti-freeze go, you may ask? It will bleed to the toilet as the system is now 'open'. This may not do this in some systems, but it does in mine.

[DadOfTwo]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

//snip//Do all faucets and leave closed. This will keep the anti-freeze in the faucets, but if you open them, the anti-freeze may 'bleed' down the hoses and out of the lines. Where will the anti-freeze go, you may ask? It will bleed to the toilet as the system is now 'open'. This may not do this in some systems, but it does in mine.

I'm not sure I follow your logic here. The concern is that water will freeze, expand, and break something, right?

So any place in the system that the water won't drain out of, needs to have antifreeze in it.

If the antifreeze is 'bleeding' (I take this to mean slowly draining) it's evacuating an area, and there isn't going to be water there to freeze and expand. Right?

[Scrapper]

DadOfTwo, you are correct.

RV antifreeze does not expand, it turns to slush but will not get solid until -50 degrees.

[Mr. Dan]

I close mine.

[updhaul]

Local FR dealer holds free classes every fall for winterization sends notices of class to owners. Really well done by service and of course you may have them do it as well. One item missing I think is importance of clearing city water intake with compressed air or by filling water system from pump fed with pink from bottle and then open kitchen faucet (pump off) and then pressing intake valve on city intake. Water will drain out city intake, repeat process until pink drains from city intake I leave faucets open with water tank drain cap in sink with new water filter, anode rod for drained and by-passed hot water heater and faucet aerators that I remove before starting process.
I smelled lp gas after refilling lp tank and found a leak with soapy spray in rubber hose to regulator. Replaced hose and fitting, passed bubble test, closed valves, removed battery and cleaned up before putting it away for winter.