Do I really need RV Antifreeze?

prof_fate · 10-10-2011, 02:10 PM

Just got done draining my camper's water lines and it occurred to me that what if I just left the low point, water heater and fresh water tank, and faucets, open?
No water in the system, nothing to freeze, right?

I read that I can use windshield washer fluid in the drains, gray and black tanks ($1-2/gallon vs $4-6 on rv a/f).

When you winterize a house all you do is drain the lines and leave the faucets open and put some a/f in the traps to keep sewer gas out (since plain water will evaporate).

Am I missing something obvious?

cfsoistman · 10-10-2011, 02:20 PM

I open all the lines one at a time and use an air compressor set at 40 PSI and just blow the lines out. I start at the closest to the city water connection and work my way to the back. Don't forget your toilets, outdoor shower and if you have a washer hook up to open it as well. I do use anti-freeze in the drains and pour some in the toilets to keep the seals from drying out, but 1-gallon does it all. Remember to take the strainer off prior to your water pump and dump it. I forgot once and well you know the rest!

realebill · 10-10-2011, 02:21 PM

basically what i do. drain the water lines at the low point drains...blow the lines out with air compressor and put a/f in the traps. 4th year now with this system and no problems yet ! use rv a/f......hadn't thought about auto w/s antifreeze.
don't forget to drain water heater .

Triguy · 10-10-2011, 02:30 PM

Not saying your method won't work, but why not just go the normal routes and blow out the lines or use antifreeze? It seems like an unnecessary risk to do otherwise.

As far as antifreeze vs windshield fluid, it takes about one gallon of antifreeze for most trailers. Is it really worth saving $3-4 a year to use windshield washer fluid?

**KyDan** · 10-10-2011, 02:36 PM

Be Careful!!!
I know some folks use windshield AF in the drains.
DO NOT USE WINDSHIELD ANTIFREEZE IN WATER LINES.
IT's POISON.
I also think the alcohol could evaporate and leave your
drain exposed to freezing.

You're talking about saving a lousy 2 bucks.
Why risk it?

I'm a cheap-skate but I use RV antifreeze.

j2detroit · 10-10-2011, 06:01 PM

i to blow all my lines for about a half hour i then dump some anti freeze down each drain woks great

prof_fate · 10-10-2011, 08:28 PM

I pulled all the drain plugs (tank, low point hot and cold, water heater) and let things drain. Added 3/4 of a gallon of RV A/F to the fresh tank and closed up the drains, bypassed the water heater, ran the pump until I got pink out of every faucet, put a big more A/F in the drains and pulled the drain plugs again and got only a trickle anyplace.

I got a lot of clear water out of the hot side at the faucet- apparently that line (from tank to faucets) doesn't drain well on my camper.

teamgl · 10-10-2011, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2detroit

i to blow all my lines for about a half hour i then dump some anti freeze down each drain woks great

and drain the fresh H2O tank and pull some antifreeze into the water pump by removing the fresh water line to the tank and adding a line to the RV antifreeze. Empty the factory water filter before blowing out the lines and after sucking in the pink antifreeze. No pink stuff in the water lines required (except the pump). starting up the water system in the spring is a breeze.

It's a fairly easy process and I hope to repeat it again when we use the camper again over Thanksgiving!

Dodge Guy · 10-10-2011, 09:27 PM

Does everyone really believe that there is no low spot in the lines where water will collect/freeze and break open the lines. I`m not taking any chances. I use RV antifreeze and the cost is about $12 to do my trailer, worth every penny!

**Terier** · 10-10-2011, 11:37 PM

This will take guts to say but I learned something new tonight while reading the replies:

1) I didn't know there were special AF for auto's windshelds
2) I didn't know about using AF in the home either

Both make sense after thinking about it so there's some hope left anyway...

Oakman · 10-11-2011, 04:14 AM

How much did you pay for your trailer? Now you want to go cheap and save 12 to 16 bucks a year by not putting RV antifreeze in your water lines. Proper winterizing is cheap insurance against a potentially expensive repair.

acadianbob · 10-11-2011, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dodge Guy

Does everyone really believe that there is no low spot in the lines where water will collect/freeze and break open the lines. I`m not taking any chances. I use RV antifreeze and the cost is about $12 to do my trailer, worth every penny!

I'm totally in your camp on this one. My RV dealer said that just a few drops of water in a pump will ruin it. I don't trust air flushing to be that thorough. With fluid, I know that this is not going to happen. And ALL of my traps are automatically taken care of. You just have to remember to take the water filter out before starting the process.

TURBS · 10-11-2011, 06:47 AM

I do both!
peace of mind

ken0042 · 10-11-2011, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terier

This will take guts to say but I learned something new tonight while reading the replies:

1) I didn't know there were special AF for auto's windshelds
2) I didn't know about using AF in the home either

Both make sense after thinking about it so there's some hope left anyway...

I wouldn't expect somebody who lives in southern California to know. That's one of the perks of living where you do; never having to worry about stuff freezing.

It is important to note that where you live in North America plays a huge part. If you live somewhere that may dip below freezing one or two nights per year; you may be OK with just blowing out your lines. If you live somewhere that it will get below freezing and stay below freezing for days (or weeks/months) on end; then you should use antifreeze.

Comparing an RV to a house isn't fair, because with a house that needs to be winterized there is enough difference in height to allow the water to run downhill to escape. I have yet to see a trailer with a basement.

That being said, my brother in law used to use plumbing anti-freeze in his cabin to winterize it. Once again; just to be safe.

If you really want to save a few bucks, winterize now and then stock up when it goes on sale. I grabbed 4 gallons for $10 during an off-peak sale. Even though I think I used way more than I needed to this fall; that stock will last me two more years.

Dodge Guy · 10-11-2011, 09:27 PM

Menards has it for a $1.59 a gal. after a $1.50 rebate. I missed the rebate last year. definitely getting it this year. I may buy enough for next year too!

prof_fate · 10-11-2011, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terier

This will take guts to say but I learned something new tonight while reading the replies:

1) I didn't know there were special AF for auto's windshelds
2) I didn't know about using AF in the home either

Both make sense after thinking about it so there's some hope left anyway...

Ahh, you live in a warm place, huh?

Here in the northeast it gets well below freezing for a couple of months, often 0F for a week at a time and then it warms to say, 40F. This freezing and thawing causes roads to fall apart among other things.

I've known many a person to have their furnace fail, house gets cold, water in the pipes freeze and expand breaking the pipe then you get a sunny day, things warm up and the water melts and then flows uncontrollably...
This happens on when your on vacation sometimes and you come home to a nightmare, or to houses up for sale, or to pipes run on outside walls when you get a really cold snap (normal cold here is maybe 10F, but we've had it go to -22F now and again).

I've seen on home remodeling shows in southern climes water heaters in garages, pipes run on outsides of houses or in crawlspaces under them -things that are unthinkable here.

You may also like: