Winterzing Argument

[campnqueen]

Okay y'all.... need your thought. There is an ongoing argument in our house about winterizing our rv. Maybe you can help solve our debate.

Okay so we have this great little Graywolf 19RR and we live in North Georgia. We do need to winterize because of the cold weather.

We drain our holding tanks, fresh water tank, water heater and open the low point lines to drain the remaining water. We are okay on the part... hubby and I agree.

After we drain all the tanks and lines we attach a blow out plug to the city water in-take and blow out all the lines, faucets and toilet. All to the point where only air is coming out. Even run the water pump to make sure ALL the water is gone.

Here is where the argumenet comes in....

My hubby says that all we need to do is blow out the lines... all will be good.

I on the other hand think we need to pump RV antifreeze throught the lines and faucets, as well as add some to the holding tanks and sink p-traps. I may add we do use our camper during winter months and have to unwinterize and rewinterize each time we use our rv (about once a month).

So do we need to use rv antifreeze in the lines, faucets, p-traps and tanks or not?
Who do you think is right?

[Dave_Monica]

That's all I've ever done is use compressed air. Just have to make sure that you've got all including the outside shower. I add antifreeze to the P traps and the toilet to keep the seal wet and call it done.

You can go the extra step and pump antifreeze through all the waterlines, but I think that's overkill IMHO.

I don't think you'll be able to settle your argument here...

Dave

[campnqueen]

I like the idea of keeping the toilet seal wet.

[GlacierGus]

X2. For a Minnesoata winter you might want to add the AF (I do) but I do not think that would be necessary in Ga. You simply do not get that cold.

[SCOC]

When I winterize I add pink, then I don't have to worry at all....BUT...I wonder if there is anyone who has only blown out their lines, NO pink, and still had damage? Anyone? That should settle your argument. If someone has honestly blown out their lines well, and still had damage, then you win.

[Pipeman]

I always add AF to the water pump, to be on the safe side. This year I added AF via the water pump to all the water lines. That's after blowing them out with the compressor. I guess I was looking for something to do.

[TURBS]

first i remove water filter then install pepsi bottle in its place upside down.
Drain hw heater
Uncap low points. Then recap
I blow lines out
faucets
Toilet
Outside shower
Pump antifreeze through system
Pour additional a/f down p traps
Pour a/f over toilet seal.

Its what I do.

Turbs

[youroo]

Originally Posted by campnqueen

I like the idea of keeping the toilet seal wet.

One way you wonder,one way you dont! My wife gets MAD when I leave the toilet Seat wet! Youroo!!

[iluvlcy]

We also just blow our lines, but I add antifreeze to both sink traps, shower ( i know there is no trap but it make me feel better) and toilet seal but not in lines. We have only had our trailer 2 years but no problems so far and we camp all through the winter. Antifreeze is cheap so if it makes you feel better like it does me do it! We also have a small trailer so our water lines are not so long that it does't take much air to know they are clear of water.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by iluvlcy

We also just blow our lines, but I add antifreeze to both sink traps, shower ( i know there is no trap but it make me feel better) and toilet seal but not in lines. We have only had our trailer 2 years but no problems so far and we camp all through the winter. Antifreeze is cheap so if it makes you feel better like it does me do it! We also have a small trailer so our water lines are not so long that it does't take much air to know they are clear of water.

There is a trap in the shower. Youroo!!

[iluvlcy]

youroo Thank you so much I had no idea, I really thought the shower drained straight to the gray tank. Shows you what I know about plumbing, nothin!

[Len & Cheri]

Drain, blow, add pink stuff to drains/toilet bowl. Done!

[mduff]

We drained (low points), bypassed HW tank, added AF to water lines, traps, and in the toilet bowl to keep the seal wet. Pulled the AF using the water pump to ensure it has AF in it. My thinking is that AF is inexpensive (especially small TT), and residual water remaining wouldn't be a concern (with AF added), and if one method is good, two must be better.

[trudinator]

We live in cold, snowy, icy Wisconsin. We've never pumped AF through the lines. We blow everything out, put the pink stuff in the traps and the toilet, and call it a day. We've done this now for two winters and haven't had any issues.

[dwaynerz]

we live in just plain cold illinois, and i have never blown the lines out. i figure it takes about 3 gallons of antifreeze (i'm generous with it), and there isnt much left over water after draining from all that needs to be drained. the lines are full of anti freeze, and anything that goes into the holding tanks will be mostly antifreeze anyway. 5 yrs of doing it this way, and no problems yet.

of course, a couple coworkers like to blow the lines with air, but thats just one more step to take. i dont think either way is the right/wrong way.

[dretired]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

first i remove water filter then install pepsi bottle in its place upside down.
Drain hw heater
Uncap low points. Then recap
I blow lines out
faucets
Toilet
Outside shower
Pump antifreeze through system
Pour additional a/f down p traps
Pour a/f over toilet seal.

Its what I do.

Turbs

x2

[TURBS]

Darn this should have been a poll!


Turbs

[D-mo]

if you blow out your lines, your not getting the water out of the water filter thingy ..
even if you leave the water filter cup holder in ... or the water filter .. and you add antifreeze .. the water in the filter portion does not take in all the antifreeze ...
better to overkill than underkill ...

d-mo

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Darn this should have been a poll!


Turbs

NO

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by herk7769

NO