Blow-out Winterizing

[ColoradoRick]

For the first time, I'm going to try the blow-out method of winterizing this year. I bought a 3-gallon oilless compressor at Harbor Freight and a female input air adoptor that I'll use both on the water heater and city water inlet valves. (I do, still, have to pick up a ball tire inflator with a clip so it's not a 2-man job.)

This is the plan:

-Drain water heater, fresh water tank, and the two hot/cold drains. Reseal everything except water heater.
-Connect compressor (set to 40 PSI) to water heater drain and blow out outside shower, kitchen and bathroom faucets, inside shower, and toilet.
-Disconnect and seal water heater (turn valves so it's in bypass mode) and connect to fresh water input and blow out everything, again.
-Turn on water pump and run a faucet until it's dry.
-Redrain water heater, fresh water tank, and two low point drains.
-Pour pink antifreeze into all drains.
-After parking in the RV lot, redrain it all and pour a few inches of red stuff into the toilet. (I usually leave the drain inside the water heater but it's lose and I'll losen/tighten it when I visit in the winter to prevent rust taking over....I'll probably put in a new one in the spring as it's getting worn.)

Did I miss anything? (I also put covers on my tires and AC and have covers that go over my big awning and the slide out awning.)

[youroo]

Dont Blow out your system thru the W/H drain port,you are going to move a LOT of Crud into the lines! Youroo!!

[Islander]

A word of Caution....
Just be sure there is NO Pressure applied "before" you remove the Hot Water Tank Anode or drain plug. >it will shoot out-a-there like a rocket< if there is any pressure.
Relive any pressure by opening a hot water faucet valve first to be safe.


hope this helps

[ColoradoRick]

Originally Posted by youroo

Dont Blow out your system thru the W/H drain port,you are going to move a LOT of Crud into the lines! Youroo!!

Oh I didn't think of that....so just blowing via the fresh water input is sufficient?

I'm worried about water getting left in the water heater cutoff pipes so will open/close each one with the water heater drain open to ensure they are dry.

[ColoradoRick]

Originally Posted by Islander

A word of Caution....
Just be sure there is NO Pressure applied "before" you remove the Hot Water Tank Anode or drain plug. >it will shoot out-a-there like a rocket< if there is any pressure.
Relive any pressure by opening a hot water faucet valve first to be safe.


hope this helps

Good point...I've drained the water heater while it was, still, pressurized and got baptized more than once!

[youroo]

Originally Posted by ColoradoRick

Oh I didn't think of that....so just blowing via the fresh water input is sufficient?

I'm worried about water getting left in the water heater cutoff pipes so will open/close each one with the water heater drain open to ensure they are dry.

I didnt say that blowing thru the City water input was sufficient,I do know that going thru the proper procedure of draining THEN pumping RV Antifreeze in the system will protect a RV from freezing,I doubt that just blowing the system has a 100% Guarantee! Run a Search at the Top,days of reading! Youroo!!

[ColoradoRick]

Yes, I will suck the red stuff in as the last step before heading out to park her. It got -20 below here last winter.

[5picker]

Rick,

As youroo said, don't blow back through the water heater drain. That's asking for trouble. Connecting your air pressure to the city inlet is all you need.

As for your concern about the WH inlet/outlet lines... I always blow a small amount of air through the lines BEFORE I bypass (but after removing the tank drain) to take care of any small residual amount of water that could possibly be in the short lines to the tank. It's probably not likely much would be in there (and some plumbing configurations allow for gravity to empty them) but if it gives peace of mind, it really only takes a second of time before turning the bypass valves.

[ColoradoRick]

Thanks, I got her done today as we have 30's at night rapidly approaching.

I did make a mod, though. Last year, the red stuff just wouldn't suck through the outlet on the trailer and it was doing it, again. So I got my pipe cutter and cut the hose near the water pump then attached about 2 feet of clear hose to that and it worked like a champ...used just less than 2 gallons.

When driving out of the RV lot, I noticed about half of them had their stabilizers down...do y'all put yours down and why? (One even had his x-chalks on it, strange)

[Canadiancrew]

Originally Posted by Islander

A word of Caution....
Just be sure there is NO Pressure applied "before" you remove the Hot Water Tank Anode or drain plug. >it will shoot out-a-there like a rocket< if there is any pressure.
Relive any pressure by opening a hot water faucet valve first to be safe.


hope this helps

I made that mistake ONCE. Luckily no injuries but it left me soaking wet and covered in white crud.

[purduepete97]

If you are concerned about or maybe don't trust (or maybe prone to forget to adjust) the air regulator on your compressor, install your water pressure regulator between the blow-out adapter and city water inlet. It will keep you at a safe pressure for the plumbing system.

[MikeInRaleigh]

I'd be interested to know how this worked out. I have the 3 gallon HF compressor, but I would not have thought it would have enough CFM for this application. I also have a 6 gallon Craftsman that I use for blow out. I've used this method for 3 years, with no freezing problems, but this isn't Canada.

[strat56]

I blew mine out this year and am not using the AF in the water supply lines. The way I understand it, damage to the lines can only occur if the lines/check valves are filled with water and with the expansion of the water freezing. I blew mine out until there no or almost no sputtering at all the faucets, showers and the toilet. It seems to me that after doing this, the AF isn't needed. Am I missing something?

I've read several posts where the lines are blown out and then the AF is put in after the fact. This seems redundant to me. The AF would replace the water in the lines when it was pumped in wouldn't it?

[doc73]

Yes and no. AF should not be deluted. So I, if using AF, would blow out the lines then use the AF. This way there is nothing but pure AF in the lines.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[B and B]

Originally Posted by youroo

I didnt say that blowing thru the City water input was sufficient,I do know that going thru the proper procedure of draining THEN pumping RV Antifreeze in the system will protect a RV from freezing,I doubt that just blowing the system has a 100% Guarantee! Run a Search at the Top,days of reading! Youroo!!

I just have the pump on and press the check valve. The spray of red stuff indicates we are a-ok.

[B and B]

As far as the water heater valves once the system is winterized I open the HW bypass and let come antifreeze clear the valve of water.

Make sure if you have a toilet spray that gets winterized same as the outside shower.

[5 hole]

Originally Posted by MikeInRaleigh

I'd be interested to know how this worked out. I have the 3 gallon HF compressor, but I would not have thought it would have enough CFM for this application. I also have a 6 gallon Craftsman that I use for blow out. I've used this method for 3 years, with no freezing problems, but this isn't Canada.

I AM in Canada and have done this for 10 yrs, no issues.

[strat56]

Originally Posted by doc73

Yes and no. AF should not be deluted. So I, if using AF, would blow out the lines then use the AF. This way there is nothing but pure AF in the lines.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

If the lines are free of water, what is in there that will freeze and cause the lines to be damaged?

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by strat56

If the lines are free of water, what is in there that will freeze and cause the lines to be damaged?

AF is a redundancy. But for the minuscule amount of time, effort and money it takes to do it, I figure why not?

[doc73]

Originally Posted by strat56

If the lines are free of water, what is in there that will freeze and cause the lines to be damaged?

The fact is that there may still be water in the lines... The AF will not just push out all the water. It will most likely just blend with it. Could be 55% AF and be fine or 55% water and freeze.. Or it may be 90% AF and no worries... I have no idea HOW pure it NEEDS to be to work... I just know they say no diluting. It is your gamble. I would take the ten extra minutes and just blow it all out.