Do we Winterize Travel Trailer in south-central Texas

[TexasBear]

We are new to travel trailers... We just got our Wolf Pup last month and went on 2 trips. We live in south-central Texas. Outside of the rare winter storm of 2021, we do not have lots of snow and ice. Do we still have to winterize our travel trailer? We want to get out to another State Park as soon as we have a nice weekend. Are there different levels of winterization of travel trailers?

Thank you for all tips and advice.

[Chris Pastuzyn]

Depending on how cold it gets and how long it stays below freezing ? You can just blow out all of the lines with a air compressor.

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by TexasBear

Thank you for all tips and advice.

That depends entirely upon what the temperatures are forecasted and how much you trust the forecast. Here in western Oregon this is what I do:

1. Drain freshwater tank.
2. Open low point drains. Run water pump "dry" for several minutes.
3. Connect source of 40-50# air to city water connection.
4. Close low point drains. Open all faucets one at a time. Include showers inside/outside and toilet flush valve. Get good solid dry air from each faucet.
5. Open point drains periodically during the process, get good air from low point drains.
6. When there is good, solid dry air from everything, disconnect air. I close all faucets.
6a. Connect air at lower pressure and blow out blank tank flush line.
7. Remove anode rod from water heater, drain it.
8. Open low point drains one more time, and run water pump dry for a few minutes again.
9. Close everything up, including re-install water heater anode rod. Pour antifreeze down all drains and into black tank through toilet, as well as letting a puddle of antifreeze sit in toilet bowl.

When I am ready to reuse plumbing again, all I have to do is connect water. Make sure to fill water heater before turning on propane or electricity to it.

I very seldom get hard freezing weather here and I am not worried about a few drops of water in the system freezing and breaking anything.

[barnbnb]

Originally Posted by TexasBear

We are new to travel trailers... Do we still have to winterize our travel trailer? Are there different levels of winterization of travel trailers?

Here's how to know if you need to winterize: Put a bucket of water outside. If it freezes, your campers' plumbing will be roached. Of course, that's a lagging indicator!
There are different METHODS of winterizing. One involves using air to blow out the lines, the other uses RV antifreeze. Both involve draining and bypassing the water heater, opening low point drains and purging water from each water supply line. I use antifreeze. Just my personal preference. I need antifreeze for the traps, anyway. Takes me at most 15 minutes to winterize. I De-winterize in 5 minutes. Easy peasy.
If you experience a short cold snap, you might get by with just leaving the furnace and water heater on, but a short amount of time and a few bucks for antifreeze will give you peace of mind when the temps drop.

[Cajunrver]

Last year they had a hard freeze in South Texas for days. Just saying.

[medalguy]

We just returned from a trip from Albuquerque to Houston for Christmas. We were winterized before leaving and when we got to Houston it was 80 degrees so we drained the antifreeze and sanitized. Upon leaving Houston last week it was single digits in the panhandle so we winterized BEFORE leaving Houston and flushed the toilet en route with antifreeze and used bottled water for drinking and cooking. You can go without using the fresh water tank for a couple of days if necessary.

[TexasBob]

I live in Harris County Texas (Houston) I winterize every year. We had a warm December, so I didn't winterize until January 1st. I'm leaving for West Texas later in the week. I expect night temperatures to be near or just below freezing. My trailer does well in those temperatures when we have power and propane. We will be home by the end of January and will winterize our trailer again. It takes my wife and I about 20 to 30 minutes and almost 2 gallons of RV antifreeze. It's very cheap insurance. I may winterize three times this winter. (I don't buy expensive RV antifreeze.)

[Pred]

Originally Posted by Cajunrver

Last year they had a hard freeze in South Texas for days. Just saying.

Knowing what was coming our way I drained our fresh water tank, took the anode out of our water heater and let it drain, and finally with faucets and shower valves open, I removed the low point drain plugs and left them open.
Fortunately we had no issues with the freezing temps as far as our 21DS MicroLite was concerned. Don't go thru all of that if you don't need to; but, do pay attention to your weather and what may be coming your way. Prepare accordingly.

[edsana]

I live in the San Antonio area and own a RPOD. Yes, you should winterize your camper trailer. On a trip several years ago, I had to pay a mobile RV repair guy $150 bucks to replace a toilet valve because I didn't winterize while it was sitting through a San Antonio winter.

[Walholler]

Winterize the travel trailer, not difficult to do. If you want to use the trailer during the winter, you can always winterize again. Frozen and burst pipes are a headache and can get expensive.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

That depends entirely upon what the temperatures are forecasted and how much you trust the forecast. Here in western Oregon this is what I do:

1. Drain freshwater tank.
2. Open low point drains. Run water pump "dry" for several minutes.
3. Connect source of 40-50# air to city water connection.
4. Close low point drains. Open all faucets one at a time. Include showers inside/outside and toilet flush valve. Get good solid dry air from each faucet.
5. Open point drains periodically during the process, get good air from low point drains.
6. When there is good, solid dry air from everything, disconnect air. I close all faucets.
6a. Connect air at lower pressure and blow out blank tank flush line.
7. Remove anode rod from water heater, drain it.
8. Open low point drains one more time, and run water pump dry for a few minutes again.
9. Close everything up, including re-install water heater anode rod. Pour antifreeze down all drains and into black tank through toilet, as well as letting a puddle of antifreeze sit in toilet bowl.

When I am ready to reuse plumbing again, all I have to do is connect water. Make sure to fill water heater before turning on propane or electricity to it.

I very seldom get hard freezing weather here and I am not worried about a few drops of water in the system freezing and breaking anything.

Umm, Commander, you forgot the very first step. I'll call it Step 0.
0. Bypass and drain the water heater.

[Reverse_snowbird]

From your profile, you live east of Austin, TX. We live near Houston.
Unless your forecast is for a 'hard freeze', blowing out the lines is probably all you need to do. We used to blow out the lines and leave the water faucets open just in case there was a bit of water left in there.
That being said, make certain you know where all the drain points are located, buy the rv antifreeze and wait until a freeze is forecast and then winterize. We've gone entire winters and never had to winterize.
Once you winterize, you can still go camping if you use bottled water.

[clintbonnie73]

You might check out this website for average temps thru the year any state... just plug in Texas... ( and nearby city)
https://www.usclimatedata.com/climat...tates/usnm0292

[ppine]

I don't know, do you ?
You should.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

That depends entirely upon what the temperatures are forecasted and how much you trust the forecast. Here in western Oregon this is what I do:

1. Drain freshwater tank.
2. Open low point drains. Run water pump "dry" for several minutes.
3. Connect source of 40-50# air to city water connection.
4. Close low point drains. Open all faucets one at a time. Include showers inside/outside and toilet flush valve. Get good solid dry air from each faucet.
5. Open point drains periodically during the process, get good air from low point drains.
6. When there is good, solid dry air from everything, disconnect air. I close all faucets.
6a. Connect air at lower pressure and blow out blank tank flush line.
7. Remove anode rod from water heater, drain it.
8. Open low point drains one more time, and run water pump dry for a few minutes again.
9. Close everything up, including re-install water heater anode rod. Pour antifreeze down all drains and into black tank through toilet, as well as letting a puddle of antifreeze sit in toilet bowl.

When I am ready to reuse plumbing again, all I have to do is connect water. Make sure to fill water heater before turning on propane or electricity to it.

I very seldom get hard freezing weather here and I am not worried about a few drops of water in the system freezing and breaking anything.

X2. If you get freak weather, you'll regret not being winterized. Other than the few minutes you invest in blowing out the lines, you won't ever regret being winterized.

[Johnnydog]

Like several said, only takes a few minutes and a few bucks for antifreeze. Not much to regret if it does not freeze but a lot to regret if it does. P.S. Don't forget your outside shower. Don't ask me how I know

[Kimmytheone]

Hi, We too are new to the RV world. In fact we are sitting in a heated shop at a friend's right now here in south east Iowa. We just bought our 2017 FR Sandpiper & it was winterized when we picked it up. We are planning a trip to Marshall Texas as soon as my husband is released to travel following his triple bypass heart surgery. I'm very appreciative of everyone's replies here because I know now not to de-winterize while we are down in Northern Texas for 5 or 6 weeks.

In regards to everyone's replies on your question. I'm pretty sure I would winterize just to be safe & there will be no worries. I'm thinking it would definitely be worth the time & money. Good Luck & have fun on your journies ahead.

[Desert Boat]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Umm, Commander, you forgot the very first step. I'll call it Step 0.
0. Bypass and drain the water heater.

Not really necessary for air blow out with tank version water heaters and step 7 to drain the remaining water in the heater.

Bypassing a tanked heater will save 6 gallons of antifreeze, but doesn't impact blow out.

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Umm, Commander, you forgot the very first step. I'll call it Step 0.
0. Bypass and drain the water heater.

Desert Boat beat me to it. I did not forget the first step. I don't bypass the water heater because I do not fill the plumbing system with antifreeze, so there is no need to bypass it. Yes, it should be bypassed and drained if you are going to pump antifreeze into the plumbing system. Simply blowing out with air is sufficient protection where I live in western Oregon. Antifreeze down the drains only because I don't feel like blowing the water out of traps with air.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

Desert Boat beat me to it. I did not forget the first step. I don't bypass the water heater because I do not fill the plumbing system with antifreeze, so there is no need to bypass it. Yes, it should be bypassed and drained if you are going to pump antifreeze into the plumbing system. Simply blowing out with air is sufficient protection where I live in western Oregon. Antifreeze down the drains only because I don't feel like blowing the water out of traps with air.

Even with only blowing with air, it's a good idea to drain the water heater through the anode hole first. There can be crud in your water heater that you don't want getting pulled into your water lines via the low point drains.