Winterize & Dewinterize

[rvtime]

Hello! My family recently purchase our very first RV but we are completely new to RVing. We are hoping to do some weekend winter camping at nearby ski resorts in PA. Based on our reading, we know we can add insulation on the pipes, use heat tape and etc to keep the pipes from freezing while camping. We also know that we are suppose to winterize the RV when it's not in use.

Our question is do we have to dewinterize and rewinterize everytime we use it? We plan to use it during the weekend but it will sit on our driveway during the week. We live in Maryland and currently the temperature is in the twenties to thirties with next week being very cold, lows in the teens and highs in the twenties. Are there ways we can keep the pipes from freezing without having to winterize and dewinterize every few days? Thank you!

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by rvtime

Hello! My family recently purchase our very first RV but we are completely new to RVing. We are hoping to do some weekend winter camping at nearby ski resorts in PA. Based on our reading, we know we can add insulation on the pipes, use heat tape and etc to keep the pipes from freezing while camping. We also know that we are suppose to winterize the RV when it's not in use.

Our question is do we have to dewinterize and rewinterize everytime we use it? We plan to use it during the weekend but it will sit on our driveway during the week. We live in Maryland and currently the temperature is in the twenties to thirties with next week being very cold, lows in the teens and highs in the twenties. Are there ways we can keep the pipes from freezing without having to winterize and dewinterize every few days? Thank you!

Unless you can park your rig inside a heated building, you best winterize every time between outings. The temperatures you quote are cold enough to cause serious pipe damage. There’s a lot of unprotected pieces in a RV plumbing system, and not all the places that could freeze are accessible.

The alternative is to NOT use the plumbing system at all.
Just sayin’.

[Flybob]

You do not list a model so it is hard to give you a more exact answer. If I were you I would winterize/dewinterize each time or I would do as others do and winterize and not use the water system but use bottled water. It is very hard to keep everything warm to prevent freezing especially if you are driving to a ski resort. Things like black tank dump and outside shower are very hard to keep warm. In addition, you are likely to need additional power sources to survive a weekend at a ski slope with a standard ( as delivered) TT.

[BehindBars]

Originally Posted by Flybob

You do not list a model so it is hard to give you a more exact answer. If I were you I would winterize/dewinterize each time or I would do as others do and winterize and not use the water system but use bottled water. It is very hard to keep everything warm to prevent freezing especially if you are driving to a ski resort. Things like black tank dump and outside shower are very hard to keep warm. In addition, you are likely to need additional power sources to survive a weekend at a ski slope with a standard ( as delivered) TT.

We don’t know the model, but since it’s posted in the Ford Transit Chassis motorhome section, we might take a guess that it’s not a TT.

[5picker]

Welcome to the forum, I see it is your 1st post.

Without knowing more of what you plan to do at these ski resorts (stay in your R/V overnight in the parking lot?) we really can't say but I live near most of the major ski resorts in Western PA and the weather simply isn't conducive to using an unprotected R/V here.

By unprotected I mean no winterizing of the plumbing and not having adding skirting around the R/V for protection from the cold, along with, needing additional sources of propane and heat. Last night was 8º and blowing like crazy. Simply driving a motorhome or pulling a TT/5th wheel into the lot of a ski resort without extensive ways to keep it warm is asking for trouble.

And especially sitting in your driveway... you better have that thing winterized completely or you'll likely have issues on your hands.

[rvtime]

Thank you all for your advice. This is my very first post. Looking forward to learn more and post more. =)

We purchased a 2020 Winnebago Outlook 25J Class C motorhome. For the ski resorts that allows it, we are hoping to camp out overnight on their parking lot.
For the ones that don't, we plan to park at nearby camp sites. It does appear that the coming weeks might be way too cold since the temperature drops in the single digits, we'll wait until it's warmer to dewinterize.

If we juse use the RV without dewinterize, can we still use the toilet? Also, do we need to take any caution about running the engine in really cold temps? Do you all use a block heater in the winter when you use your RV? Thank you.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by rvtime

It does appear that the coming weeks might be way too cold since the temperature drops in the single digits, we'll wait until it's warmer to dewinterize.

If we juse use the RV without dewinterize, can we still use the toilet? Also, do we need to take any caution about running the engine in really cold temps? Do you all use a block heater in the winter when you use your RV? Thank you.

Yes. You can use the toilet by flushing with bottled water as long as you have rv antifreeze in the tank. Your main concern is the pipes in the walls of the rig. You can heat the water coming into the rig, but when it cools down and freezes, you've got burst pipes. So keep it winterized with rv antifreeze.
You need to use the same caution in running the rv engine as you would with a regular truck. If it's cold enough for a block heater, there's no reason you couldn't use one.
Do you have a working generator in the rig?

[rvtime]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

Yes. You can use the toilet by flushing with bottled water as long as you have rv antifreeze in the tank. Your main concern is the pipes in the walls of the rig. You can heat the water coming into the rig, but when it cools down and freezes, you've got burst pipes. So keep it winterized with rv antifreeze.
You need to use the same caution in running the rv engine as you would with a regular truck. If it's cold enough for a block heater, there's no reason you couldn't use one.
Do you have a working generator in the rig?

Thank you. Yes, we do have a working generator.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by rvtime

Thank you. Yes, we do have a working generator.

You're probably going to need to use that generator to recharge the house batteries if you use the propane heater. The fans eat up house battery power.

You don't need the generator on all the time, but some people will keep it on all night to run the coach. The same precautions as running a car in snow country apply to rigs and generators. Make certain you've got room for the fumes to dissipate. Running the propane for heat can get expensive.

The specs say that generator runs on gas, so keep the rig's tank full. When the level of the gas in the rig gets low (1/8-1/4?) in the tank, the generator will shut off. That's so you can drive to a gas station.

[boondocking]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

Yes. You can use the toilet by flushing with bottled water as long as you have rv antifreeze in the tank.

One gallon of RV antifreeze would become too diluted after one flush.
Using salt (1 cup salt per gallon of water) will stop water freezing to approx 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

[dedobias]

8 F is a lot lower than 20 F.

[boondocking]

Originally Posted by dedobias

8 F is a lot lower than 20 F.

Quote from OP first post.
.....next week being very cold, lows in the teens and highs in the twenties.

[rvtime]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

You're probably going to need to use that generator to recharge the house batteries if you use the propane heater. The fans eat up house battery power.

You don't need the generator on all the time, but some people will keep it on all night to run the coach. The same precautions as running a car in snow country apply to rigs and generators. Make certain you've got room for the fumes to dissipate. Running the propane for heat can get expensive.

The specs say that generator runs on gas, so keep the rig's tank full. When the level of the gas in the rig gets low (1/8-1/4?) in the tank, the generator will shut off. That's so you can drive to a gas station.

I will. Thanks for all the good info!!!!

[rvtime]

Originally Posted by boondocking

Quote from OP first post.
.....next week being very cold, lows in the teens and highs in the twenties.

Yeah next week is way too cold. We'll wait until overnight gets a bit warmer. Thank you!

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by boondocking

One gallon of RV antifreeze would become too diluted after one flush.
Using salt (1 cup salt per gallon of water) will stop water freezing to approx 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

I haven't heard of that solution, but it would be a good solution. Some people flush with antifreeze. Rv antifreeze is pretty cheap.