Winterization question

[David-and-Cheryl]

We just got a 2013 Landmark San Antonio...we'll be using it only occasionally for the next year or so.

Here's a newbie question on winterization: if you drain the fresh water system, including the hot water heater, and all the holding tanks, do you still need to put antifreeze into the system in the wintertime? If so, why? There is is little or no water there to freeze and break anything?

For what it's worth, we live in the Dallas area, so we don't get a lot of sub-freezing weather, but temps can sometimes get into the 20s for a while.

I know it's odd to be thinking about winterization when it's 95 degrees outside! Just thinking ahead. We are planning to take a 2-week trip at the end of December, so we probably wouldn't do it until after then unless the early winter is unusually cold.

Thanks!

 

[OEFVET]

Antifreeze will ensure any water still in the lines does not freeze. Water usually sits in lines at low points and elbows. The use of antifreeze just helps ensure no damage occurs.

 

[cookie]

Hello David-and-Cheryl. Great question even at 95°.
We do have a winterization guide located HERE. Very informative.
But to answer your question there are couple of things to think about.
First of all, for me, living in a cooler climate I do know that if there is little water to freeze it will cause damage.
Some people use compressed air to evacuate the water from the system and others use RV anti-freeze. I use anti-freeze.
Bottom line is you need to get all of the water out of the system.

Peace
Dave

 

[MikeR]

RV anti-freeze is an option, some use it others don't. I don't believe draining everything is sufficient though. The water lines should be blown out, with a hookup to your fresh water inlet. You can buy a fitting that screws into the freshwater inlet, with a connection on the other end for an air hose. Open all of your water taps and blow all of the water out. Draining the tanks and water heater is all that is necessary. I do put RVanti-freeze in all of my traps and the toilet bowl. You only have to do this if weather is getting down below freezing.

 

[jmgratz]

We are in East Texas around Lake Livingston. We also have a 2013 Landmark San Antonio. We camp year round have have stayed in the Texas Hill Country in 20 degree weather and use Yetti and tank heaters when in sub-freezing weather. If you store your RV you will probably want to go the full winterization with anti-freeze and all. If you have the RV at your house (we do) and it goes sub-freezing we set the furnace to about 50 and it seems to work. Do NOT use the tank heaters if the tanks are empty as you could burn a hole in the tanks. Keep in mind with the Yetti that keeps the water lines heated. The tank heaters keep the holding tanks from freezing and the furnace helps keep the underbelly and basement from freezing. We also leave the light on in the UDC and basement. Some people also use a trouble light with the light on in the basement to keep it from freezing. The key is how long and how low will the temp be below freezing and are you using the unit or not. If you are not using the unit then it takes more to keep things from freezing. Also if we are using the unit in sub-freezing temps we use the fresh water tank and not the city water connection unless we have put foam pipe insulation on the water hose. If the temps are only getting to 30 for an hour or so we really dont worry about it too much.

 

[JohnDar]

I blow out the lines with air and then add antifreeze when winterizing. If you have a washer/dryer, you will need to pump antifreeze via the water pump in order to properly winterize it. The machine needs to be operated while the antifreeze is flowing. I drain the water heater and leave the anode rod loosely in the hole when done, but not screwed in. I do not add antifreeze to the water heater or fresh water tank. The last thing I do is pour antifreeze into the sink drains and toilet bowl.

When dewinterizing it, I first drain via the low points, then close them and use air to clear the rest via the faucets into the holding tanks. Then run fresh water, with some added chlorine, through the lines via the pump. Once at our site, I do an extended flush with the city water hook up. I sanitize the fresh water tank and keep some water in it for use during any power failures (for flushing the toilet).

This past winter, we experienced sustained periods of sub-zero temperatures, so taking shortcuts to save minutes or pennies is not something I want to do since our rig sits in an outdoor storage lot over the winter.

 

[danemayer]

Draining the water will invite freeze damage to the toilet valve, refrigerator water feed line and solenoids, and possibly faucets. As mentioned, draining water will not help with the washer if you have one. It also may not evacuate all the water from the washer water feed lines, depending on how they're run. P-traps are likely to freeze as well. The water pump also retains some water and you could have freeze damage to both the pump internal mechanism and the filter bowl. The 4-way Anderson valve may not drain completely either, depending on what position it's in.

As Cookie mentioned, we have a Winterizing Guide that will step you through the winterizing process.

If you have a Residential Refrigerator, that adds additional issues, so take a look at the Residential Refrigerator Guide.

 

[David-and-Cheryl]

Thanks everyone for your help. Hopefully the winterization process isn't as hard as it sounds! It sounds like the compressed air method is somewhat easier than using anti-freeze, though.

 

[sengli]

I actually do both the anti freeze routine, then blow out the water lines. At 20 degrees or less RV antifreeze does freeze solid. Be careful to not use to much air pressure if you blow out the lines. I read somewhere that 20 PSI is all the air pressure needed to blow out the lines. Here is a picture of the pure RV antifreeze that is frozen.