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Last Updated on October 7, 2024 by Paul Clayton
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When to Winterize an RV: Preparing For The Colder Months
Winterizing is essential for campers who love to take their RVs for camping instead of tents. RV, also known as Recreational Vehicle, is used by campers during seasons like spring and fall.
Key Takeaways:
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- Timing: RVs should be fully winterized before the first frost, typically around October to November, depending on your location.
- Essential Steps: Winterizing involves cleaning, preventing pest infestations, draining water systems, and using RV-specific antifreeze.
- Importance: Failing to winterize can lead to severe damage, such as broken pipes, water damage, and condensation issues.
- Pest Prevention: Clean the RV thoroughly to avoid attracting rodents and insects, and seal any entry points.
- Water System Maintenance: Draining all water from tanks and lines is crucial to prevent freezing and damage.
- Antifreeze Use: Only use RV-specific antifreeze, and never automobile antifreeze in the RV’s water system.
- Component Care: Turn off various RV components, inspect for leaks, change oil, and remove batteries for storage.
- Moisture Control: Use moisture-absorbing products like Damp-Rid to prevent mold and mildew.
- Covering the RV: If stored outdoors, cover the RV with breathable fabric and protect the tires by placing the RV on blocks.
When fall comes and goes, you will know it is time for the RV to prepare for the harsh winter. Winterizing your RV is mandatory if you want to take it out after winter.
Shutting down and covering your RV with a customized cover is not enough. The owner must protect his or her RV during the cold winter and store it under ideal conditions for prolonged life.
When winterizing your RV, prepare the plumbing system, exterior, interior, and chassis to withstand the cold temperature. Similarly, de-winterization is the process where the steps are reversed. The RV is prepared for yet another excellent, fun-filled camping trip.
Winterizing is something you should never skip if you are going to store your RV in cold weather. If not done, the RV might give you problems when you try to take it out for camping in spring. Broken pipes, water damage, and condensation, leading to damage, frequently cause problems in an RV when the winterization is not done.
When liquid from the drain lines is not drained before storing the RV, the pipes crack under cold weather. Sink valves, drain taps, toilets, etc., are other things that could get damaged.
Prevention is always preferred. Winterizing your RV is done by following a few steps of instructions. Remember that the general instructions might vary from the RV manufacturer’s instructions. Try to understand the recommendations and stick to them above anything else.
So, when should you winterize your RV? In order to be effective, you need to have completely winterized your RV before the first frost hits. For most people, this will be around October – November. The further North you are, the earlier the frost will come, so make sure you do your research before its too late.
When to Winterize an RV – Optimizing for Success
When you begin the process, you must ensure that you have all the required items close to you.
Some of the things that will be needed are a by-pass kit for the water heater (provided your RV does not already have it installed), a wand (for cleansing the holding tanks), hand tools (required to remove or install something), a converter kit for the water pump and lastly, 2 to 3 gallons of antifreeze.
The antifreeze chosen should be non-toxic and suitable for an RV.
WASHING AND DRYING
The foremost step is washing and drying the RV. Since you will store it for months at a stretch, you must wash it well.
This means washing the RV’s exterior walls, tires, awnings, and any corners that accommodate dirt. Drying is very important after washing. Even a small amount of moisture left on the surface for a long period can result in corrosion.
PREVENTION OF RODENTS AND PESTS
The next step is to prevent pests from entering the RV. This is done by cleaning the interior of the RV. No food should be left in the vehicle, as it would tempt pests and rodents to invade the RV.
All counters and seats have to be wiped clean, and the floors have to be mopped spick and span. The refrigerator must be cleaned, emptied, and switched off for the winter. Any holes in the vehicle need to be blocked to prevent pests or rodents from entering the RV.
If you use any appliances made out of propane, you must already know that spiders are attracted to the smell of propane. Even a small amount of propane, which could go unnoticed by the human eyes or nose, can cause insects to swarm towards it. So, it is advised to make sure that no ends of any propane lines lead to the outside of the RV.
The stove burners are to be covered with plastic to prevent bug infestation.
Many RV insurance companies have reported that animal infestation is the most common problem that RV owners face yearly and end up claiming insurance for. Rodents simply love crawling into RVs through holes, building nests, and chewing any wire in sight.
If you do not have insurance coverage for your precious RV, your pocket will be empty soon because you will have to pay huge bills to repair all the damage caused by rodents.
The best precaution you can take is to ensure that no food item is left behind on the counters or the shelves. If you want to leave some food behind in the RV during the storage period (although it is highly not recommended), you can leave them in cans or sealed bottles.
Care must ensure no standing water is left in the RV. You must drain the water if you have an ice maker in your RV. Many RV owners completely forget that ice makers have standing water, which could attract various kinds of insects.
Some RV owners have claimed to use some mint oil outside the RV, as rodents dislike the smell of mint.
Insect screens can be installed over the refrigerator, furnace, and heater. This has proven effective in keeping pests and rodents out.
It is strongly advised to resist the desire to use poison to kill rodents and tiny animals. Poison is true; it is very effective and can get rid of rodents trespassing in your RV, but you must consider the scenario where the rodent might ingest the poison, crawl up into a corner of your RV, and die. This can cause serious stinking of your RV during the winter.
This video has been included to clarify the topic. Credit goes to Hinton The Trail
DRAINING WATER FROM THE RV SYSTEM
The next step is to drain the water from the RV. This is the most crucial step in winterizing the RV. No water should be left in the RV’s system when the climate is cold outside. If water is present, it could freeze and ruin the havoc on the RV.
It is necessary to drain water from all the tanks installed in the RV, including the water heater, grey and black tanks, and freshwater tanks. Many professionals recommend backflushing to remove all the water from the system.
The general steps followed by plenty of people who own RVs are as follows.
- If you possess inline water filters, you must remove and bypass them before beginning the process.
- The freshwater tank and the black and grey holding tanks have been drained. If your RV does not possess an in-built flushing system for the tank, you can utilize a wand to clean the black tank. The termination valves must be well-lubricated.
- Next, the water heater must be drained by removing the drain plug and opening the pressure relief valve. It must not be hot or in a pressurized state when these actions are performed.
- The cold and hot water faucets, toilet valve, and outside shower will be opened.
- Your RV’s low-point drain lines need to be located and opened. Usually, there are two lines, one for hot and one for cold. You can use a water pump to force the water out. You can stop when the system is completely drained.
- The faucets will be closed back up, and the drains will be recapped.
ANTIFREEZE FOR YOUR RV
Antifreeze, produced exclusively for RV water systems, is non-toxic and available in almost all RV supply stores. It must be employed and removed from all faucets. Automobile antifreeze should never be used in an RV’s water system as it can cause damage.
To winterize your RV once, 2 to 3 gallons of RV antifreeze is required.
Following your RV manufacturer’s recommendations or instructions is advised, but the general steps are as follows.
- The water heater must be bypassed to prevent the antifreeze from filling up after some time.
- The inlet side of the water pump is disconnected, and a piece of tubing is connected instead. The other end of the tubing is introduced into a gallon of antifreeze. Bear in mind that RV antifreeze is used.
- The water pump is turned on to allow the pump to pump the RV-antifreeze throughout the entire system. The faucets are opened slowly until antifreeze makes its appearance.
When the antifreeze is exhausted, use another container. - Flush the toilets until you notice the antifreeze.
- After ensuring all the faucets have been opened as recommended, make your way to the city water inlet. The screen must be removed, and the valve must be pushed in until you can spot antifreeze gushing out. Now, the screen has to be replaced.
- Additional antifreeze needs to be taken. A cup is poured down each drain, and two cups are poured down the toilets. The toilet’s antifreeze is flushed into the holding tank.
- The water heater’s electric element is turned off.
- All the faucets are ensured to be closed.
PUT AWAY THE RV’S COMPONENTS
Numerous parts in an RV must be turned off before winter strikes. Awnings must be taken down, and gas tank valves must be shut off. The RV roof must be carefully inspected to find any leaks and fix them before winter.
The RV’s oil must be changed before storage, and if it is motorized, the fluid level must be thoroughly checked.
The owner’s manual will contain the appropriate fluid levels to maintain. If your RV has an onboard generator, the oil level needs to be checked, and the generator needs to be serviced accordingly.
The generator’s exhaust system is also carefully monitored. If any damage persists, it should be rectified before starting the generator. It is also recommended that the batteries present in the RV be removed.
This is because they tend to become unusable after extended periods of storage. The batteries are to be stored separately where the temperatures are not too extreme. The RV’s tailpipe can be plugged in with rags or wool to keep the rodents and pests away.
CONTROLLING MOISTURE
A bag of Damp-Rid can perform wonders when placed inside the RV during storage. It helps absorb moisture from the air, which is a great idea as surface fungi can be easily avoided.
COVERING UP FOR THE WINTER
The final step of winterizing your beloved RV is covering it. Before covering, you must ensure that the RV is completely dry to avoid corrosion and rust. It is strongly recommended that RV owners use breathable fabric or custom-made RV fabric as the material for the cover.
Plastic tarps are frowned upon as they are not breathable. When the fabric is not breathable, you will find the growth of mold and mildew underneath the tarp.
If your RV is going to be stored outdoors during winter, you must cover the tires, as they need maximum sun protection. Leaving the entire weight of the RV on the tires can also result in wear and tear. To avoid this, you can leave your RV on blocks.
By doing so, you are taking the pressure off the tires and ensuring a longer life.
Wrapping Up
Knowing when to winterize an RV is crucial for every RV owner. This process should ideally start in the late fall, before the season’s first freeze. Winterization involves several steps, such as draining and cleaning the water systems, protecting the plumbing, inspecting and sealing the exterior, and maintaining the interior.
By winterizing your RV, you extend its lifespan and ensure it remains in optimal condition for your next adventure. Failure to properly winterize could result in costly repairs or irreversible damage.
Therefore, as an RV owner, it is essential to understand the winterization process and its importance in maintaining your vehicle’s functionality and longevity. It’s more than just a seasonal task; it’s a necessary step in preserving your investment and guaranteeing many more travels in the future.
By following the recommendations and tips, you can store your RV easily during the harsh winters and prevent any damage. You can also de-winterize your RV and take it out for a camping session when spring finally arrives. De-winterizing your RV is not hard at all, and it is essential for safe and hassle-free travel.
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