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Winterizing Travel trailers help

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Rick:
The plastic pipe in RVs is pretty tough stuff.

About 5-6 years ago we took my trailer hunting. I remember the daytime highs in Yakima were in the teens and close to 0 at night. Up near Chinook pass I'm sure it was below 0 at night.

Even with the heat on in the trailer,all the pipes froze solid. Even the 45 gallon freshwater tank was frozen solid. I was sure all the pipes would be toast,but after they all thawed at home the next week,they were fine.

I still winterize my trailer,but I'm not as freaked out about it as I used to be. I drain the water heater,and drain the lines at the low point drain. I dump some rv antifreeze in the traps and call it good.

I wouldn't be worried about it too much.

robodad:
Buddy of mine left his trailer at a friends house in Naches one winter cause the snow came early, he didn't drain anything and the only problem was the hot water tank opened up like a tuna can so he just bypassed the tank (ran the hoses to each other) and everything works fine now (no broken pipes) except the hot water !!

flashover52:
I do the same as previously posted.....  Open up the drain plugs on the water lines and remove the plug from the hot water heater. Buy the schrader adaptor for your air compressor that screws onto the fresh water supply and with minimal air pressure, blow out what water remains. I typically just drop a dixie cup of RV anti-freeze into the sinks to take care of any water stuck in the P-traps.

With whatever little water is left in the holding tanks, any freezing likely won't cause enough expansion to break a pipe. Remember that water isn't compressable so unless the pipes are completely filled and the water/ice has no where to expand, then that's the only time you would have problems (i.e. the water left in the hot water heater).

When I blow the water out with the air compressor, I usually start by opening one faucet at a time to blow any water out of that system first into the drains, then remove the main plugs and with the faucets closed, blow the remaining water out.

If your a newbie, find a local reputable RV repair shop and stop in and buy your anti-freeze there. If they know you're likely to purchase parts, they may be more likely to provide some basic how-to tips.

The Weazle:
I am new to the RV thing, but I would think all of the above advise is sound.  I wonder if you were to keep power to your RV and used some of those heated wraps around your pipes and tanks if it would keep them from freezing, and provide year round usage, maybe wrap them with the heated wraps and then some insulation to keep the heat in...not sure, hopefully some one will chime in again because I am thinking of doing that myself.  If not, I can get by without water in the tanks/pipes and still use the trailer all winter...just like a tent, but a little more comfortable for the wife...

Bofire:
I use the antifreeze. I have a valve and short line that converts my pump from sucking the water tank to sucking the antifreeze. I also have a valve to divert the water from my hot water tank, close the valve at the tank, you do not want antifreeze in your hot water tank, it takes forever to flush out. and drain the tank.

I had a water faucet freeze and had to replace it 2 years ago in my kitchen sink in the RV, that was parked near olympia, so it does freeze in puget sound.
Carl

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