Here are a few things to do to help keep your propane tanks working well: Refill all propane tanks In freezing climates, remove external propane tanks and safely store in a protected and warm place — but not in the RV Protect propane fittings with plastic bags and rubber bands Replace any hoses or fittings that are showing signs of cracking or wear Take on Spring Cleaning Before Winterizing Much like vacation homes, you should unplug, clean the refrigerator and leave the door open during storage to prevent mold and mildew.
How would you rate this article? Ready For a Quote? ZIP Code is required. Invalid ZIP Code. ZIP Code. Related Articles. Make sure your spatial awareness is up to par by completing this quick 5-step exercise. Take a look at our helpful tips on prepping your boat and trailer for the summer.
Winterizing the automotive portion is typically as simple as replacing your current coolant solution with antifreeze. However, in order to winterize the house portion, you must follow quite a few more steps.
Failure to winterize your RV could cause the water in the lines and the pipes to freeze. Once the water freezes, it will expand and crack your pipes, which can be costly and time-consuming to repair.
Play it safe by planning to winterize your RV each year, as soon as the temperatures begin to drop into the low 40s or high 30s. Reference this list whenever you are ready to safely prepare your RV for winter storage. The first thing you will need to do is gather your materials.
Depending on what your RV is already equipped with, you may need a few other tools, as well. You will need a water pump converter kit, or just some basic tubing to connect the antifreeze to your system. Finally, you need to purchase a tank cleaning wand and flushing system if your RV does not have one built in. Once you have collected your materials, you are ready to begin to winterize your RV. Because you will be pumping antifreeze through your water system, you need to remove any inline water filters that are installed.
This will ensure that they are clean and ready to use when you install them for trips next spring. Now is also a great time to replace your filters if they have expired. At a dump station or your campground sewer hookup, empty out your black and gray tanks. Leave the hose connected for a bit longer to ensure everything drains out. Then, flush out both tanks. If your RV does not have a built-in flushing system, you can use your cleaning wand and external flushing system to clean out the tanks.
Next, drain your hot water heater by removing its drain plug. Be sure to switch this off before draining it, allowing the water to cool before you begin. Replace the plug once it has fully drained. This will allow your water to drain from the tank. Be sure to open both the hot and cold lines and leave them open for a minimum of fifteen minutes to ensure all water has drained out. Leaving your water pump on during this process is helpful in draining the water quicker.
Just be sure to turn off water pump once the water pressure is low. If you choose not to winterize your travel trailer, you will likely incur extreme costs in repairs. When do I winterize a travel trailer? The answer varies depending on the geographic location you live in, as the climate varies by location. The general rule of thumb is to winterize your travel trailer when the temperature is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and will be so for a prolonged period of time.
To ensure the quality and longevity of your investment, winterizing is non-negotiable. Failure to winterize your travel trailer will prove to be a very costly mistake. For a step to step guide on how to winterize, here is our complete guide. If you choose not to winterize your travel trailer, there are many damages that are likely to occur, such as. As you can see, there are many things that can go wrong when you fail to winterize your travel trailer properly.
Let me tell you, if you can avoid the RV shop, do so. Typically it takes a month just to get in during camping season and they charge as much as an attorney makes per hour.
Thankfully, winterizing a travel trailer is something that can be done without the assistance of a dealership or trained professional. If you choose to winterize your travel trailer by yourself, it is imperative that you follow the correct steps. We have our complete guide here that anyone can do with a limted tool kit. In the manual, you will find the necessary steps to take to ensure proper winterization. There are also many travel trailer forums that you can check out for tips and tricks from other travel trailer owners based on your specific model.
The time it takes to winterize your travel trailer is going to depend on several factors; the size of the trailer, your experience and comfort level with the process, the number of people helping, and the availability of resources and tools needed. If you have the proper tools, the average time it takes to fully winterize a travel trailer is anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half.
Like anything, the more times you go through the process, the easier it becomes. Remember there is a learning curve and efficiency will come with experience. The important thing is to complete the job properly and not to forget anything, such as your black water tank flush.
As stated earlier, the best time to winterize is when the temperature is at or below freezing. To learn more about how long it takes for pipes to freeze, take a peak at our article on the subject here. To ensure you have your travel trailer winterized before harsh weather strikes, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the weather.
Some people choose to winterize their travel trailer directly after the final use of the year which eliminates the need to track the weather as closely. When preparing to winterize your travel trailer, you want to make sure you have all the necessary tools on hand.
The last thing you want to do is make trips to the store in the middle of the process. Chances are you have a lot of the necessary tools on hand. This is quite an extensive list and you may not need all the items.
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