Winterization - General Tips
We get asked from time to time about winterization. While south Louisiana is usually a warm place (okay, hot!), each year we can count on a few hard freezes. If you're concerned about your camper, especially if you're going to have it stored for a while, here are some steps you can take to protect your RV.
- Drain all tanks, fresh and sewage.
- Turn water heater bypass valve to the bypass position.
- Drain water by pulling the plug or anode rod on the front
- If installed, remove water filter from canister and reinstall canister.
- Access suction line from water pump, close valve from freshwater tank, and open the winterizing suction line (if not equipped, then fill fresh water tank with several gallons of non-toxic antifreeze.
- Put open suction line into antifreeze gallon and turn pump on
- Run all faucets, handsets, and toilets until pink antifreeze shows up out of all faucets.
- Turn breaker for water heater off
- Pour remaining antifreeze down each drain to have some in each tank and in p-traps.
- This process should use roughly 4-6 gallons of non-toxic antifreeze
If you're looking for more detailed information, check out the following video from Forest River that gives a good visual overview of the steps. On the other hand, if your RV is nearby and the concern is short-term (as it often is in our area), you can turn on the furnace to a low setting (but still drain the tanks).