In my 10+ years of travel trailer ownership here in the Pacific NW, I've never used anything other than compressed air to blow out my lines and winterize. I haven't used any of the pink stuff, apart from pouring some down the drain traps and to maintain the toilet seal. I park my camper in Eastern WA for a few months each winter, where temps are frequently in the teens and below, and I haven't had any problems with freeze damage. Now that I have a new 5th wheel that I'll be winterizing for the 1st time, I want to revisit this logic to make sure I'm not running any risks. Do any of you simply use air to blow out the lines, on top of, of course, draining the water heater and emptying the tanks?

I don't know why I never thought of that.......... Duhhh... I am in Eastern Washington and winterize my sprinkler system by blowing it out with compressed air every Fall. Then I use pink antifreeze to winterize my RV. Never even considered using air on my RV's and have a bit of a challenge getting it all flushed in the Spring. I am really curious to hear what experience others have had.

I think you'll find that most winterize with pink stuff. Some blow out the lines first and then push in pink stuff.But there's also people who just use air.The big challenge with air-only is making sure you get it out of all low points. The one issue I had was the toilet's water valve held water and broke one winter. $35-45 later and it was fixed up.

My MH is one of the larger investments I've made. As such I don't take any risks associated with potential frozen lines. Although I hate the pink stuff too, the few bucks you spend for its added protection is priceless. I blow out my lines and fill with the pink stuff every year.

ependydad wrote:I think you'll find that most winterize with pink stuff. Some blow out the lines first and then push in pink stuff.But there's also people who just use air.The big challenge with air-only is making sure you get it out of all low points. The one issue I had was the toilet's water valve held water and broke one winter. $35-45 later and it was fixed up.Yes, that's a valid concern. My issue is that I store the camper off site for a few months and use it during the winter months. Using air only to winterize is so much easier for this, as I don't have to de-winterize by flushing the pink stuff out, and then reapply the antifreeze 3-4 different cycles of use. I'll probably continue to use the air only method, but I'm a stand up guy and will come clean to everyone here if I suffer a cracked line, valve, or god forbid, a water pump due to freezing.

Do you have 110v power at the storage site? I have wintered in cold country in the past. I added some heat tape and a small radiant heater to keep the inside temperature above freezing when I was not using it. I don't camp in the winter anymore unless it is in Arizona or Mexico.

Any of you guys winterizing with air only? | Good Sam Community

cummins2014
Explorer
Sep 16, 2019
happy2rv wrote:
cummins2014 wrote:

That’s helps, I have one , but have you seen what comes out when you drain one ?
I don’t worry I don’t blow the lines.

I use an oil less compressor with an in line air filter. Set the regulator to less than 60 PSI and I make sure to take the air out of the top of the compressor tank, not the water out of drain at the bottom of the tank ;). Is the air completely clean? Likely not.

I don't worry too much about it because before I use it again I will do a full sensitization and system flush.

There is no wrong way here, but some need to be aware of what they are blowing into those lines. Used AF for years with no issues.
happy2rv
Explorer
Sep 16, 2019
cummins2014 wrote:

That’s helps, I have one , but have you seen what comes out when you drain one ?
I don’t worry I don’t blow the lines.

I use an oil less compressor with an in line air filter. Set the regulator to less than 60 PSI and I make sure to take the air out of the top of the compressor tank, not the water out of drain at the bottom of the tank ;). Is the air completely clean? Likely not.

I don't worry too much about it because before I use it again I will do a full sensitization and system flush.
cummins2014
Explorer
Sep 16, 2019
pianotuna wrote:
One that doesn't use oil.

TomS1345 wrote:
What is a good air compressor to blow out lines?

That’s helps, I have one , but have you seen what comes out when you drain one ?
I don’t worry I don’t blow the lines.

I open the two low point drains , open all the faucets etc , that allows all the lines that can drain out , drain . Drain the water heater , all the tanks. Bypass the water heater , and fill the lines with AF. Fill the traps with AF . Finished
pianotuna
Nomad III
Sep 16, 2019
One that doesn't use oil.

TomS1345 wrote:
What is a good air compressor to blow out lines?
TomS1345
Explorer
Sep 15, 2019
What is a good air compressor to blow out lines?
Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Sep 14, 2019
naw, I am a pink stuff guy. :)
sgfrye
Explorer
Sep 13, 2019
we live in north carolina.. generally mild winters although we do go down into the teens at times. we usually go on a few weekend trips during winter if forecast is above freezing.

ive always done the compressed air. making sure to remember outside shower faucet, toilet etc. finishing with low point drains.

i pour rv antifreeze in sink traps and a few gallons to black tank and grey tanks to reach valves.

so far no problems
Campfire_Time
Explorer
Sep 13, 2019
Interesting responses. There is a bit of science behind why water doesn't completely freeze even when it gets into the teens at night. Those who use air only are mostly in warmer places that don't get deep freezes for days, or even weeks at a time. Anyone living in the northern states or Canada knows what I'm talking about. In SE WI we had days of -20 over the winter. Not the wind chill, the actual temperature. With day time highs of -10.

The issue I've seen, and have had myself, is getting the water out of all the valves and faucets. Even a small amount of water in a valve can cause cracks. I had this happen in a previous trailer. I failed to open one of water heater bypass valves and allow pink stuff through. The next spring I had a leak.
FlatBroke
Explorer II
Sep 13, 2019
Our trailers has enough low point drain lines that hardly any water comes out with just air. That’s been good for me. The KISS system for me.
gkainz
Explorer
Sep 13, 2019
I used to use air only until one year my old class C split the line to the toilet. I assume water pooled down from the valve to a connector and froze.

Switched to air followed with AF.

Then I was cleaning my air/oil separator and draining the compressor tank and realized that I wouldn't fill SCUBA tanks with that air and breathe it, so why would I put it in my water lines?

Only AF now for me.