forgot to winterize and it went to 21 last night

Ugh I didnt know I had low side drains nor a method to suck from a 1 gallon jug. idiot. just read instructions online.

live and learn

barchetta1 wrote:

KKELLER14K wrote:
I find that the first thing to break is the faucets...next, your toilet valve...been there wrecked that. Any heat inside is better than none...crack all the cabinetry open and run the LP heater on low if you have to...but if you got shore power just a few space heaters on low will do just to keep the interior from freezing up.

THIS is what I wanted to know.. thank you. Now I can just buy these and have them on hand so my next trip is not a total nightmare. Mine is a 2004, wouldnt hurt to replace these anyway.

EDIT: why I didnt run the lp heater is beyond me.. I guess I was thinking it would be dangerous but thats silly.

KKELLER14K wrote:
I find that the first thing to break is the faucets...next, your toilet valve...been there wrecked that. Any heat inside is better than none...crack all the cabinetry open and run the LP heater on low if you have to...but if you got shore power just a few space heaters on low will do just to keep the interior from freezing up.

THIS is what I wanted to know.. thank you. Now I can just buy these and have them on hand so my next trip is not a total nightmare. Mine is a 2004, wouldnt hurt to replace these anyway.

coolmom42 wrote:
I don't understand why you are so reluctant to properly winterize this RV. It shouldn't take over an hour.

no running water and no electricity at storage. I did open the faucets and held the toilet open for a bit.

Damage if any is done.. so I learned my lesson. Its 23 now.

Taking it home was not an option either.

this post about windshield washer fluid being disastrous was humorous.

I don't understand why you are so reluctant to properly winterize this RV. It shouldn't take over an hour.

I find that the first thing to break is the faucets...next, your toilet valve...been there wrecked that. Any heat inside is better than none...crack all the cabinetry open and run the LP heater on low if you have to...but if you got shore power just a few space heaters on low will do just to keep the interior from freezing up.

barchetta1 wrote:
I put windshield washer fluid in the drains.. better late than never.

Windshield washer fluid is disastrous on waste water systems. Like using bleach, it kills the beneficial bacteria that break down the wastes. Please do not use anything with alcohol, ethanol, methanol as a freeze point depressant in waste systems.
Plumbing A/F is glycol based, safe for waste systems, piping. Including ours! Its what you drink a gallon of for your (yuck) colonoscopy!

After you have drained the fresh water tank, turn on your pump. Open the faucets both hot and cold until no water runs. Hold the toilet valve open until no water runs. With the antifreeze in the holding tanks, you should be OK.

TXiceman wrote:
But did you drain the water lines and the water heater.

Only the water heater.. so I guess that means the hot lines are drained..

cold ones, no, I dont know of any way to drain the cold lines??

coolmom42 wrote:
Put a space or 2 inside. They are cheap and abundant this time of year. Any WM or Dollar General will have them.

If you are not willing to do that for some reason, do the following:

Drain the water system and water heater.

Go to Walmart and get some RV antifreeze. I know you are not far from a WM in SC.

Pump the antifreeze through the water lines until they all run pink. Pour some in the traps and toilet.

No electric power at storage.
I need to clean the darn water tank.. I pulled drain out and something very disgusting came out. we just bought this unit and have had it out a few times but have not gotten around to that task.. we've always had water at the site..

So no way to pump water unless I want whatever is in there in the lines.. which I do not..

so just hoping for the best.. I just looked and it was in the 20's last night for nearly 8 hours.. ouch..

I did look at the drain plumbing and saw no leaks while I was there..

I would think if I were going to have an issue it would be where the water hose connects.. but who knows.. ugh.. I wont let this happen again.