Pipes Burst

Unless the coach is left unattended for a period of time in below zero temps, it is doubtful that the WH will freeze. Usually it is water in the lines that feed the hot and cold water systems that freezes. If the coach is being used, like our is sometimes in zero temps, I only needed a 100 watt light bulb in the wet compartment to prevent any freeze issues. The fresh water tank was kept full and used instead of hooking to park water.

Nothing much. Just the damage you must cause accessing the broken pipes to fix. And the damage cause in the spring by the water if you don't know the pips are broken.

1. Water Filter housing broken if you have one
2. Water Pump head
3. Icemaker/water valves on residential refers
4. Icemaker feed line and valve on RV refer Icemakers
5. Clothes Washer hot and cold valves
6. various elbows and t connections on the water lines
7. Toilet Water valve
8. ANY lines that expand too much and crack, depending on how cold and long
9. Outside Water Faucet
10. The Black Tank Flush air gap valve
11. Some Faucets---the necks that go up and roll over 180 degrees for the spout. The water stays in the spout and freezes Doug

The pipes in most RVs are made of PEX.. They don't burst when freeze/thaw happens.

Oh the water heater will
And the assorted elbows. t's adapters. valves and other fittings may well crack or burst

But the pipes. never.

I had the inline plastic water filter burst and under normal city water pressure it was fine but higher pressure it would leak. When not hooked up to city water, the water pump didn't pump as well due to air in the line. It took me awhile to track down the leak.

To prevent future problems, I open two drain lines under the trailer and drain the water lines and water heater when freezing temps are predicted.

winterize the rv, its a pain to fix broken lines and some times big bucks to repair the damage.

Mold, mildew, rot.

Some of it depends on the age of the coach as well. The older the pipes, the less pliability in the piping. Keep in mind, as water freezes, it expands. Anything that can't withstand some expansion is going to burst. Doug pretty much listed everything....Dennis

dougrainer wrote:

6. various elbows and t connections on the water lines

. . . includes (water) manifolds

The broken pipes, fittings are one thing. Relatively 'inexpensive' to replace, but maybe a pain to get at.
A bigger problem, if break and leaks are not discovered right away. Think ice melting in the spring, but you don't open/dewinterize for another month or two. That water now has now been absorbed into carpet, wood or other porous material and beginning to mold and mildew. That would make a would make replacing a fitting look easy. Even better, properly winterize.

To see how much water expands when frozen, simply fill an ice cube tray perfectly level with the top, put in your freezer for a day and then see how much above the level that you filled it to.
The ice cube tray did not break because it expands into the open space.

Ken