Pipes Burst

wa8yxm wrote:
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.

PEX will freeze and can burst. I am a plumbers son and it happens quiet often.

To answer OP's question, if water is connected and on or pump is on, then potential flooding/water damage. If the pump isn't on or no water connected, just have to dry up the mess when it is discovered and repair the damaged pipe.

I had one freeze behind the shower wall of my 72 Winnie Brave. Froze the discharge valve one time after driving snow for a day. Just thawed it out and the drained it.

6ofus wrote:
Just curious...other than damaging the hot water heater, what kind of damage happens to the RV when the pipes freeze up and burst?

Thank you!

wa8yxm wrote:
Of course there is a good way to prevenet issues. WINTERIZE by the "S" method

Though I have had one line freeze one time here in SC (Heat was in the ends of the wet bay where the fittings are so they stayed liquied but the line froze about where it crosses over the drive shaft) it was a PEX line so no damage.

Whatr is the "S" method

Drive SOUTH Strap a snow blower to the rig and when someone pushes their hat back. Scratches their head and says "What the ()@*# Is that.. You winterized.

(I did not actually do that. Just drove south till I though I was far enough.... I am).

:D
we were in Kerrville TX many years ago...first time, walking through downtown on a sunny Saturday morning. i had recently retired and we were thinking of moving. we stopped in a hardware store to buy a few things and chatted up the clerk asking about the area climate, specifically winter. i asked her, "If i was to walk past your store in the fall wouid I see snow blowers for sale on the sidewalk?". she gave me a smile and said, "Honey, what's a snow blower?". :)

Of course there is a good way to prevenet issues. WINTERIZE by the "S" method

Though I have had one line freeze one time here in SC (Heat was in the ends of the wet bay where the fittings are so they stayed liquied but the line froze about where it crosses over the drive shaft) it was a PEX line so no damage.

Whatr is the "S" method

Drive SOUTH Strap a snow blower to the rig and when someone pushes their hat back. Scratches their head and says "What the ()@*# Is that.. You winterized.

(I did not actually do that. Just drove south till I though I was far enough.... I am).

If the water jeater is aluminum, it can be welded. Ive done several. Not worth it if its corroded some.
R &R is simple, usually an 1/2 hour job each way, Welding shop less than an hour, but still $100.
Beats a new unit unless its just time anyway.
Cant weld a steel cold water heater because of the glass lining. It would rust thru quick.
If you buy that rig, choose to buy a new heater, look at tankless.

dougrainer wrote:
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

Sorry I quoted the wrong quote :) This is what I needed thanks

wa8yxm wrote:
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 should have worded my question a little different but this is what I was looking for. Found a fixer-up. Not sure if we will take the 2 hour drive to look at it but seller indicated that the pipes burst and the hot water heater is broken. Seller did fix the pipes. In the event we do decide to look at it, I wanted to know what I was looking at LOL. Thanks so much

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

dougrainer wrote:

6. various elbows and t connections on the water lines

. . . includes (water) manifolds

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