Forum Discussion

path1's avatar
path1
Explorer
Nov 05, 2016

Really winterizing after "winterizing"

(This year we couldn't go south, so I have to winterize this year)

Last year, when we were in AZ our neighbor told us the elec was off for 5 days last year.

Winterizing to me means protecting the plumbing system. I blow out the system and give a shot of pink stuff in drains. I also plug in a small elec heater. For sake of this posting...RV has been winterized for plumbing purposes.

But I'm wondering what I should remove if elec goes out.

Anything that's a fluid? Some spray cans say "protect from freezing". When does...olive oil, laundry soap freeze, etc freeze?

RV is usually pretty well stocked at all times, except for perishables.

Thanks for your input.

6 Replies

  • We also remove anything that a mouse could use to build a nest. Paper products, towels, fiberglass etc.
  • The electric heater, if it has a digital thermostat it may reset its self to about 70* or so if the power goes off. I went back to the old style twist to where you want it thermostat after finding that out.
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer III
    Generally, dissolving stuff in water lowers the freezing point and raises the boiling point. That's the basic idea for how antifreeze and road salt works. That being so, it's really hard to predict at what temperature some water based product might freeze. Nearly all other substances do not expand when they freeze; water is quite unusual in that regard.

    Plastic bottles generally won't be worse for the wear if their contents freeze; they have enough give to take up the expansion. Cans may be a different story, and glass containers definitely are. Oils and solvents and alcohol (and indeed most liquids) don't expand when they freeze, so regardless of their freezing point it's not a problem to leave them in the RV.

    I usually find it's easiest to just collect all the cleaning supplies and whatnot and bring them in for the winter, even if it's not strictly necessary. Things like engine oil, antifreeze, and winter rated windshield washer fluid which are in the vehicle systems over the winter are of course safe to leave in the cold; if they froze, then the vehicle couldn't possibly work in cold weather.
  • ANY product with 'water' will freeze...laundry soap, dish soap, cleaning products etc.
    Come winter we remove all of those items.

    Oils..might get slushy but don't freeze.
    Fact is I use olive oil in toilet bowl (don't use any anti-freeze just drain all lines)

    I open all faucets/shower/toilet then open up low point drains and leave them open---water heater/fresh water tank drained---run water pump until dry

    Waste tanks get dumped.

    That's it. Only time I had an issue was when I forgot the sprayers on kitchen sink and toilet. Didn't open them/let drain and had to replace the next season due to cracked sprayer heads

    Any loss of AC Power just means I have to check on batteries