Winterizing Question

JimK-NY wrote:
I don't understand the reluctance to use RV antifreeze. I think I paid about $3 for a gallon at Walmart. I just disconnect the water line from the bottom of the pump, screw on a piece of tubing and suck up antifreeze until I see pink at each faucet. The only nuisance I have is dealing with the water heater. It seems to leak each Spring when I replace the plug and fill it up. I bought new plugs so hopefully that issue is done.

On my first trailer I had a nice valve by the water pump under the bathroom sink. It was very easy to winterize using the pink stuff and I did it each year. I purchased my Airstream and my model has the water pump under the hall closet, way to the back. I can see the pump but to access it is almost impossible. To install a valve would require removal and even then getting at the hose would be quite the challenge.

I called the dealer and the tech told me they just blow them out. He expained how to do it and that is what I have been doing for 9 years. Any mistake was made by me. I forgot to blow out the spray nozzle on the sink and it broke. I did it TWICE! Man, slow learner here.

If I had a choice I would actually do both. First blow it out and then run the pink stuff just to be sure. Overkill but some like that approach. Air works, be careful and thorough and take your time.

JoshuaH wrote:
What section at walmart do you find it in?

This time of year, they usually just set a pallet of it in the middle of the main aisle. Probably near the automotive or outdoor departments.

What section at walmart do you find it in?

$15, Whoa! I thought Lowe's was high at $5. Try Walmart, Lowes and Home Depot.

I have not been able to find it for less than $15 per gallon. If I could find it for $3 I would not care for sure!

I don't understand the reluctance to use RV antifreeze. I think I paid about $3 for a gallon at Walmart. I just disconnect the water line from the bottom of the pump, screw on a piece of tubing and suck up antifreeze until I see pink at each faucet. The only nuisance I have is dealing with the water heater. It seems to leak each Spring when I replace the plug and fill it up. I bought new plugs so hopefully that issue is done.

JoshuaH wrote:
Well I didn't think that would be a problem as long as we kept the furnace running. I don't camp when its really cold, but possibly below freezing at night, 30s-40s during the day.

With that temperature range, you have nothing to worry about. It takes prolonged below freezing temps to freeze the water in your lines, especially with the furnace running.

Yea I still plan to buy some RV antifreeze to use in the drains, and of course if we ever pack up from camping at a site when its below freezing I'll have to use antifreeze.

BTW that adapter worked wonderfully, this week we had our first frost so I blew all the lines out the day before. My 8 Gallon Harbor Freight compressor had no problems what so ever even with every tap open.

JoshuaH wrote:
Thanks. We like to camp off grid in the winter, after pricing RV antifreeze I got to thinking I'm going to be spending a lot of money each time we go, would save some money to just blow out the lines.

You'll still want to have RV anti-frz on hand to pour in your drains each time you return. In my opinion, a couple of dollars of anti-frz down the drains is cheap insurance against p-traps and black and/or grey tanks cracking due to water freezing in them.

Doug

Is that 40 psi with all the taps open, closed or what? I am guessing you set the compressor to 40 psi max, then it goes down to 2 or 3 psi when a tap is open - and a tap should always be open while winterizing so the air is flowing fast enough to carry away water in the bottoms of the pipes. Being liquid, antifreeze doesn’t need to flow fast to push water.

I use a gallon of antifreeze every fall, then buy for next year when it is on sale. We carry our drinking water in two jugs so we never taste antifreeze residue and don’t need to use bleach in the water system.

I prefer the antifreeze method because we sometimes get camping weather in Winter but need to be able to winterize when it turns cold again. Nice to just carry a jug of pink stuff instead of a compressor. And winterize in half an hour.