Winterizing Air vs Antifreeze

I've done the air methid for 30 yrs and never a problem. Your choice.

I have had to replace faucets before using just the air method. Now I just use the pink stuff and never had a problem. Where my RV is at it can get to -45 F.

Like the above poster said make sure to drain the water heater.

The way I look at it is RV builders will not spend one penny more then they have to. They ship them out with the pink stuff if they ship during winter with a sticker stating it's winterized.

1L243 wrote:
I thought I would start a discussion on blowing the trailer water lines out with air vs pumping anti freeze into the lines.

I have done both. When I blow out with air I do fill the p traps with antifreeze.

that plus drain the hot water tank. Do the same. I just blow out the lines, drain the HW tank, use 1/2 gallon of pink stuff in two trailers.

My friends blow their lines. The dealer I bought our last TT from only blows the lines if doing a winterize service. I only blow. Only dump antifreeze down the toilet and P traps. I live in Oregon up I-5 north. Temps are pretty moderate in the winter. Only get freezing on occasion and day time temps are above freezing. If I lived where it was freeing for days on end I think I might do the antifreeze.
I like the fact that come springtime I just fill with water and it's good to go. Just gotta get the air out of the lines. No draining antifreeze.

I have winnteriized many campers of all types. Air is my choice when its available from a big enough air volume compressor for the water lines. Some pink is still needed for the traps and drain valves. . Never a problem .

Have used both, wife doesn't like after taste, I don't like having to flush the lines to go on a winter camping trip.
We may go as many as once a month during winter, several to parks without full hookups. No need to flush the line just get most of the air out.
To blow out, use the on board air compressor for my PacBrake, every thing done at the storage yard.

tenbear wrote:

CKNSLS wrote:
I have used the low point drains and emptied the system. Then pumped anti-freeze in. Never an issue over the last several season.

When I drain the system with my low point drains, then blow out the lines, I get a lot of water coming out the bathroom sink hot water faucet. Yes, the heater is bypassed.

All RVs are not the same.

You didn't say if you used anti freeze. This water would be replaced by anti freeze-as you open all the facets to see the pink stuff run through and there would be no harm.

when I bought my first TT I thought I would save myself a step or two and only blow out the lines and not put anti freeze in the lines. the next spring I had two leaks in the water lines I had to fix before we went camping. now I follow up with pink and ALWAYS pour some into the traps too.

Either way done right works perfectly.

Either way done wrong can result in cracked pipes or fittings.

I've always blown the lines because I don't want to deal with flushing the taste of the pink antifreeze come time to use it again.

About 6 weeks ago, I sanitized the water system and blew out all the lines. In a few weeks we head south and all I need to do now is turn on the heat, fill the fresh water tank, pack our stuff, and hit the road. No need to flush any yucky stuff before heading out.

Wayne

1L243 wrote:

willi4nd wrote:
I am new here, new to TT and greatly appreciate everything I have learned.

No disrespect intended to the OP but I am sure this subject has been brought up multiple times every season...I have seen it at least a half dozen threads on the subject since I joined a couple months ago.

Find it odd that the OP has been a member for several years and I would guess very proficient with the workings of campers yet posts the new thread...is this something new? What has been done normally in the past?

No conspiracy here. I have done it both ways over the years and was just trying to land on one method and was looking for a conscientious for the preferred method..

Again, no disrespect intended.

I can appreciate what you are asking. I also wondered if I could just get by with just blowing everything out, at the last minute I decided to run AF through. More so to just learn how to do it.

I guess I will find out if I did everything right in the spring :)