No clue on how to winterize

Google "winterizing rv". You will find all the instructions you need.

Dennis M M wrote:
It's a piece of cake!

7. finally push open the check valve on the city water hook-up and let pink stuff flow. Don't look into the valve while you are doing this! (Don't ask)

Others will jump in if I missed anything!

Doing this with pump on or pressure on line is a recipe for dislodging the internal o-ring in the check valve requiring repair or replacement of a leaking valve. Always let all of the pressure out at a faucet with the pump off. Then carefully depress and have someone run the pump for a short duration. No surprise this way and no damage.

Well that is far enough that it may get cold enough to cause issues. Last time I was at that lattitude I hit 11 Degrees and a line froze even though I was protecting them somewhat. (no damage)

My suggestion.. Do this at your last campground of the season less you have a dump station at home.

Dump. Open low point drains and fresh water storage drain.
Open all valves (Shower inside and out, Kitchen,, Force cycling of the ice maker, twice) Flush toilets That should clear all lines

Drain the water heater and replace the plug or Bypass it, Remove the RED wire on Atwood units from the ECO (this is a safety thing, optional but I'd do it)

Prop fridge door open (let it dry out) defrost and clean by the way.

Now, using a blow out plug (Most RV places sell them) and a tank type portable Air compressor, with a regulator set to 50 PSI, Blow the lines out. Blow till you either no longer get watter spittion out the low points or run out of air, Let Compressor recover.

Find the water pump and lay a towel under the inlet, Open the inlet strainer and let it drain onto the towel

Run pump for at least 1 minute dry. Then turn off (it is a run dry safe pump)

Re-assemble inlet strainer and remove towel to laundry.

Blow again,, and again (you need not do all the other stuff over and over, just blow like 5-10 times allowing 2 minutes minimum for recovery between blows.

Close upper valves (Shower, Kitchen and bath)

Note if you did NOT bypass the water heater you need to drain it again every few blowouts.


Pour PINK STUFF (Rv Antifreeze) into drains (1-2 cups each) if the drain has a trap use 2 cups.. And Toilets (enough to seal like the water normally would), Flush the first quart in the toilet into the black tank,, Make sure enough gets poured into teh sink to get into the gray tank.

come spring:
Sanitize as normal (1/2 cup bleach per 15 Gallons of water fill tank and run through all lines, Drain and then run re-fill with 1/2 cup baking soda and a full tank of water (note amount of soda not critical) again run through all lines till Evidence of bleach is gone, Drain and re-fill with fresh water, flush out lines to sinks, no need to flush soda out of toilet lines.

If water heater bypassed make sure the drain plug is in place and restore valves to normal, As it fills replace Red Wire Atwood) so it will work.

NOTE: Red wire off will cause the water heater to FAULT instead of operate. Every spring we get a raft of "OOPS, I forgot to fill the water heater before turning it on, did I break anything" That is why you pull the red wire.

It's a piece of cake!

As noted, black and gray tanks empty.

Probably the trickiest part if you don't know how, bypass and drain the hot water heater.

1. buy three or four bottles of the pink RV antifreeze - my 37' fiver takes a little over two gallons.

2. attach a hose to the inlet side of your water pump - many RVs will have a "T" fitting with a valve already in place to do this

3. put end of hose in bottle of antifreeze

4. Turn on your water pump

5. Starting at the fixture farthest from the pump open the faucet and let it run until pink stuff flows. Do both hot and cold faucets and let some flow into the drain pipe.

6. do this with all the faucets, shower and toilet, don't forget an outside shower if you have one and lines for washing machine if they are there.

7. finally push open the check valve on the city water hook-up and let pink stuff flow. Don't look into the valve while you are doing this! (Don't ask!)

Thats it, you're done.

Others will jump in if I missed anything!

If your not sure you can handle it most RV dealers will do it for you or a mobile rv tech.

winterizing in section 23 of FAQ
Winterize 2010 with pictures

Winterize black tank 2014
Winterize Sept 2009



blow air compressor winterize
Winterize with air pressure - adapter 2007
Blowout lines discussion- how to 2010
Blow or antifreeze 2010
Blow only? 2012


Leave tanks empty?


Water in black after empty?



Winterize batteries Oct2009
Stay plugged in in storage?
Stay plugged in roast batteries?

yrusoslo wrote:
Do you have the MH manuals?.

It is rare for a motorhome manuals to give ALL the details for winterizing the RV completely. Some do pretty good, but I have yet to see one list ALL the various things that are required. I know this because I fix a lot of freeze damage RV's in the spring from owners that did everything in their manuals. Doug

Do you have the MH manuals?.

Suggest you put the year of your rig in your signature. Im sure someone with like coach will respond.
Make sure both black and grey tanks are empty. Also dont forget to pour the rv antifreeze down the sink/shower drains. The water traps can freeze and crack pipe if not treated.

There are dozens of threads on the subject plus youtube videos. Google it for a detailed explination.