How to de-winterize your trailer? *UPDATE*
We are new to RVing and just picked up our trailer last weekend. We are planning a trip this weekend but I need to de-winterize the trailer. Are there any resources or tips on this? I've watched...
Forum Discussion
De-winterizing an RV is just a matter of running fresh water through all your water lines.
Initially, your water heater should be in by-pass. You want to keep it there until your lines are clear of the pink stuff. After all your lines are clear by running water through them, then open the water heater and fill it. If it never had RV antifreeze in it, it doesn't need to be flushed, except maybe, to give it an initial rinse.
Hopefully, you have no RV antifreeze in your fresh water tank. Assuming it's empty, you can either add water to the tank and pump the water from there, which will also clean out the water pump. Or, hook up to city water (garden hose) and just let the water flow through all the lines (hot and cold, toilet and all sinks, shower, outside kitchens, outside showers) until all the lines are clear of the antifreeze (no foaming, pink color will go away quick, watch for the foam in the water.)
It's really just that simple.
If you want to sanitize your system, then do that AFTER you cleared the antifreeze and you are getting no more foaming or air bubbles in the water (hot and cold).
FYI, not everyone thinks its necessary to sanitize. I haven't satirized except for only 1 time on all 3 of my travel trailers, and that was the day I brought them home from the dealer. Never sanitized again.
If yo live in town and have town or city treated water from a treatment facility, your water already has all the "sanitization" it needs. Just fill your tank, run through the lines, let it sit a while, and go camping.
If your water supply is on a private well, then you may want to sanitize. But to each his own.
FYI, we drink from the fresh water tank, and also from regular garden hoses. 63 years old and ain't dead yet! Germaphobia is highly over rated!
Initially, your water heater should be in by-pass. You want to keep it there until your lines are clear of the pink stuff. After all your lines are clear by running water through them, then open the water heater and fill it. If it never had RV antifreeze in it, it doesn't need to be flushed, except maybe, to give it an initial rinse.
Hopefully, you have no RV antifreeze in your fresh water tank. Assuming it's empty, you can either add water to the tank and pump the water from there, which will also clean out the water pump. Or, hook up to city water (garden hose) and just let the water flow through all the lines (hot and cold, toilet and all sinks, shower, outside kitchens, outside showers) until all the lines are clear of the antifreeze (no foaming, pink color will go away quick, watch for the foam in the water.)
It's really just that simple.
If you want to sanitize your system, then do that AFTER you cleared the antifreeze and you are getting no more foaming or air bubbles in the water (hot and cold).
FYI, not everyone thinks its necessary to sanitize. I haven't satirized except for only 1 time on all 3 of my travel trailers, and that was the day I brought them home from the dealer. Never sanitized again.
If yo live in town and have town or city treated water from a treatment facility, your water already has all the "sanitization" it needs. Just fill your tank, run through the lines, let it sit a while, and go camping.
If your water supply is on a private well, then you may want to sanitize. But to each his own.
FYI, we drink from the fresh water tank, and also from regular garden hoses. 63 years old and ain't dead yet! Germaphobia is highly over rated!
