Keeping low point drain from freezing
We will be camping next week in Pigeon Forge and they are predicting a few nights of temps down around 17. We have heated tanks but our low point drains are exposed and in the past they have froze. ...
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For ONE night in Demming, NM, it went down to 18 degrees. Totally unexpected. My motor home, IMO is simply not made for that kind of temperature.
We did not unhook the hose, rather kept a dribble of water (cold and hot) running in the kitchen and bathroom sinks...and after removing the shower head, did the same with that. We had the propane heater running...and opening the lower kitchen cabinet doors, and a space heater aimed right at that area inside....I thought to keep the pipes in or under there from freezing. Needless to say, I didn't sleep soundly that nite. Left the gray water drain open. But::::
Evidently it worked. Left that campground around 9 and all was well. Same day, Phoenix AZ. 73 degrees. Hooked up...just fine. Until....the next morning.
I'm up early did my thing and am on the laptop. Wife gets up...starts yelling FLOOD! In the bathroom, the water supply hose to the toilet had a clean, razor slit about 3 inches long. Ran outside, turned off the water and watched Niagara Falls flowing out of the side of the motorhome.
8AM Sunday morning. Home Depot was open. Got some garden hose, cut it to size and installed with hose clamps. (Still there years later!)
Carpet took a few days to dry...but dry it did and apparently no harm done.
Now...the toilet supply hose is a good 2 feet from the wall...but the piping in the wall were fine.
Go figure.
We did not unhook the hose, rather kept a dribble of water (cold and hot) running in the kitchen and bathroom sinks...and after removing the shower head, did the same with that. We had the propane heater running...and opening the lower kitchen cabinet doors, and a space heater aimed right at that area inside....I thought to keep the pipes in or under there from freezing. Needless to say, I didn't sleep soundly that nite. Left the gray water drain open. But::::
Evidently it worked. Left that campground around 9 and all was well. Same day, Phoenix AZ. 73 degrees. Hooked up...just fine. Until....the next morning.
I'm up early did my thing and am on the laptop. Wife gets up...starts yelling FLOOD! In the bathroom, the water supply hose to the toilet had a clean, razor slit about 3 inches long. Ran outside, turned off the water and watched Niagara Falls flowing out of the side of the motorhome.
8AM Sunday morning. Home Depot was open. Got some garden hose, cut it to size and installed with hose clamps. (Still there years later!)
Carpet took a few days to dry...but dry it did and apparently no harm done.
Now...the toilet supply hose is a good 2 feet from the wall...but the piping in the wall were fine.
Go figure.
