Winterizing Process

I use the antifreeze way. If you bypass the water heater it should only take 1 to 1.5 gallons to flush the system. Any antifreeze for REVS is OK. I use the cheapest I can find.

I live in South Dakota and it gets cold here. I drain all tanks. Drain water heater and leave the plug out. Turn bypass for the water heater. Use the bypass hose on the pump to pump anitfreeze directly from the jug through the system one faucet/opening at a time until all run pink. Once all the lines are taken care of I run enough through to make sure that there is sufficient antifreeze in the P traps and at least a half gallon in the waste tanks. No antifreeze in the fresh water tank.

I personally have never used anti-freeze but I would think that method would be the more sure proof system. I have always felt confident that I have blown all the water from my lines. I usually leave the air on for a few minutes. When our son played college baseball we used our trailer for a motel. The college season for him started in March (earlier if you counted the trip to Florida). March in northern Indiana still can get well below freezing (albeit not like the Western mountains) so I found myself blowing out the lines and draining the water heater very frequently. I would not have wanted to pump anti-freeze into the lines on a weekly basis. But maybe it's less than a chore that I imagine.

Is there a particular RV antifreeze that you prefer and why? I know this will likely result in a number of opinions but I can learn from each one if the why is included.
Thanks again for your help.

I've heard of both methods but since I don't have an air compressor I drain water from the system (lines, tanks and water heater), use a bypass valve to bypass the water heat, pump antifreeze through the system (let each faucet run until antifreeze comes out), then pour antifreeze in each "P" trap and toilet. This requires about four gallons of antifreeze. Using the water heater bypass avoids having to fill the water heater with antifreeze (six gallons or more) to get antifreeze throught the hot water lines.

If you have an air compressor, and can control the pressure so as not to over presurize the water lines, you can minimize the amount of antifreeze you use. You would still probably have to drain the water heater and pour antifreeze in each P trap. I don't think you need to get every drop of water out of the lines and tanks using this method. As long as most of the water is out, and any remaining water has plenty of space to expand when freezing, it probably isn't going to be an issue with respect to damage caused by freezing water. Again, I've never used this method so others that have can give you more insight.

Is there a preferred method of winterizing a travel trailer?

Opinions are varied, and may have to do with what extreme weather you get.

Do most of you perform this function yourselves?

Yes

Where I live because of my location in the mountains that I may have to do this process a number of times in the Spring. Is one method better/easier than another?

The blowing of Lines with antifreeze in traps only is the EASIESTs.

The time consuming part of filling complete system with anti-freeze is the flushing of system after-wards.

NOW with that in mind, some say if you are in an area that experiences extreme freezes, that the complete filling of system with ant-freeze is the safest. Stories of elbows still holding water, freezing, and cracking in weird areas have come up, basically hard to tell if all water is out when blowing lines.

I have been told & scene, to by-pass the WATER-heater (off course drain it), but not to fill it with ant-freeze, then main water lines filled, will not take 6 gallons of anti-freeze.



Markiemark:C