Blow out winterizing question

[sandtsherman]

I have blown out all of the lines 3 times now, I just keep thinking a little water will pool somewhere and freeze - call me paranoid. Question; when you blow out, does that take care of the fresh water pump? If not, should I run just enough anti freeze to protect it?

1st winterize, so just checking...

Thank you!

[M_GO_BLUE1]

Only blowing out the lines will leave water in the lines if the lines dip within the RV...takes us 10 minutes and 2 gallons of RV antifreeze and we are done...

[JamesBr]

I dont use a drop of air. Just pump the pink stuff through every part of the system with the water heater bypassed. Once thats all done, I open all the low points and the fixtures for the winter. In 5 years in the Mid Atlantic area it has never failed me. All of the water is out of the system, whatever antifreeze that stays in the links after the low points and fixtures are open have lots of room to expand and avoid a blown out on the PEX lines.

[mudmaker]

Just a thought. Is there a p trap for the clothes washer? I'm sure there is somewhere. I have a new unit and never had one with w/d hookups. This one has never had a washer in it so I guess there technically shouldn't be any water in the washer drain. Just got me wondering.

[rsgs]

During the fall. I winterize WEEKLY. I run a fly fishing business early fall and hunt later fall so this requires me to winterize every week when I leave. I've done this hundreds of times, probably more. Drain all holding tanks. Empty the hot water heater (I do not by-pass until winter lay-over). Blow out the lines, opening each faucet individually to drain. Open the low-point drains. Drain fresh water tank (if used). Use bypass on fresh water tank to draw up 2 cups of red pop. Pour 2 cups in traps - Done. Never a problem in 9 years.

[MinnCamper]

I blow everything out-disconnect the water pump and wait for spring! Never had a problem. Oh it gets to 30 below here too.

[relaxin]

mmm what is it 5,,, 6 bucks a gallon?
so what 12 bucks for 2 gallons???

How much to replace a pump?
or repair a water line?

the answer is there somewhere

😉 🙂

[Dave_H_M]

If one is gonna run antifreeze anyway, I just cannot figure out the advantage of running air thru the lines.

I always just let the pump suck the stuff out of the jug. Use less than two gallons and done in a flash.

[sandtsherman]

Thanks everyone. I already have the ptraps handled, but I like the idea of running anti freeze anyway. Another guy on YouTube said that leaving the lines dry all winter could also dry out seals in the system, which made sense to me.

[WyoTraveler]

NW WY and just blow out lines. Pink stuff in washer, spin out. Then pink stuff in drains.

[turbopilot51]

I blow out the lines first with my compressor. Then I draw antifreeze from the jug via the water pump. I make sure each faucet runs pink stuff out the hot and cold. The washer/dryer combo is a little more complicated. I then blow out the antifreeze so as not to leave the pink stuff in the water lines all winter. Over kill? Maybe, I just want to cover all the bases. Also don't forget about the outside shower. I learned the hard way one winter. :S

[old_guy]

I also blow my lines out and once I had broken pipes to replace, so then I blew them out and put in anti freeze. no broken pipes. so on my new tt there is no room under the cabinet to install the by pass valve so I blew it out and am hoping for the best. I did watch a video on u tube and the guy said to blow the pipes out and turn the pump on and the air would suck the water out of the pump and down the drain. So I re-blew the pipes out and turned on the pump. I hope he knows what he's talking about. I am going to re think this out and by next winter I hope to have a solution to this pump thing.

[enblethen]

I blow out the lines, remove screen filter from the pump, run pump for 5-10 seconds, drain water heater, flush water then dump a cup or two of anti freeze done drains and in toilet bowl.

[stetwood]

In northern Wis I blow the lines, make sure the H20 heater is drained, draw a pint of antifreeze in the pump, pour antifreeze in p traps, open the top vents, set the mouse traps and wait for spring.

[rseymour21]

If you lived in Texas then I'd agree that blowing out the lines, one time would be good. If I lived where it gets really cold, I'd pump antifreeze in the water system, close the hot water heater bypass and drain the tank, pour antifreeze in the traps and put some antifreeze in the holding tanks. Where you normally have water, replace with antifreeze. Except the hot water heater, I'd probably just leave it drained.

[TakingThe5th]

You didn't mention the waste system which is also important - did you purge the water from the p-traps?

I also blow out my lines but after weighing the possibility of water pooling, as you mentioned, and the damage it can cause I also use antifreeze.

I first drain the hot water tank and turn the hot water bypass valve to "bypass". That takes care of the HW tank but you will still need to run antifreeze through the hot water lines.

I have a bypass on my water pump and can pull the antifreeze right out of the jug and through the lines. Open each water valve individually until the pink antifreeze comes thru. The antifreeze that comes out of the faucets goes down the drain to protect the p-traps and waste tanks.

Make sure you don't forget your waste tank flush system, if you have one, and the outdoor shower. Also the commode.

Hope that helps.