Tanks and Pipes Below Freezing Weather

[Tony_B]

I have a Denali 293RKS with the Thermal Package. I am under the impression that as long as the furnace is running to keep the RV at 65*F inside, my tanks and pipes wont freeze at temps of 10-12*F. Is this a good assumption or was the salesman full of balogna? The dealership didnt answer my e-mail and the customer service guy was as useful as balls on the pope.
What is your strategy to keep pipes and tanks from freezing?

Thanks in advance

[garyp4951]

Disconnect the dump hose (after each dump) when below freezing, and store in heated basement.

Fill the water tank, and store hose in heated basement.

Turn on tank heaters, or keep furnace on to blow heated air in the under belly. My Jayco does not have tank heat strips, but ducts furnace air under there.

A light bulb or small ceramic heater is good for plumbing access in basement.

Cycle the HW heater on every couple of hours.

Only use 1 propane tank at a time to be sure when it needs switching, and fill the empty one, or have spares.

I camped in Yellowstone in 15 degree temps, and all was ok last May.

[padredw]

If you are living in the unit you do not need to winterize. Pour a little RV anti freeze in waste tanks to keep them from freezing . add a space heater in the basement if you care to and just keep the heat on. Be sure to have plenty of propane.

Tony, I agree. I did not realize when I responded earlier that you were living in the trailer. Our trailer is outside under a shed.

Lantly has given good advice. Good Luck.

[Lantley]

If you are living in the unit you do not need to winterize. Pour a little RV anti freeze in waste tanks to keep them from freezing . add a space heater in the basement if you care to and just keep the heat on. Be sure to have plenty of propane. The temps are periodically rising above freezing you should be OK.
My rig would be OK in those temps.

[Tony_B]

Not sure specifically what i should do. I will be living in the unit this week.
Should I just empty all the tanks and pour anti-freeze in them?
What if I cant get the RV non-toxic antifreeze?
I have a small electric heater. It's round and about 1' tall - should I put that in the basement and clear the space around it of anything flamible?
I will open all cabinet doors with piping running through it and seal off any air leaks in the basement.
What else?
I'm running out of time.

[padredw]

Tony B wrote:
Do i need to winterize and what do I have to do?

Tony, I'm up here in North East Texas and I have winterized several weeks ago. If I had not, I would surely do so today in light of the predictions for the next several days.

1. Drain your fresh water tank. Mine has a valve. If you know where your drain is, fine; if not, find out now.

2. Drain your hot water heater. Mine has a plastic plug, some have a metal one. Mine also has a faucet at the top which I open to allow air in for faster drain.

3. Open all spigots inside the trailer--while the water heater is draining.

4. locate your "low point drain." The valves for mine is inside the front storage bay, but you need to find out where yours is.

5. I use the "forced air" method. You will need a special adapter for your fresh water (city water) inlet (where you attach the hose) which has a valve stem (such as on your tires.) I use my air compressor to force out the remaining water.

NOTE: This "forced air" method has always been sufficient here in our part of Texas--temperatures in the teens. I have never used the full anit-freeze liquid method. Just in the P-traps and toilet bowl. If it got down into the single digits for days that would be a different matter. Over 20 years, I've never encountered that situation.

[wing_zealot]

I'd winterize, it just ain't worth the risk.

[sayoung]

Tony B wrote:

GordonThree wrote:
10 degrees for an hour or two in the morning, or 10 degrees for weeks on end?

It makes a big difference.

here is the forecast highs and lows:

Today 40/20
Sun 31/12
Mon 24/11
Tues 28/16
Wed 43/17
Thur 34/20

Do i need to winterize and what do I have to do?
I am new at this and I have the thermal package, but not sure I trust it
We will be living in it during this period as we are full timers

Thanks in advance

I would get a heated water hose. I had to get one while at Cedar Hill near Dallas several years back when temps running like the forecast.
Might want to get extra propane cylinder & make sure you have auto-change gas valve.
Leave some heat blowing in basement & if hooked up to the campgrounds electric add a space heater.

[Tony_B]

GordonThree wrote:
10 degrees for an hour or two in the morning, or 10 degrees for weeks on end?

It makes a big difference.

here is the forecast highs and lows:

Today 40/20
Sun 31/12
Mon 24/11
Tues 28/16
Wed 43/17
Thur 34/20

Do i need to winterize and what do I have to do?
I am new at this and I have the thermal package, but not sure I trust it
We will be living in it during this period as we are full timers

Thanks in advance

[ScottG]

Repairing busted pipes is a miserable chore. Do what ever you can do to avoid damage.

[Second_Chance]

We have weathered lows at night in the 10 - 11 degree range with high winds for five nights. We ran the main furnace (set at 68 inside) and had a ceramic heater on a ThermoCube in the basement to supplement. We still had frozen water lines to the kitchen island which is amidships. Not everything under there is protected to the same degree. During that "incident," I cut a flap in the underbelly, thawed out the Pex lines, put the foam noodle pipe insulation over as much as I could and put two layers of Reflectix between the Pex lines and the underbelly. We haven't had a problem since then. We've also stayed farther south at that time of the year.

Rob

[DutchmenSport]

When temps get to the 10 degree mark, my camper has been winterized a long time before and dry camp with no running water. My trailer has the Polar Package, but I don't trust or believe it! I do know, a great deal of heat goes to the underbelly of the travel trailer. If I unhook one of the air ducts from the furnace and let it blow inside the living area, instead of traveling through the ducts, the inside of the trailer warms up and stays warm much faster. I do this after I've winterized. If I have not winterized yet, I leave that one duct still attached to the furnace.

But, I'm not taking any chances. I winterize and if using the camper, revert back to tent camping days with water from a container, cat baths with water heated on the stove, and a port-a-potty instead of the trailer toilet. Works for us, and doing the winterizing give me peace of mind. I'd rather NOT test the waters and see where the limitation is. It's not worth it to me.

[Lwiddis]

“What is your strategy to keep pipes and tanks from freezing?”

My strategy is to never take RV advice from a salesman or dealership. Why should they answer you in written form? Liability! And 65 is too hot inside for me and my TT when it’s 10 to 12 outside...Condensation.

[GordonThree]

10 degrees for an hour or two in the morning, or 10 degrees for weeks on end?

It makes a big difference.